The Brooklyn Nets want to make sure there will be plenty of Nets gear in the crowd at the Barclays Center on October 25 when Kyrie Irving and co. host the cross town rival New York Knicks.
In an effort to encourage Nets fans to support the team and drown out the orange and blue, the team has announced that the first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a replica Kyrie Irving jersey. Of course, this is just another way for the Nets organization to rub salt in the wound of Knicks fans who thought that Irving and Kevin Durant would be playing their home games at Madison Square Garden.
Irving, selected first overall out of Duke by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011, spent his first six seasons in Cleveland before forcing his way to the Boston Celtics. The 27-year old, six-time All Star averaged 23.8 points with 6.9 assists and 5 rebounds per game last season with the Cs, but he'll now start anew in Brooklyn.
After making his decision to sign with the Nets, Irving, who grew up in West Orange, New Jersey, explained:
"It was, fourth grade, I had just gotten done watching the Nets in the Finals and when I knew that this is a dream that I want to fulfill. I had to manifest that, I had to go get it.
"In my heart I knew I always wanted to play at home. And home is where my heart is. And it's always been there."