Kyrie creates $1.5M fund to support WNBA players sitting out season

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving committed $1.5 million to help support active WNBA players who are sitting out the 2020 season "due to personal, professional, health, and/or safety-related reasons," the KAI Empowerment Initiative announced Monday.

To be eligible for funding, players need to meet four general requirements:

• They must be an active player who opted out of the 2020 season
• They must detail the reasons for their opt-out decision
• They cannot be receiving salary support from another organization
• Any medical opt-out must be related to the COVID-19 pandemic

Players need to submit their applications by Aug. 11. The initiative is an extension of Irving's Kai Family Foundation.

The six-time All-Star has worked to support his fellow players in voicing their concerns about continuing to play this year amid a pandemic and the ongoing cultural focus on justice reform.

In June, Irving led calls about the major social and health issues at hand. While NBA players comprised the majority of the participants, some WNBA players also spoke about their concerns while pledging to stand in solidarity with their NBA peers, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.

Irving is recovering from right shoulder surgery and won't play for the Nets when the NBA season recommences at Disney World this week.