Nets' Kyrie Irving Donates $323K, 250K Meals Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Brooklyn Nets' star point guard Kyrie Irving announced Monday that he is donating $323,000 to Feeding America, with Lineage Logistics matching up to $200,000 in donations as well, amidst the coronavirus pandemic.  

He is also partnering with City Harvest and donating 250,000 meals across the New York area. Irving announced he is creating the Share A Meal campaign in partnership with those organizations "to help marginalized communities get the food sources they require."

If the donation number feels oddly specific, B/R's Howard Beck broke down the reason for the $323,000 figure:

Irving, 28, was averaging 27.4 points, 6.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 20 games this season, shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from three. A shoulder injury cost him the first 26 games of the season, however, while surgery for a right shoulder impingement ended his season prematurely in early March. 

The entire NBA went on a minimum 30-day hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic later in the month, and a number of players, owners and coaches have given back to local communities and stadium personnel out of work during the outbreak. 

The Golden State Warriors, for instance, combined to create a $1 million to disaster relief fund for Chase Center employees. 

"The men and women who work our games at Chase Center are critical in providing an incredible game-night experience for our fans," superstar guard Steph Curry said. "As players, we wanted to do something along with our ownership and coaches to help ease the pain during this time." 

Many other teams have taken similar approaches during the stoppage, while athletes like Irving and others have contributed to food banks, charities or provided money for first responders and medical workers.