In the world of professional basketball, few players are as enigmatic as Kyrie Irving. Known for his dazzling handles, clutch performances, and deep philosophical musings, Irving has also become infamous for one of the most controversial beliefs in modern sports: his unwavering conviction that the Earth is flat.

But where did this belief come from? And why, despite overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary, does Kyrie Irving still stand by it?

The Night That Changed Everything

According to sources close to Irving, his flat Earth awakening didn’t come from internet forums or YouTube rabbit holes—it came from a mysterious encounter with an old man in a hidden library beneath Boston.

The story goes like this:

During his time with the Boston Celtics, Irving reportedly stumbled upon an antique bookstore while walking the city’s historic streets late one night. Drawn by an inexplicable force, he entered and met an elderly man who introduced himself only as “The Cartographer.” This man, dressed in robes adorned with celestial symbols, handed Irving a leather-bound book titled “The Truth They Hid From You: Maps, Myths, and the Great Deception.”

Inside were hand-drawn maps, ancient texts, and supposed “evidence” that NASA, world governments, and even the NBA itself were part of a grand conspiracy to hide the Earth’s true shape. Irving, already a deep thinker, was captivated.

The NBA’s Reaction

When Irving first publicly voiced his flat Earth beliefs in 2017, the reaction was swift. Scientists mocked him. Teammates laughed. Even former President Barack Obama jokingly dismissed the idea in an interview.

But Irving didn’t back down.

In a now-deleted Instagram Live session, Irving allegedly claimed that “the curvature of the Earth is an illusion created by fish-eye lenses on satellites,” and that “real basketball is played on a flat court, just like real life is lived on a flat Earth.”

Some teammates have since claimed that Irving would bring up the topic in locker room debates, passionately arguing his case with obscure references to “celestial cartography” and “the Antarctic ice wall.”

The Secret Society of Flat Earth Ballers?

Rumors have persisted that Irving isn’t the only NBA player who questions mainstream science. Anonymous sources have whispered about a secret group of players—dubbed “The Roundball Flat Earthers”—who meet in undisclosed locations to discuss “the truth.”

One unnamed former teammate claimed that Irving once organized a team flight where he showed a custom-made documentary titled “Above the Rim, Below the Curve,” which supposedly “exposed” the flaws in globe Earth theory.

Where Does Kyrie Stand Now?

Despite the backlash, Irving has never fully recanted his beliefs. In a cryptic 2023 interview, he stated:

“People call me crazy, but the real crazy thing is believing everything you’re told without asking questions. I’m just seeking truth, wherever it leads.”

Whether his beliefs stem from an elaborate prank, a genuine philosophical stance, or that fateful night in Boston, one thing is certain: Kyrie Irving’s flat Earth saga remains one of the strangest and most fascinating subplots in NBA history.

And if The Cartographer is to be believed… we may never know the full story.