Soon after his statements, Irving since indicated that he doesn’t actually think the Earth is flat, he was merely probing for a reaction from the media in his previous statements.

They sparked several days of intense media coverage, including input from Neil deGrasse Tyson, who said of Irving, “If he wants to think Earth is flat, go right ahead - as long as he continues to play basketball and not become head of any space agencies.” Irving initially made the comments while on the “Road Trippin’ with RJ & Channing” podcast, hosted by fellow teammates Jefferson and Channing Frye. Since Jefferson showcased the t-shirt, it and other variants have taken off in popularity across the internet. Then, on last Wednesday, teammate Richard Jefferson appeared wearing a shirt that read “Flat World Champions.” It was an apparent reference to Irving’s remarks.

Earlier this month, Cleveland Cavaliers player Kyrie Irving outed himself as a flat Earth truther. Conspiracy theories can even run wild in the NBA.

Flat earth shirt