NBA star Kyrie Irving has publicly called out ESPN after the sports network shared a report about Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair's NFL fine without mentioning the name of the Palestinian girl he had honoured during a game.
Irving's comments came on Thursday, 17 September 2026, a day after he offered to cover Al-Shaair's $11,941 NFL fine. The linebacker had written 'Hind Rajab' across his eye black during the Texans' Week 1 game against the Buffalo Bills on 13 September. The NFL subsequently fined him for displaying a personal message without prior league approval.
Kyrie Irving: 'Her Name Is HIND RAJAB'
After ESPN published a post about Irving offering to pay Al-Shaair's fine, Irving responded directly on X, formerly known as Twitter.
'Her name is HIND RAJAB,' Irving wrote, before adding that she 'was more brave than every single one of you at ESPN'. He accompanied the post with photographs of Hind Rajab.
The ESPN post referenced Irving's offer to pay the NFL fine but, according to reports about the exchange, did not identify Rajab by name. That omission prompted Irving to put her name at the centre of his response.
His post came shortly after he had first offered to help Al-Shaair with the financial penalty. On 16 September, Irving wrote on X: 'I'll take care of his fine.' The message was posted in response to coverage of the NFL punishment.
Her name is HIND RAJAB💐🌷
— Kyrie🤞🏾 (@KyrieIrving) September 17, 2026
🤞🏾🪶♾❤️
And She was more brave than every single one of you at ESPN https://t.co/nw4gZiPerM pic.twitter.com/dm5GixOZi9
Why the NFL Fined Azeez Al-Shaair
Al-Shaair wore Hind Rajab's name on his eye black during Houston's 36–31 defeat to Buffalo.
According to NBC Sports reporting, the NFL's uniform and equipment rules prohibit players from displaying personal messages without prior approval. The fine was therefore connected to the league's rules regarding unauthorised messaging.
The incident was not Al-Shaair's first NFL fine for a message on his eye black. Earlier in 2026, he was fined after displaying the words 'stop the genocide' during a playoff game. He has also previously used the NFL's My Cause My Cleats programme to support Palestinian causes.
Al-Shaair has previously explained his involvement in humanitarian causes by saying he wanted to use his platform to bring attention and support to families affected by the conflict.
Who Was Hind Rajab?
Hind Rajab was a five-year-old Palestinian girl who died in Gaza in 2024 after the vehicle carrying her and members of her family came under fire in Gaza City.
According to ESPN's reported account, Rajab was initially still alive after the attack and spent hours on the phone with emergency responders while seeking help. She later died, along with members of her family.
The circumstances surrounding her death have remained a highly contentious part of the Gaza conflict. Recent reporting has noted that the Israeli military acknowledged opening fire on the vehicle and said it had opened a criminal investigation into the incident.
Because of the circumstances surrounding her death, Rajab's name has subsequently appeared in demonstrations, artwork and advocacy related to the conflict.
Irving's Support for Al-Shaair
Irving's involvement began with his offer to cover the fine rather than with his criticism of ESPN.
The Dallas Mavericks guard shared his offer publicly after reports emerged about the NFL punishment. His statement was brief, simply saying that he would take care of the fine.
The NFL's rules also create a distinction between paying another player's fine directly and providing financial support. NBC Sports reported that the league does not permit someone other than the fined player to pay the fine itself, although Irving could potentially give Al-Shaair an equivalent amount of money.
Irving's later response to ESPN shifted the focus from the financial penalty to the identity of the person Al-Shaair had honoured.
ESPN Post Sparks a Second Part of the Story
The exchange has effectively created two connected stories: Al-Shaair's NFL fine and Irving's criticism of how the incident was covered.
ESPN's report concerned Irving's offer to pay the fine, while Irving's response focused specifically on the fact that the network's social media post did not name Hind Rajab. Reports from multiple outlets have described his response as a direct criticism of ESPN.
For Irving, the name itself was clearly important. His decision to repeat 'HIND RAJAB' in capital letters made the identity of the girl the central point of his message.
The episode has since drawn attention beyond the NFL, linking a league uniform-policy dispute with the wider discussion surrounding Palestine, Gaza and how stories involving the conflict are presented by major media organisations.
For now, the confirmed facts are straightforward: Al-Shaair wore Rajab's name on his eye black during Houston's season opener, the NFL fined him for an unauthorised personal message, Irving offered to cover the fine, and Irving subsequently criticised ESPN after its post about the incident did not name Rajab.
