How Kyrie Irving is Taking His Injury Time to Fix One of America’s Most Stubborn Problems

It’s no secret African American farmers face systemic discrimination in an industry historically dominating by white folks. But after the Department of Agriculture (USDA) reversed vital funding geared towards righting the wrongs of racism in agricultural, many Black farmers were left stranded. Now, one NBA star said he has a plan to get involved in the healthiest way.

Dallas Mavericks player Kyrie Irving is known for his sometimes outlandish views. Whether it’s that the earth is flat or him violating COVID-19 protocols, many folks have written the former Rookie of the Year off as bad news. But since he’s been out recovering from a torn ACL, the shooting guard announced he has big plans to get into farming.

“I know being healthy is expensive nowadays, and inflation and things of that nature. I’m building towards becoming one of the biggest farmers ever,” Irving said during a Twitch stream. “I wanna be able to supply food and groceries to the world in the best way I can and create small, holistic wellness villages where people can retire. Where women can give birth safely. Families can grow and build,” he continued.

Irving hopes to become one of the roughly 40,000 Black farmers in the U.S., who collectively own less than one percent of the country’s farmland, the NAACP reported. Because they have so little power compared to their white counterparts, Black farmers are often met with racism from their white peers and agricultural agencies.

The 1990 Farm Bill was established to help provide resources to minority farmers, but a July 2025 announcement getting rid of the act aims to undo the past progress made, claiming the need for it is now gone. This wouldn’t be the first time Black farmers were left out to dry, however…

In 2021, former President Joe Biden signed a $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), setting aside $5 billion in debt relief to make up for past discrimination for minority farmers. But sadly, this designated relief was trampled by a series of lawsuits from white farmers, according to NPR.

That same year, an investigation found USDA agents still receive hundreds of discrimination complaints each year, although this has not stopped new Black farmers from joining in the agricultural market. Three years later and Black farmers are faced with yet another example of bias against them.

This time, it’s due to President Donald Trump’s recent blitz on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the federal government. But with these protections for Black farmers are gone, Irving’s interest in the field could be beneficial in more ways than one.

“I’m trying to find farmers in New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Texas, and trying to find a lot of agriculture specialists so I can learn how to grow food,” the basketball player added. It couldn’t hurt to have a NBA star as a new face of the Black agricultural movement. And it seems Irving is dead set on making this dream a reality.

He continued, “I’d rather know how to grow food than know how to put a basketball in a hoop. I’d much rather learn how to tend a garden and be fruitful off the land. That’s the real wealth.”