In a controversial incident at the Delta Center on Monday night, a group of Utah rabbis were asked to remove their signs declaring "I'm a Jew and I'm proud" during the Utah Jazz's game against the Dallas Mavericks. The rabbis, including Rabbi Avremi Zippel, had brought the signs to protest the involvement of Mavericks player Kyrie Irving, who had previously been suspended from the Brooklyn Nets for sharing a link to a film containing anti-Semitic information.

According to Zippel, Irving spotted the signs early in the first quarter and approached him, saying, "No need to bring that to a game." Irving then reportedly spoke to Mavericks security staff before Jazz officials came over to check the rabbis' tickets and instructed them to put the signs away. The Jazz later released a statement explaining that the signs were in violation of their Code of Conduct, which aims to ensure games are played without distraction or disturbance.

However, Zippel expressed disappointment in the Jazz's response, accusing them of siding with Irving and using a spurious policy to have the signs taken down. He questioned why a sign proclaiming Jewish pride would bother Irving to the point of sparking an interaction. Zippel emphasized that the incident involved only one person out of a crowd of 18,000 and suggested that the real question should be why Irving was triggered by such a sign.

Despite the incident, Zippel reaffirmed his lifelong support for the Jazz and praised the team for their past support of the local Jewish community. The Jazz went on to win the game against the Mavericks with a score of 127-90.

This incident is not the first time Irving has faced backlash for his actions related to the Jewish community. In 2022, he posted a link to a controversial documentary titled "Hebrews to Negroes," which argues that modern Jews are imposters who stole the religious heritage of Black people. The Anti-Defamation League rejected Irving's subsequent donation of $500,000, and Nike severed its commercial ties with him. Irving later expressed regret for his actions, stating that he did not intend to threaten or hurt anyone.

The incident at the Delta Center highlights the ongoing issue of anti-Semitism and the rise in reported incidents since the Israel-Hamas conflict began in October 2022. It also raises questions about the responsibility of professional athletes to be mindful of their actions and the potential impact on marginalized communities. The Mavericks organization has not yet responded to requests for comment on the incident.