- Irving has not been eating or drinking anything while in the Muslim holy month
- He’s been performing well – averaging 25 points since Ramadan began days ago
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The Dallas Mavericks are going above and beyond for star point guard Kyrie Irving – as he continues to play for the team while also fasting as part of his observance of the Muslim holiday of Ramadan.
During the holy month – which began on March 10 – participants refrain from consumption of food and water from dawn to sunset. The practice is obligatory, with exceptions for those that are elderly, ill, pregnant, or experiencing other specific ailments.
For Irving, he has been practicing this for years. But this year, the Mavericks decided to take an extra step for him by flying out a private chef to help prepare vegan meals for the point guard to eat once he is allowed to break his fast.
A few days ago, Irving commented on the effort he’s undertaking after hitting a miraculous game-winning shot to beat the defending-champion Denver Nuggets.
‘Ramadan is a special month, so it’s a special time and yeah… you try not to think about the suffering too much and really focus on the journey with God and the path that you’re on and just stay focused on that and stay disciplined,’ Irving told reporters.
‘It’s a difficult journey and… To be able to play 48 minutes and do it without having a drink or any food in my stomach is nothing short of a miracle.
‘So there’s definitely a universal God out there that’s protecting me, and I’ve got to give credit to Him.’
In the five games that Irving has played since the start of Ramadan, he’s averaged 25 points and seven assists while shooting above 50 percent from the floor.
Irving is hardly the only athlete who is Muslim and many others observe the holiday in a similar way without food and drink.
Last year, when Ramadan was in April, Liverpool FC star Mohamed Salah politely declined an offer of water when he was taken off the pitch for a loss against Manchester City.
Another basketball example of Ramadan fasting came from last year’s Final Four – where Adama Sanogo of UConn was one of multiple players on the national championship winning team to spurn food and drink.
Sanogo was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player as the Huskies won a fifth national title.
