The arrival of Kyrie Irving in Dallas marks the start of a new chapter for both the Dallas Mavericks and the eight-time All-Star point guard.
After a tumultuous time with the Brooklyn Nets, Irving has joined forces with the young star Luka Doncic, who is set to lead the Mavericks into the future. – Read more: How did Kyrie Irving end up at the Dallas Mavericks?
In his first practice with Dallas, Irving was asked about the possibility of playing alongside Doncic and his response was simple: “No” – according to the Associated Press.
The combination of Irving and Doncic is something that Mavericks fans have been looking forward to, and the team’s owner Mark Cuban, has already declared that “the combination of Kyrie and Luka will be fun to watch.”
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd also believes that Irving and Doncic will figure things out quickly, stating, “This isn’t two 23-year-olds trying to see who’s the alpha. We understand, this is Luka’s team. It will be Luka’s team.”
Kyrie Irving has played with some of the best basketball players of all time, including the Olympics and world championships.
He believes that playing alongside Doncic will give him the opportunity to see a “bad European come over and really dominate up close,” and that Doncic has the potential to change the pace of the game like Larry Bird.
Irving’s time with the Brooklyn Nets was not without its challenges. In the 2020-21 season, he took leaves of absence and had to miss much of the 2021-22 season due to COVID-19 restrictions.
This season, he was suspended eight games after posting a link to a film with antisemitic messaging.
Despite these setbacks, Irving was still able to play at an All-Star level once again.
However, when it came time to discuss an extension with the Nets, the relationship soured, and Irving asked for a trade.
When asked about his feelings towards his time in Brooklyn, Irving stated in an AP report that “there were times throughout this process when I was in Brooklyn that I felt very disrespected. I work extremely hard at what I do.
“No one ever talks about my work ethic, though. Everyone talks about what I’m doing off the floor. I just want to change that narrative and write my own story.”
Kyrie Irving is now ready to move on from the challenges he faced in Brooklyn and start fresh with the Dallas Mavericks.
He is excited to be with the team and is focused on controlling what he can, both on and off the court.
