The player LeBron James once labelled as the 'most gifted' in basketball history has suffered a devastating injury.
Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving – a nine-time All-Star who has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets – is widely regarded as one of the most talented NBA players of his generation.
The 32-year-old was forced to leave the court late in Dallas' 122-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Monday night after suffering an apparent knee injury. And on Tuesday, ESPN journalist Shams Charania confirmed that Irving had sustained a torn ACL, ending his season.
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The Mavericks had been hopeful of a championship push this season after controversially trading Luka Doncic to the LA Lakers, receiving one first-round pick and All-NBA centre Anthony Davis in return.
Irving played alongside James on the Cavaliers, and the four-time MVP doled out high praise of the guard's talents on the Mind the Game podcast last year.
"Listen, I will call Kyrie the wizard all the time. Like all the time," he said. "There was nothing on the basketball floor that Kyrie couldn't do. And sitting here watching it, I'm like, I'm so f*****g happy and so proud to watch him and continue his growth or whatever the case may be. And at the same time, I'm so f*****g mad that I am not his running mate anymore."
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As Cavaliers teammates, James and Irving helped deliver a first NBA title in the franchise's history in 2016. They defeated the reigning champions, the Golden State Warriors, in seven games in the finals that year with Irving scoring the crucial winning basket in the deciding game.
"I just remember those times, and to have a guy like Kyrie Irving as the ultimate wild card, that's like having a draw four in your hand every time someone deals you cards in Uno," James recalled ... It's all in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Until then, I think Kyrie was only averaging eight points in the first half, like in the second round of the playoffs.
"He was getting a 16 to 20 in the second half. But in the first half of games. It was like six, it was like six to eight. I don't remember the exact number. And you're like, 'Okay, you gonna have Kyrie in the fourth, but I need you sometimes in the first half too, brother.' But like what he did in Game 1, it was like at the, at the Western Conference finals, you was like, 'Oh s***, Dallas may be able to not only win the Western Conference Finals, they might be able to win the whole thing because of that wild card.'
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"I don't have many words to praise Kyrie, and I end up with absolutely none because he's the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen. He has the best gifts I've ever seen of any NBA player."
Irving has been with the Mavericks since 2023 but could depart at the end of the current season if he opts out of the final year of his contract.
Topics: NBA, Lebron James, LA Lakers, Basketball
Ryan Baldi