Kyrie Irving – Dallas Mavericks – NBA 2024

Kyrie Andrew Irving, born on March 23, 1992, is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. He gained recognition early in his career, winning the Rookie of the Year award after being selected as the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA draft. Throughout his career, Irving has earned eight All-Star selections and has been named to the All-NBA Team three times. He achieved his greatest success with the Cavaliers, winning an NBA championship in 2016.

Irving played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils before entering the NBA. He received the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the 2014 All-Star Game and made a significant impact during the 2016 NBA Finals, making the championship-winning three-point field goal that sealed the Cavaliers’ historic comeback against the Golden State Warriors.

Following another Finals appearance in 2017, Irving requested a trade and was subsequently traded to the Boston Celtics, where he played for two seasons. In 2019, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent. After four seasons with the Nets, Irving requested a trade and was acquired by the Dallas Mavericks in 2023.

Irving has also represented the United States national team, winning gold medals at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics. In February 2020, he was elected as one of the seven vice-presidents of the National Basketball Players Association, replacing Pau Gasol.

Irving’s decision not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine resulted in him missing the majority of the 2021–2022 NBA season. kyrie lrving

 

Throughout his career, Kyrie Irving has been associated with promoting various conspiracy theories. Some of these theories, such as tweeting a link to the movie “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” have been criticized as being antisemitic. Additionally, Irving previously espoused the belief that the Earth is flat, a theory he later retracted.

Outside of basketball, Irving has also ventured into the entertainment industry. He has written, directed, and acted in advertisements under the persona of “Uncle Drew,” which eventually became a feature film released in 2018. Furthermore, he has made appearances as himself in TV shows like “Kickin’ It” (2012) and has provided voice work for animated series such as “We Bare Bears” (2016) and “Family Guy” (2018).

Clark impresses with 21 points in WNBA debut A lot to be Proud

Kyrie Irving was born on March 23, 1992, in Melbourne, Australia, to Drederick Irving and Elizabeth Irving (née Larson), who were American expatriates. He has two sisters, Asia and London. His father, Drederick, played college basketball at Boston University alongside Shawn Teague, the father of Jeff and Marquis Teague. After his college career, Drederick moved to Australia to play professionally for the Bulleen Boomers in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL). The family lived in the Melbourne suburb of Kew before relocating to the United States when Kyrie was two years old. He holds dual American and Australian citizenship.

Tragically, Kyrie’s mother, who was of African American and Lakota descent, passed away when he was just four years old. Drederick raised Kyrie with the help of his aunts. In 2004, Kyrie’s father remarried Shetellia Riley, who now serves as Kyrie’s agent.

Kyrie spent his childhood in West Orange, New Jersey, where he often attended his father’s adult-league basketball games. His aspiration to play in the NBA was sparked during a school trip to Continental Airlines Arena in fourth grade, where he declared his ambition to play professionally. Due to his father’s ties to Boston University, Kyrie spent considerable time in Boston, including attending BU’s basketball skills camp. He even received a scholarship offer from Boston University when he was in fifth grade, offered by then-head coach Dennis Wolff.

During his teenage years, Kyrie played for the Road Runners of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), honing his skills and showcasing his talent on the court.

During his freshman and sophomore years of high school, Kyrie Irving played basketball for Montclair Kimberley Academy, where he quickly made a name for himself. Averaging an impressive 26.5 points, 10.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.6 steals per game, he became only the second player in the school’s history to score over 1,000 points. In his sophomore year, he led MKA to its first New Jersey Prep ‘B’ state title.

Seeking a greater challenge, Irving transferred to St. Patrick High School after his sophomore year, where he joined forces with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, a highly regarded player in the class of 2011. Despite having to sit out the first 30 days of St. Patrick’s season due to transfer regulations, Irving made an immediate impact. In his first season at St. Patrick, he averaged 17.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game, leading the team to its third New Jersey Tournament of Champions title in four years.

Irving’s talent was further showcased on the national stage. In August 2009, he led the USA East team to victory in the Nike Global Challenge, earning MVP honors. He continued to excel, leading St. Patrick to a 24-3 record and winning the Union County Tournament championship in his senior year, where he averaged 24.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game.

Irving’s stellar performance earned him numerous accolades and invitations to prestigious events. He was selected for the 2010 Junior National Select Team and played in the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit, the 2010 McDonald’s All-American Game, and the 2010 Jordan Brand Classic, where he was named co-MVP with Harrison Barnes. Additionally, Irving won a gold medal with the United States team at the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship in June 2010.

Kyrie Irving declared his intention to forego his final three seasons of eligibility and enter the 2011 NBA Draft. He was selected with the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his debut season, Irving made an immediate impact, earning accolades such as being named to the 2012 Rising Stars Challenge, where he scored 34 points and earned MVP honors. He also clinched the 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year Award with an overwhelming majority of first-place votes and was the only unanimous selection to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. During this season, he averaged 18.5 points, 5.4 assists, and shot 46.9% from the field, including 39.9% from three-point range.

In the subsequent season, Irving encountered some injury setbacks. During a practice with the Cavaliers in the NBA Summer League, he sustained a broken right hand, necessitating surgery. Later, he injured his index finger, causing him to miss three weeks of action. Despite these challenges, Irving showcased his talent by scoring a then-career-high 41 points in a game against the New York Knicks, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to score 40 points in Madison Square Garden. His performance earned him a spot in the All-Star game, where he contributed 15 points, four assists, and three rebounds. Additionally, he won the Three-Point Contest during All-Star weekend. By the end of the season, Irving averaged 22.5 points, 5.9 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.

In the 2013–2014 NBA season, Kyrie Irving continued to excel, earning a starting spot as the Eastern Conference point guard in the NBA All-Star game. He had a standout performance during the game, earning the All-Star Game MVP title after recording 31 points and 14 assists, helping the East secure a victory over the West with a score of 163–155.

Irving achieved another significant milestone on February 28, 2014, when he notched his first career triple-double with 21 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds in a win against the Utah Jazz. This marked the Cavaliers’ first triple-double since March 16, 2010. Additionally, Irving displayed his scoring prowess by recording a then-career-high 44 points in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats on April 5, 2014.

Throughout the season, Irving maintained impressive averages of 20.8 points, 6.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.

After LeBron James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kevin Love joined the team, Kyrie Irving signed a significant five-year, $90 million contract extension on July 10, 2014. The trio formed a new “Big Three” in Cleveland, generating high expectations for the team.

The Cavaliers faced a rocky start to the season, with a record of 5–7 following a loss to the Toronto Raptors on November 22. However, they bounced back with an impressive eight-game winning streak, during which Irving showcased his scoring prowess, averaging 19.3 points per game. Notably, he scored 37 points against the New York Knicks on December 4.

Despite the winning streak, the Cavaliers struggled with inconsistency throughout December, finishing the year with a record of 18–14. The team’s performance was affected by injuries to key players, including Irving, James, and Love, leading to a lack of continuity and mediocre results.

Irving returned to action in January 2015, helping the Cavaliers snap a three-game losing streak with a victory over the Charlotte Hornets. However, he experienced a setback in the following game against the Dallas Mavericks, scoring just six points before leaving the game due to lower back tightness. Irving missed the next game against the Philadelphia 76ers but returned to score 38 points against the Houston Rockets on January 7, albeit in a losing effort.

Following a challenging period where the Cleveland Cavaliers endured a six-game losing streak between January 4 and 13, resulting in a 19–20 record, Kyrie Irving and LeBron James spearheaded a remarkable turnaround. They led the team on a remarkable 12-game winning streak, during which Irving showcased his scoring prowess by averaging 24.5 points per game. The highlight of this streak was Irving’s spectacular performance on January 28 against the Portland Trail Blazers, where he scored a career-high 55 points. This performance included a franchise-record 11 three-pointers and marked the second-highest scoring game in Cavaliers history, only behind LeBron James’s 56-point game. Additionally, Irving’s 55-point outburst set a new record for points scored in a home game and in Quicken Loans Arena history, while his 28 first-half points established a new career high for points in a half.

On March 12, 2015, Irving continued his scoring prowess by setting a new career high with 57 points against the San Antonio Spurs, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer to force overtime in a thrilling 128–125 victory. This performance marked the most points scored by a player in a regular-season game against the defending champion since Wilt Chamberlain’s historic 62-point game in 1962. Irving’s 57-point effort also surpassed the Cavaliers’ franchise single-game scoring record previously held by LeBron James.

Despite missing two games in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks due to a knee injury, Irving played a crucial role in helping the Cavaliers secure a spot in the NBA Finals for only the second time in franchise history. However, his postseason was cut short when he suffered a fractured left kneecap during Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. This injury required surgery and sidelined him for three to four months, forcing him to miss the remainder of the series, which the Cavaliers ultimately lost in six games.