“If You Want the Best Out of Your Girl”: DeMarcus Cousins Uses ‘Hilarious’ Analogy for Kyrie Irving’s Leadership for Mavericks

Kyrie Irving has been impeccable in the playoffs, something that has helped repair his reputation massively after his disastrous stint with the Brooklyn Nets. In fact, the guard has done such a great job, that it has even convinced DeMarcus Cousins to pay homage to the guard for his performances.

On the latest episode of the Bully Ball podcast, the former Sacramento Kings star was brutally honest, saying,

“I think the main thing that Kyrie [Irving] has shown is leadership. And championship leadership. That’s not really a term attached to Kyrie’s name and it should be…

He’s not necessarily vocal. And he’s doing it within his role. He’s allowing Luka [Doncic] to be Luka, and at the same time, he’s being Kyrie… It’s like being in a relationship… The Mavericks are catering to Kyrie and making sure he’s happy and in a good place… If you want the best out of your girl, you gotta give her the best.”

As Cousins aptly pointed out, Irving has been terrific on both ends of the floor. He’s averaging 21.8 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.4 rebounds, and is one of only four guards alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and Donovan Mitchell to average over 20 points per game and boast a defensive rating of under 120 in the playoffs.

While the other three are the first-choice on offense for their respective teams, Irving is putting up those numbers despite playing second fiddle to Doncic.

Irving had trouble living in LeBron James’ shadow and demanded an exit from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017, one year after helping the franchise win its first championship. Seven years later, he’s sharing the spotlight with another generational talent, but hasn’t shown discontentment with his limited role in the offense and is playing his role perfectly.

The Mavericks are reaping the benefits of Kyrie Irving

The Mavericks landed Kyrie Irving in February 2023, hoping that the veteran guard would form a potent duo with Luka Doncic and help the franchise win another NBA title. The initial signs were unpromising. They went 10-18 after acquiring the veteran guard, finished 11th in the Western Conference standings, and missed the playoffs.

Despite the spectacular downturn in form, the franchise showed faith in Irving’s talent and handed him a three-year, $126 million contract extension in the offseason. They continued to cater to the guard’s needs and made him feel at home in a way that the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets couldn’t. During Ramadan, the team flew in a private chef during road games to cook vegan meals for the guard.

Irving repaid the Mavericks’ faith in him with an excellent regular season campaign and stellar displays in the playoffs. They’ve treated him like a superstar and have reaped the benefits.