Kyrie Irving is no stranger to showing respect to the players who came before him, especially those who helped shape his journey. One of those players is John Wall. During a recent Twitch live stream, Irving looked back on his early years in the league and reflected on how his rivalry with Wall was more than just competitive.
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Wall, the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, came into the league with immense hype. A lightning-fast guard with elite athleticism and showmanship, Wall brought a level of excitement to the point guard position that had people talking.
Other than being a standout talent, Wall is also credited for taking the new generation of lead guards in a new direction. According to Irving, Wall set a precedent that others, including himself, were chasing. Just a year after Wall, Irving followed as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 Draft. From that point on, comparisons and competition between the two were inevitable.
For Kyrie, it was never about outshining Wall. It was about learning, evolving, and understanding what it meant to carry the responsibility of being the top pick. He said, “Let me give John Wall his flowers. He definitely set a precedent, set an example a year before being the number one pick, being a point guard.”
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He said Wall was “Everything you could want and an exciting guard in the NBA.” Reflecting on their journey together in the league, Irving said, “Both of us came on to the scene later on the rankings, and for us to go back-to-back as point guards in the NBA, that was generational. I don’t think there’ll ever be a run like that again.”
Kyrie Irving: “Let me give John Wall his flowers. He set the precedent as a #1 pick, point guard, everything you could want, and an exciting guard in the NBA. For us to go back-to-back was generational. Two PGs going B2B #1 picks, I don’t think we’ll see that again in the best league in the world.”
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Irving’s praise for Wall goes beyond the court. He acknowledged how Wall’s career helped pave the way for younger guards who wanted to play fast, lead loudly, and do it all under the spotlight. For Kyrie, going head-to-head with someone like Wall during his formative years in the league helped him develop the mindset and skill set that made him who he is today.
Their matchups always carried the extra hype as well. Both were drafted by teams in the East, which meant they met a lot more in the regular season than any other guards of their generation. Both their teams (Wall’s Wizards and Irving’s Cavaliers) stayed competitive during the mid-2010s, and although they never met in the playoffs, Irving and Wall always gave the fans high-intensity basketball to watch.
It’s not often you hear one superstar give another this kind of public recognition, especially when their careers have intersected in such personal and competitive ways.
