“Kyrie Irving is truly misunderstood”: LeBron James comes out in support of former Cavs teammate

Former teammate and NBA superstar LeBron James heaps praises of Kyrie Irving post his interview on The Shop.

Two of the greatest players to ever don the Cavaliers uniform, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, enjoyed tons of success together in Cleveland before things went south. Their most iconic achievement was the 2016 NBA championship, coming back from a 3-1 deficit against the 73-9 Golden State Warriors.

Uncle Drew played the perfect Robin to LBJ’s Batman. However, things went downhill post the 2017 Finals, with the Cavs losing to the juggernaut Warriors. Irving had voiced his demand for a trade, having James in shock. According to reports, Kai was in no mood to play second fiddle anymore.

As years passed, Irving took indirect digs at James, beginning with his appearance on Kevin Durant’s ETC podcast. Talking about his Nets teammate KD, Kai said the following.

“One thing I’ve always been comfortable with is I felt like I was the best option on every team I played for down the stretch,” said the 2012 ROTY. 

“This is the first time in my career where I can look down and be like, ‘That motherf—er can make that shot too.”‘

The above comments caused a storm, with James expressing hurt too. Nevertheless, this wasn’t the first or last time, the Nets guard threw shots at the four-time Finals MVP.

Also read: “19 y/o me without LeBron James was too much pressure”: Kyrie Irving dealt with too many expectations in 2011

Nonetheless, if Irving’s recent appearance on HBO’s The Shop is anything to go by, all seems well between him and James.

LeBron James believes Kyrie Irving is ‘misunderstood.’

It won’t be wrong to call Irving one of the most controversial stars in NBA history, whether it be the perception of the earth being flat or his supernatural theories. Kai could come across as eerie to many. Nonetheless, nothing tops his antivaccination stance, leading to polarizing opinions.

Coming off one of the most scrutinizing seasons of his career, Irving made a recent appearance on The Shop. The former Cavs guard addressed a series of issues, including being teammates with superstars like Kevin Durant and LeBron James.

Speaking of his early years in the league, Irving spoke about dealing with the pressures of being the 1st pick in Cleveland post-James’ controversial exit.

The interview generated quite the buzz, having many users supporting the Nets guard, who felt he was allegedly misunderstood, something former teammate James seconded.

Interestingly, the off-season has been filled with reports of Irving reuniting with James in LA. While this seems like a distant possibility, one can expect the unpredictable.

Also read: “Both sides of my brain are unlocked!”: Kyrie Irving explains a tough shot from the 2016 Finals, talks about being Ambidextrous