Kyrie Irving seems to be the second coming of Allen Iverson in numerous ways. Their unpredictable dribbling motions and ability to knock down shots over towering defenders are eerily similar. That’s why Tracy McGrady was in a quandary when asked to pick between AI and Kai. On his Instagram, T-Mac addressed an X commenter who argued that a prime Irving would have taken a prime Iverson to the cleaners.
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McGrady didn’t rule out the possibility and argued, “When you talk about skilled players that has played in the NBA, Kyrie is top of that list of probably one of the most skilled players we have ever seen.”
Then, he lauded Iverson for having a killer mentality and gave him the highest honors in a list of such players. The former Magic superstar fantasized about a seven-game series between the scoring maestros. He was torn on who would emerge on the top in such a scenario and believed it could possibly go to at least six games,
“Both of these guys are huge competitors. If you play a seven-game serie, Kyrie win some, AI win some. Take your pick.”
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Unsurprisingly, the 2x scoring champion struggled to pick between the two of the most crafty scorers to hit the hardwood. While they never played against each other, a duet would have been an instant classic.
Irving vs Iverson would have been a must-watch TV
The Answer last appeared in an NBA game on February 20, 2010, during his last comeback season with the 76ers. Meanwhile, 2011 #1 draft pick Kyrie Irving made his NBA debut on the Christmas of 2011. Thus, NBA fans missed a chance to witness an AI vs Kai duel by a whisker.
Irving and Iverson have some of the best ball-handling moves and they know how to finish with either hand, making them a match-up nightmare. They possess a variety of jump shots and lay-ups along with a solid in-between game. While the current Mavs guard is terrific at finishing through contact, Iverson arguably had to soak much more physicality and was dogged even more than Irving.
In terms of efficiency, Irving comes on top, which might be the result of unarguably playing with much more well-rounded scorers than AI did throughout his career. On the other hand, as a team’s Ace, Iverson’s ability to carry a sub-par roster to the Finals in 2001 gives him some edge over Irving, who has spent most of his career with MVP candidates.
