Former NBA lefty guard C.J. Miles joined Theo Pinson and AJ Richardson on their Tidal League podcast. Miles played his first seven seasons with the Utah Jazz and then his next two seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers. When he joined the Cavs, Kyrie Irving was in his second season. Miles was in awe of young Kyrie Irving whose valiant attitude impressed him the most. The former shooting guard talked about how the crafty dribbler came up with innovative moves in the middle of a game.
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Pinson tipped his hat to the young version of Kyrie Irving. Upon hearing the mention of a Young Kyrie, Miles gleefully stated, “That’s my guy!” Reminiscing about the bag of tricks employed by a second-year Kyrie, Pinson remarked, “You knew he was special”.
“Like obviously we saw him a year before in Utah. Getting to the gym with him, and seeing him, it was different. He was so fierce, right,” replied CJ Miles.
“[Kyrie] comes down, shoots a left-handed floater from 14 feet. I said, ‘Kai, what’re you doing?’ He said, ‘I’m working on my game.’ IN THE GAME.”
CJ Miles on playing with Kyrie Irving in Cleveland
(via Run Your Race / @TidalLeague) pic.twitter.com/VXgWZ3WvLs
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 12, 2023
Recalling a fascinating episode from Irving’s early career, he then narrated, “Young Kai, get to the lane, he shoot a left-hand floater from like 14 feet. I said to Kai [Kyrie Irving] ‘what are you doing?’ he said, ‘working on my game’. In the game!” This story left Pinson in stitches. He then exclaimed, “What type of thinking is that!”
Miles expressed, “That’s a different kind of freedom.” Miles then mentioned by the time he arrived, the incredible guard had already proven his worth by winning the Rookie of the Year.
Kyrie Irving had an electric start to his NBA career
During his rookie year in the 2011-12 season, Irving averaged 18.5 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game. Apart from that, he hit 46.9% shots from the field and made 1.4 threes per game on 39.9%. He had an impressive free throw percentage of 87.2% too.
As the number one pick in the 2011 draft, he lived up to the expectations. Kai instantly became the face of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise. They had closed down the hunt for a franchise face just a season after LBJ’s departure to Miami.
His talent was on full display during the 2013 Rising Stars challenge. He broke Brandon Knight’s ankle in one of the most viral NBA moments. After an array of between-the-leg and behind-the-back dribbles, he hit Knight with two low dribbles on the right.
Then he changed the direction to his left and nailed a side-step jumper. Knight, who was defending the handles wizard with full focus, fell as he attempted to make a desperate recovery on Irving’s jumper.
