The legendary Cavaliers duo of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving are responsible for giving us one of the greatest finals in NBA history. The iconic comeback 3-1 comeback against a 73-9 Warriors team shall remain etched in the memory of hoop fans for eternity.
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Both James and Irving gave the people of Cleveland umpteen moments of basketball brilliance, teaming up for 3-seasons, with the 2016 championship being the pinnacle of their success together. During their stint on the Cavaliers, the duo had a 132-51 record, winning 72% of their games.
Unfortunately, the finals loss to the Warriors in 2017 would lead to Irving wanting an out, which had him ultimately shipped to Boston. Though King James tried his best to keep the 6ft 2″ guard on board, the latter wasn’t keen on playing second fiddle to the LBJ.
While he did throw shade at James on certain occasions, Irving never forgets to credit the four-time champion for playing a developmental role in his career.
“LeBron James is a genius”: Kyrie Irving reveals the role of Bron in his career.
An ambassador for the game, James is a generational talent. Having entered the NBA straight from high school at 18 years old, the kid from Akron possessed the maturity of a seasoned player, understanding all the aspects of the game, both on and off the court.
It won’t be wrong to call the 6ft 9″ forward one of the most polarizing players in American sports history, given there always being a section of critics and naysayers looking for the slightest of opportunities to nitpick. However, James never let any of the outside noise get to him.
Having witnessed this first-hand, appearing on the I AM ATHLETE Podcast, Irving would reveal how James inspired him too.
“Me learning from him (LeBron) helped us accelerate my understanding for the game that we’re in the business. I’m watching him deal with it in front of the camera, off the camera being LeBron James, that comes with its own responsibility. So not only was he teaching me off the court, but on court this man is a savant. He’s a genius in terms of how he takes care of his body, how he treats his body, what he does every single day to be able to be at the top,” revealed Irving.
The seven-time All-Star added,
“People want to see that man (LeBron) fail every minute of the day.”
(Timestamp: 25:21)
Nonetheless, the billionaire athlete does have his section of loyal supporters who rally behind the four-time Finals MVP 24×7, something Irving desires to build for himself too.
In his 20 years in the league, James has built an empire for himself, consisting of several business ventures, endorsements, and philanthropic efforts, becoming a brand.
Will Kyrie Irving and LeBron James reunite in LA?
During the recent summer, rumors of Irving leaving the Nets to join the Lakers were at an all-time high. Nevertheless, the two organizations couldn’t reach common ground, with Uncle Drew deciding to exercise his player option.
Currently, in the final year of his contract, the former champion is set to be a free agent next summer, making it a perfect opportunity for the two superstars to reunite, given Irving will fill in the void of a guard shooter, the Lakers so desperately need.
Also read: “Kyrie Irving is truly misunderstood”: LeBron James comes out in support of former Cavs teammate
