Since parting ways in the 2017 offseason, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving have faced off many times. While they still share a good relationship off the court, it’s all business for them on it. Neither holds back any punches against their former teammate and both even indulge in talking smack to one another, as evidenced in an unearthed clip from 2021.
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In a game between the Nets and the Lakers at the Crypto.com Arena, the visitors were charged with a technical foul, handing the home side a free throw. Surprisingly, James stepped up to take it. The forward missed it, bringing a smile to Irving’s face. He proceeded to take a swipe at his former teammate, which he did not appreciate.
Kyrie: “That’s your best free-throw shooter?”
LeBron: “Shut your little a** up!”
LEAKED Audio Of Kyrie Irving Trash Talking LeBron James In 2021👀:
Kyrie: “That’s your best free throw shooter?”
LeBron: “Shut your lil a** up” pic.twitter.com/2IxRoq2nXN
— LegendZ (@legendz_nba) September 11, 2024
While the guard’s query was a jibe at James, it was also a fair question. The forward is a proficient scorer but not the best free-throw shooter. He has banked only 73.6% of his attempts from the foul line in his career. He wasn’t shooting them particularly well during the 2020-21 season, converting only 69.8% of his free throws.
The miss was inconsequential as the Nets won comfortably by 11 points. James performed admirably, finishing the game with 32 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Irving had a relatively tame outing as he scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished eight assists. He also had five turnovers.
However, he likely wasn’t bothered about his underwhelming outing, as he not only led his team to a victory but also won the psychological battle against his former teammate. James also seemingly took Irving’s jibe to heart.
After shooting 75% or more from the free throw line in only eight out of eighteen campaigns until the 2020-21 season, he hasn’t dipped below that mark since. It’s unclear whether the guard’s swipe played a role in James’ marked improvement from the foul line, but the forward has clearly worked on one of his rare weaknesses.
