LeBron James was grinding his teeth as he watched Kyrie Irving take over during the 2024 playoffs. Who would not want an asset like Uncle Drew in their squad? On the latest episode of his pod, Mind the Game, with JJ Redick, James confessed that watching his Cavs champion teammate filled him with the regret that they don’t wear the same team jersey anymore.
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He recalled being mesmerized by Kai’s abundant offensive arsenal and referred to him as “the wizard” when they laced it up together. Then, the 4x Finals admitted that while he is beaming with pride upon viewing his former mate’s heroics, he also wishes they were hitting the hardwood as comrades,
“Sittin’ here, watchin’ it, I’m playing like so fu**in’ happy and so proud to watch him continue his growth or whatever the case may be, and at the same time, I’m so fu**in’ mad that I am not his running mate anymore.”
The analogy enthusiast juxtaposed Irving’s presence on a roster with having a ‘Wild Draw 4‘ card in UNO. He then cited an example from the 2024 playoffs.
Irving was averaging just 8 points in the first half during the Western Conference Semis but stormed with a 24-point first-half performance in the first game of the Western Conference Finals. This ability to defy set trends and mark new parameters makes him a “wild card”.
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While lauding his incredible 2024 playoff performances, James also turned his attention to Kai’s off-hand floating shot that turned out to be a buzzer-beater. The 39-year-old acknowledged that he had never seen such an unimaginable shot in his basketball career. He paid homage to the unparalleled basketball move.
When LeBron James replicated Kai’s game-winner
In April 2024, before a pre-game warm-up, the All-time leading scorer was practicing the lefty floater accomplished by his former running mate. After nailing the shot, around the free-throw line area, LBJ shouted, “Kyrie Irving style!” Even after 7 years of their separation as teammates, the spirit of Kai lives on in the Lakers legend.
While Irving has always earned laurels from his former mate, many past legends have also bestowed him with honor. In May 2024, on his Insta story, Shaquille O’Neal acknowledged a graphic highlighting how the duo of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic eked out the second-highest combined scoring season average in NBA history, triumphing over the second-placed Kobe Bryant and Shaq.
Thus, he accepted that this duo could potentially overshadow his 3x championship partnership with Mamba. This speaks volumes about the status the 2016 champion has earned in basketball history.
