Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving went to three NBA Finals with LeBron James (2015, 2016, 2017) and another with Luka Doncic (2024). Yet, he doesn’t consider either superstar to be his all-time favorite teammate.
During his latest Twitch stream, Irving picked Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant as his “most special” teammate, while reflecting on their years together in Brooklyn.
“I will say this, the 7-eleven duo of me and KD will never be topped in terms of just being on a court with somebody that special, right? So let me get that disclaimer out. All right, let me get that disclaimer,” he said.
“I’ve played with a lot of great players, but playing with KD, it was OD. All right, he’s one of the best of all time. Obviously, we all have our strengths and weaknesses.”
The comments came shortly after Durant seemed to question Irving’s commitment to the Nets.
A Diss to LeBron, Luka?
Many fans on social media perceived Irving’s comments as a diss to James and Doncic, especially the part about being on the court with someone “special” like Durant.
Irving infamously requested a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers just a year after he and James captured the 2016 NBA championship, after overcoming a 3-1 Finals lead against the Golden State Warriors.
For years, there have been several theories as to why Irving wanted to part ways with James. On his latest Twitch stream, he provided some insight into his decision.
“I would have loved to choose the franchise I wanted to go to,” Irving said, via SportingNews. “I would have loved to develop next to some of my favorite players… It’s not that I dislike playing with [LeBron] at any time. It was just literally my time to move on.”
James Appreciated Time With Kyrie
Despite Irving’s insistence on going his own way, James appreciated the three seasons he spent as a teammate of the dynamic guard in Cleveland.
On his “Mind the Game” podcast last year, James went as far as to call Irving the most talented basketball player he had ever seen. The Los Angeles Lakers star also expressed frustration that he no longer gets to share the court with Irving.
“I would call Kyrie ‘the wizard’ all the time,” James said, via Yahoo Sports. “There was nothing on the basketball floor that Kyrie couldn’t do. And sitting here watching it, I’m playing like, so [expletive] happy and so proud.
“And to watch him continue his growth and at the same time, I’m so [expletive] mad that I am not his running mate anymore. I just remember those times. “To have a guy like Kyrie Irving as the ultimate wild card, that’s like having a ‘draw four’ in your hand every time someone deals you cards in Uno.”
James added, “I have so many words to praise Kyrie that I end up with absolutely none because he’s the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen,” James said. “He has the best gifts I’ve ever seen of any NBA player.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Kyrie Irving Takes a Veiled Shot at LeBron James, Luka Doncic appeared first on Heavy Sports.