Nets’ Kyrie Irving Issues Major Challenge to Celtics’ Kemba Walker

Kyrie Irving, Celtics antagonist

Getty Kyrie Irving, Celtics antagonist

On the airwaves of sports-talk radio and in the posts of social media, Kemba Walker and Kyrie Irving are linked because each has held the same position: All-Star point guard and locker room leader for the Celtics.

But Walker and Irving have a history going back further and in an Instagram Live chat on Monday, Irving detailed that he would like to get into a one-on-one showdown with Walker, as the two had done when they were youngsters.

“Me and K-Walk, I want that matchup,” Irving said on the video. “I want K-Walk. Me and K-Walk, I have to, we have to. Me and K-Walk, that’s my matchup. I want K-Walk. That’s my big bro. I want K-Walk, bro. That’s my big bro, you know we got mutual respect, but I know everybody wants to see it — out of New York, New Jersey. Every time we play against each other it’s always a game. He gave us 40, I gave him 40. Back-and-forth, that’s part of just where we grew up. You know I need that Bronx s—, too.”

Irving went to St. Patrick School in Elizabeth, N.J., and was in the Class of 2010. Walker, who is from the Bronx, went to Rice High in Harlem, about 20 miles from Irving’s school. He was in the Class of 2008.


Kyrie Irving Bolted Boston in Free Agency

Irving created a stir around the NBA last summer when he decided to skip out on the Celtics as a free agent. In October 2018, just before the season started, Irving had said he would remain in Boston. “If you guys will have me back, I plan on re-signing here,” he told a group of fans at the TD Garden.

The quote was heralded by the official Celtics Twitter account:

That was before an especially difficult year in which the Celtics vastly underachieved. Expected to be a championship contender, Boston instead was ousted without much of a fight in the second round of the playoffs. Irving took much of the blame—he seemed to have divided the locker room, alienating the team’s younger players—which set up his departure for the Nets in the summer of 2019.

But Walker, a free agent in Charlotte, filled the void, signing a four-year, $164 million contract with Boston. Walker has not been the lightning rod for controversy that Irving was, and averaged 21.2 points with 4.9 assists.

Irving struggled with a shoulder injury in Brooklyn and played only 20 games. He averaged 27.0 points but the team went just 8-12 with him healthy. He also brought drama to the Nets, reportedly one of the reasons coach Kenny Atkinson was fired.


Walker has Avoided Kyrie Irving Talk

Walker fought off any Kyrie vs. Kemba chatter early this season, saying he hoped Celtics fans could “move past” Irving’s decision to leave.

“I know there’s been some stuff between the (Celtics) fans and him,” Walker told reporters. “Hopefully that can be over, and (everyone can) just move past it. It’s over. He’s here in Brooklyn and I’m here now in Boston.”

In their careers, Walker and Irving have met 22 times, with Irving winning 15 of the games and averaging 22.2 points, with Walker averaging 19.7 points.

Irving did top 40 points on Walker once, in 2014, when he was playing for Cleveland. Walker had 43 in a game against Irving in November 2018, when Walker was with Charlotte and Irving was a Celtic. In their last game, in March 2019, Walker had 36 points and Irving had 31.

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