Legendary Point Guard Makes Bold Claim About Kyrie Irving

James Harden, Kyrie Irving

Getty James Harden and Kyrie Irving share a laugh at the 2018 NBA All Star Game.

Last night the Brooklyn Nets had an impressive 134-117 win over Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Kyrie Irving led the Nets in scoring with 23 points to go along with 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Kyrie continues to defy the laws of gravity with his layup package. It seems like he has at least one layup every game that makes fans wonder if the earth is flat like Kyrie says it is.

Kyrie is one of the best point guards in the game today, but one former Knick is taking it a step further. He thinks Kyrie is the most skilled player in the history of the NBA.


Rod Strickland Makes Bold Statement About Kyrie

“I’ll say this to you and people can say whatever they want to say; if you’re talking about skill and talent, you have to tell me another player in NBA history who’s as skilled and talented as Kyrie is,” retired NBA player Rod Strickland said to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson via Nets Wire.


Strickland, who is Kyrie’s godfather is a former All-NBA point guard in his own right. He was drafted in the first round of the 1988 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. “The great Isiah Thomas, who you said you just had, now I’ve seen him. I’ve seen him before the little Bad Boys image when he first came to the Pistons, I’ve seen him in Chicago at the Push Excel [Basketball Classic], so I’ve seen Isiah do some things that I don’t think a lot of people have seen. So, if you want to name Isiah skills-wise, cool. But other than that, it’s hard.”

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Strickland’s comments on Irving should not come as a surprise. When you look at Kyrie’s game overall, offensively he does not have a weakness. He can score at the rim with ease, can penetrate the defense and create for his teammates and most recently he has become a dead-eye shooter. Irving is shooting a career-high 41% from three-point land this season. 


Steve Nash Think Kyrie Is More Skilled Than Allen Iverson

Strickland is not the only retired NBA point guard to have a strong opinion on Irving’s skillset. Brooklyn Nets head coach and two-time league MVP Steve Nash compared Irving’s skillset to Hall of Fame guard Allen Iverson. “I think Allen was special in his own right,” Nash said to Michael A. Scotto via HoopsHype. “I think Kyrie is more skilled. I think Allen was different. Allen was electrifying in a different way. He got to the line a lot. Allen was a crazy competitor. The variety of shot-making coupled with the accuracy that Kyrie has is historic Allen is Allen. He’s one of the all-time greats. Kyrie, if you look at what he’s able to do on the court is historic too in the skill level and the way he’s able to get his.”

Despite a myriad of injuries throughout his, career Kyrie has steadily improved every season since he entered the NBA in 2011. He is averaging a career-high 27.9 points per game this year and is on track to become just the ninth member of the 50-40-90 club. On the season Irving is shooting 52 percent from the field, 41 percent from three, and 95 percent from the free-throw line.

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