Getty Kyrie Irving guarding LeBron James.
LeBron James and Kyrie Irving talk via podcasts resurfaced this week when James responded to Irving.
“I played with Kyrie for three seasons,” James told Richard Jefferson on the Road Trippin’ Podcast.
“The whole time while I was there, I only wanted to see him be an MVP of our league. I only cared about his success and it just didn’t align. It just didn’t align and we was able to win a championship. That’s the craziest thing. We [were] still able to win a championship and we could never align, but I only cared about his well-being both on and off the floor and it kind of hurt me a little bit.”
That response from James came after Irving appeared on Kevin Durant’s podcast and said of Irving and KD’s Nets partnership: “This is the first time in my career I can look down and be like…that motherf***er can make that shot too.”
While James got the last word publicly, on social media, Irving posted something via a now-expired Instagram story post that seemed to be a coy response.
Past KAI: “When I was just an artist with backyard Hoop Dreams, and then was drafted into the professional sports entertainment business, It became fairly arduous to see who was genuine or disingenuous. I was a kid, 19 years old for God’s sake.”
Present Day Me: “It is no longer difficult to see that difference in people. Their actions show it all and what is meant to be revealed will be. I understand that my Powers come from inside of ME. My reality forms around how I choose to serve God/Humanity. 10 Years/Year X.
Indeed Irving does enter his tenth year in the league. He’s built an impressive resume. A six-time NBA All-Star, Irving was the NBA’s Rookie of the Year in 2012, an NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 2014 and he won an NBA Championship with LeBron James, Kevin Love and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.
After the Cavs’ Championship run, Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics where he put up solid stats. Injuries and chemistry became a problem and Irving signed with the Brooklyn Nets last offseason.
GettyLeBron James and Kyrie Irving would have to patch things up if King James ends up in Boston.
A Duke University product and West Orange, NJ native, Irving appeared in 20 games last season for the Nets.
Irving averaged 27.4 points, 6.4 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game. Irving had season-ending surgery on a nagging shoulder impingement.
Now healthy, Irving and Nets teammates, Kevin Durant, Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan, Joe Harris, Wilson Chandler, Landry Shamet and Jarrett Allen are competing in a deep NBA Eastern Conference under first year head coach, Steve Nash.
While the Nets look good on paper, other Eastern Conference teams like the Philadelphia 76ers have upgraded and the Jimmy Butler-led Miami Heat are still the NBA’s reigning Eastern Conference Champion. Out west, the Los Angeles Lakers are the reigning NBA Champions behind the heroics of All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers are also viable threats out West.
The NBA’s preseason begins later this week and the NBA’s 2020-21 regular season jumpstarts on December 22.