Kyrie Irving Details Difference Between Kenny Atkinson and Steve Nash

When the Brooklyn Nets take on the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday it will be former Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson’s first return to the Barclays Center since he and the team mutually agreed to part ways. Atkinson served as the Nets head coach from 2016-2019. During that period Atkinson had a record of 118-190 and had two playoff appearances. After being swept by Paskal Siakam and the Toronto Raptors in the bubble this past summer, Atkinson and the Nets mutually agreed to part ways in the offseason. Upon Atkinson’s departure from the County of Kings, there was speculation that Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant’s rocky relationship with their now former head coach played a major part in his exit. Kyrie was quick to shut down those rumors on a recent episode of Durant’s podcast The ETCs.

Kyrie Has Respect for Kenny Atkinson

“I want to give a shout-out to Kenny Atkinson because some people came out and were like ‘Yo, Ky and KD got Kenny fired.’ Look, that was completely false. Kenny was great for the group that he served and I was very appreciative of what he was giving us throughout the season when we were playing,” Irving said on the Etcs via the New York Post. Atkinson had little to no opportunity to coach KD or Kyrie. Durant missed the entire 2019-2020 season because he was rehabbing his Achilles tear that he suffered the season before. Kyrie played just one season with Atkinson but missed most of the year, including the bubble after undergoing surgery on his shoulder. “I want somebody, I need somebody that’s going to understand that I am a human being first,” Kyrie said. “It’s no disrespect to Kenny or any other coaches I played with; it’s just Steve Nash coming in at this moment and then following up with putting together a great coaching core was going to make us more successful.”

Steve Nash Was the Perfect Coach for Kyrie

The hiring of Nash was indeed a head-scratching choice for many. Despite being a two-time Most Valuable Player in his playing career and being a consultant for the Golden State Warriors during their three NBA titles, Nash had no experience as a coach, not even as an assistant. Still in his first season, Nash has impressed many with his ability to keep the volatile Brooklyn Nets roster at ease. Between Durant missing a week due to COVID, Kyrie missing seven games due to personal leave, and having to part ways with a good chunk of the original roster after trading for James Harden, Nash has managed to keep the ship afloat. The Nets currently sit at 13-9 and are currently the third seed in the Eastern Conference.

While the Nets are just starting to hit their peak, the scariest part is they are only going to get better. Before Sunday’s loss to the Washington Wizards, the team was on a four-game win streak. Tuesday’s game against the Clippers will be Brooklyn’s biggest test of the season as Kawhi and company have the NBA’s best record. A win against another fellow super team could solidify Brooklyn as a legitimate contender. 

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