3 times when Kyrie Irving caused problems for his teammates in the NBA with his attitude
Brooklyn Nets' All-Star guard Kyrie Irving has been the talk of the town off-late for his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine. As per the latest reports, Kyrie remains unvaccinated and will not be allowed to play in home games or practice with the Nets, as per vaccine mandates in the state of New York. This could lead to him missing more than half a season, in a crucial year for the Brooklyn Nets.
Kyrie Irving is used to having the spotlight on him for being outspoken, sticking to his beliefs and views irrespective of what somebody else says, which sometimes leads to him making the most outlandish statements like his "flat-earth" theory.
He has been in the eye of the storm lately and has had various NBA analysts and former players criticizing him for his callous attitude toward his teammates. Kendrick Perkins was one of the prominent few to point out Kyrie Irving's indifference and how it might affect his co-stars Kevin Durant and James Harden as they aim to make a championship run.
Forget teammates, If a guy is willing to burn the house down and everything in it to make a point, he ain’t ya Patna!
If KD doesn’t step up on this Kyrie stuff, it’s gonna cost em everything they’ve built, including James Harden! Carry on… twitter.com/FirstTake/stat…
This brings us to question if Kyrie Irving is actually a bad teammate because this is not the first time he has been picked on for something that he has done or said which has in turn affected his teammates.
Without further ado, here are the three major incidents where Kyrie has caused trouble for his teammates with his attitude.
Three incidents where All-Star Kyrie Irving has caused problems for his teammates with his attitude
#3 LeBron James and Cleveland
Kyrie Irving and LeBron James formed one of the deadliest duos in NBA history despite their short time together as they guided the Cleveland Cavaliers to three NBA Finals appearances and one championship.
Despite their success on the court, the duo however did not enjoy the best of relationships during their time together. Kyrie Irving was an upcoming star who wanted to be the number one option and the alpha of the team but was forced to defer to LeBron James, who had just returned to the Cavs after winning two championships in four Finals appearances with the Miami Heat.
The fit on the court between the two seemed seamless, and with a trade for Kevin Love, Cleveland now had a component big three that could lead them to the promised land and they did. As the seasons wore on, their relationship became more strained as both players unfortunately could not see eye to eye, with Kyrie Irving being the young and hungry star tussling for the spotlight while taking shots at an accomplished LeBron who was still in his prime.
Kyrie later recognized his missteps in Cleveland and publicly apologized to LeBron during his tumultuous time with the Celtics. He said,
"I’ll tell you one thing, obviously, this was a big deal for me, because I had to call Bron and tell him, I apologized for being that young player that wanted everything at his fingertips, and I wanted everything to be at my threshold. I wanted to be the guy that led us to a championship. I wanted to be the leader. I wanted to be all that and the responsibility of being the best in the world and leading your team is something that is not meant for many people. Bron was one of those guys that came to Cleveland and tried to show us what it’s like to win a championship. And it was hard for him and sometimes getting the most out of the group is not the easiest thing in the world.”
Their relationship does not look like it got better post his public apology, with Kyrie Irving taking shots at LeBron yet again during the 2020 Finals when he said that Nets star Kevin Durant was the only teammate he had played with that was capable of making clutch shots. To LeBron's credit, he responded in a classy manner rather than firing back in return despite being hurt by his comments.
Damn... @kingjames addresses Kyrie’s statements made during the NBA Finals. SUBSCRIBE to get it when it drops @RoadTrippinPod @channingfrye @RealAClifton ✊🏾✊🏾. youtu.be/yapU4SQQ39c https://t.co/KcHfjqkf91
Also Read: What is Kyrie Irving's Net Worth in 2021?