Kyrie Irving fulfills fans' wishes, takes inspiration from Charles Barkley's incessant needling, and unveils 'Bus Driver' celebration
Kyrie Irving has his own celebratory move that he will be showing off in the upcoming 2023-34 NBA season. Calling it the 'Bus Driver', inspired by Aaron Rodger's 'Belt' celebration, the Dallas Mavericks point guard explained the newly-coined move during the players' photoshoot earlier.
Expect Irving to pull out the 'Bus Driver' and buckle up the seat belt each time he gets past a defender and scores a bucket. His moves have broken ankles in the past, and now the 31-year-old intends to add a dash of celebration each time he puts the screws on opponents.
Irving's move comes on the back of Charles Barkley's constant criticism of him and fans' request to come up with a signature celebration.
From LeBron James' 'Silencer' to Stephen Curry's 'Night Night,' the NBA has seen some iconic moves, and now Kyrie Irving is all set to rock his own this time around.
Kyrie Irving aims to win his second NBA championship this season
Kyrie Irving's first ring was with the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James. Since the win, the former has plied his trade for the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets but has not been able to reach the summit. Earlier this year, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the trade deadline and linked up with Luka Doncic.
The pair was expected to take Dallas to their second championship but faltered in the playoffs last season after playing just nine games together. In his 20 games for his new team, Irving averaged 27.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists, making his case that he was the perfect fit alongside Doncic. But the team's below-par efforts on the defensive end cost them a playoff berth.
Doncic believed that their partnership would be way better than it was last season. Speaking to Fox Sports, he said:
"He came in the middle of the season last year. We didn't have much time. We went straight to playing games. It takes time to build chemistry, especially on the court. We have the whole training camp and the preseason, too. I think it's going to be way better."
Now, after inking a three-year, $126 million deal with the Mavericks, Irving is looking to win his second ring and deliver Dallas their second championship. The franchise won its maiden silverware with Dirk Nowitzki in 2011 and has been starved for Larry O'Brien since.
Only time will tell if Kyrie Irving can indeed put other teams in the backseat and lead the bus to take Dallas to a championship.