"Certified since 2013": Kyrie Irving shares former Lakers coach Phil Handy's lavish praise of Mavs guard
Kyrie Irving received special praise from former LA Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy and the Dallas Mavericks guard took to Instagram to share a story of the flowers he had from the seasoned coach. It's worth noting that Handy has been one of the coaches very vocal about Irving's talents, and he made it known again with cool praise on social media.
Handy called Irving "Certified since 2013" — the timeline referring to two years after the mercurial guard was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the first overall pick. Irving worked with Handy during his time with the franchise and went on to win his maiden NBA championship alongside LeBron James in 2016.
Handy recently shared an emotional goodbye message for Lakers fans after ending his stint as one of the franchise's assistant coaches. Meanwhile, Irving is coming off a scintillating season with the Mavs after they made the NBA Finals. While they lost 4-1 to the Boston Celtics, their offseason blockbuster trade of Klay Thompson makes them favorites to make the Finals again.
Phil Handy believed Kyrie Irving at 6'6" would be even more of a threat than he is now
Speaking on 'The LADE Show', Phil Handy opined that Kyrie Irving would be even more of a threat had been 6'6". He praised the guard's skill levels and his performance against the LA Clippers this past edition during the playoffs.
"If Kyrie was 6'6", you would be looking at somewhat of a mirror of Kobe. His skill set, I'm talking about the mentality. If Kyrie was 6'6'', it would be a problem. You ask anybody in this league if they want to see that man at 6'6''.
The upcoming season makes Kyrie Irving and Dallas legitimate title contenders. For starters, they have the perfect blend of youth and experience. Add Thompson's championship DNA and versatility, the Mavericks are one of the sides expected to make the postseason easily. With Irving still 32 and Doncic only 25 years old, the future looks promising in Dallas.
As for Handy, there is no doubt that he is proud of his player who has evolved over the decade to become one of the best players in the league and has a Hall of Fame honor waiting for him when he calls time on his career.