"He really taught me how to be a great piece, be a great teammate" - Kyrie Irving opens up about his dad's impact on his career
Kyrie Irving has hailed his father for the impact he has had on his career. After putting up a brilliant performance for the Brooklyn Nets, the 29-year-old said that his father was the one who taught him to be a great teammate.
Kyrie's dad, Drederick Irving, played college basketball at Boston University, and also played professionally in Australia. Drederick's guidance and coaching came in handy, as Kyrie has now become one of the most skilful players in the league.
Kyrie Irving is undoubtedly one of the best players in the NBA. However, his vaccination stance means he is only allowed to play road games, and the Nets did not play him at all during the first part of the season. However, with mounting injuries and players sidelined due to the league's health and safety protocols, the Nets recently called Irving back.
When asked in his post-game press conference about how he kept himself fit to get back into action, Irving heaped praise on his dad and said:
"Shoutout to my day; he really taught me how to play the game on different levels, you know, whether you playing a very athletic type of game, a very skillfull type of game, a defensive minded type of game. He really taught me how to come in and be a great piece, you know, be a great teammate."
Kyrie Irving reflects on the work it's taken to ramp up to play, and how he's trained and talked with people ranging from friends, high school athletes, college athletes, NBA players & WNBA players when he was away from the Nets: https://t.co/hKh69HzXoG
During his time out, Irving said he stayed close to the game by hooping with his friends and others in the basketball fraternity. All of that has seemed to work, as he has looked sharp and has given the Nets reason to be happy about.
Kyrie Irving and LaMarcus Aldridge inspire Brooklyn Nets to narrow win against Washington Wizards
The Brooklyn Nets have not had a great run in the past few weeks, and they were dealt a further setback due to Kevin Durant's injury.
However, the game against the Washington Wizards was a big positive for the Nets. That's because their superstar guard Kyrie Irving played his best game since his return to the squad. The former NBA champion scored 30 points on 56.5% shooting from the field. He also dropped seven dimes to help the Nets eke out a narrow 119-118 win over the Wizards.
He makes it look easy
@KyrieIrving #NBAALLSTAR https://t.co/bpYL6Dkxtt
The game was a nerve-wrecker, with both teams giving it their all. However, LaMarcus Aldridge proved to be the difference maker, who was brilliant in the clutch.
The veteran dropped some big shots, and drained two free throws to give the Nets the lead. Kyle Kuzma hit a three to reduce the lead to a single point, but the Wizards failed to capitalize on their final possession, ending up losing the game.
Big man things
@aldridge_12 #NBAAllStar https://t.co/3pvL2f1R4g
The Brooklyn Nets will next take on the San Antonio Spurs to commence a two-game road trip. They will hope to get the best of Kyrie Irving in both games, as the competition in the Eastern Conference for the top seed is heating up.