“I’m trying to fall in the stratosphere that hasn’t been done before” - Kyrie Irving on him and KD being compared to an iconic duo like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving form one of the most lethal duos in the NBA right now. But while Irving appreciates the comparisons to iconic duos like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, he aspires to get to a level that hasn't been reached before.
KD and Irving first joined forces in 2019 after joining the Brooklyn Nets. Unfortunately, they have not spent as much time on the court together, playing only 58 games out of a possible 247.
Regardless of the lack of play-time, the duo has not delivered anything close to what was expected. The Nets crashed out of the Eastern Conference semifinals in the 2021 playoffs and were swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round this year.
Speaking with Eddie Gonzalez on "The ETCs with Kevin Durant," Irving talked about several things, including the respect that has come from his partnership with KD.
He said (From 29:50):
"I'm grateful for our peer respect. But I'm trying to fall in, in the stratosphere that hasn't been done before, you know, and no label or title can ever justify that for me. You know, I'm grateful for all the recognition and all the respect I've garnered."
The former NBA champ also talked about the work he put into playing at a high level, even though some might take advantage because of how simple it looks.
"Part of me wants to live up to that but then another part of me is like, my own personal resume. What makes me happy is playing this way. Being on great teams. Being able to dominate our matchups individually, but doing it in a way where it doesn't just look easy, but it looks like 'damn, you got to put in a whole lot of work in order to make it seem like but you do it like that.'"
"That's where I feel like people kind of take advantage of what they see from greatness and it's not just in basketball. It could be in different sects of the world in different industries. But like when people make it look easy it's like, I think somehow it doesn't register. It took a shit on a time to be able to do it that way."
Kyrie Irving's 2021-22 season was marred by his long absence
The Brooklyn Nets had so much promise coming into the 2021-22 season, as they were considered the favorites to win the 2022 NBA title.
Things fell apart for the trio of KD, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden during the 2021 playoffs, but they looked ready to turn their fortunes around.
CELTICS SWEEP NETS 🧹
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown lead Boston in Game 4 to knock out the Nets in the first round https://t.co/IoB4bolGvG
Unfortunately, New York City enforced a COVID-19 mandate, essentially enforcing a rule where unvaccinated individuals would not be allowed to work.
Due to his anti-vaccination stance, Irving was automatically prohibited from entering Barclays Center. Although he could play road games, the Brooklyn franchise was not willing to take that risk.
The entire saga put the Nets in a difficult position throughout the season. Although Irving was recalled to join the team on a part-time basis, the 30-year-old said he never felt like himself.
In 29 games played, Kyrie Irving averaged 27.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. While he impressed in the regular season, he was a no-show in the playoffs, no thanks to the Boston Celtics' inspired defense.