Kevin Love believes Kyrie Irving's jersey being retired by Cleveland Cavaliers is a given: "Right away, after his career ends... Not even a question"
Brooklyn Nets All-Star guard Kyrie Irving had a very successful six-year run with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2011 to 2017. After being drafted number one by the Cavs in 2011, Irving went on to make four All-Star teams in Cleveland. He also helped lead the Cavs to their first and only NBA championship in franchise history in 2016.
Irving’s short but successful stint in Cleveland has led to some debate about whether he deserves to have his jersey number retired by the franchise. However, according to Irving’s former Cavs teammate, Kevin Love, this should not even be a question. Here's what Love said following the Cavs’ 125-117 loss to Irving and the Nets on Monday:
“Without a doubt. Absolutely. Right away, after his career ends. It’s not even a question to me."
After another return to Cleveland & a vintage performance from former #Cavs star Kyrie Irving, I spoke w/ Kevin Love about Kyrie, the boos Kyrie received & whether the team should retire his jersey
"Right away, after his career ends. Not even a question"
cleveland.com/cavs/2022/12/k…
Love added that Irving’s iconic series-clinching 3-pointer in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals is the main reason why Irving deserves the honor. Love explained how big of an impact Irving’s shot had on both the team and the city of Cleveland as a whole:
“He needs to be up there. He made the biggest shot in franchise history and one of the most important shots in finals history when you consider how it all went down. What it meant for the city, what it meant for his legacy, LeBron’s legacy and everything else, including that Golden State team that became a dynasty and was historically great."
It’s not often that the NBA Finals come down to the wire like what happened in 2016. So perhaps Kyrie Irving’s mix of elite production and big-time moments will be enough for him to receive the honor of having his jersey retired.
Over 381 regular season games for Cleveland, Irving averaged 21.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game on 45.7% shooting. The Cavs went 200-181 in those games.
Over 52 playoff games for Cleveland, Irving averaged 23.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game on 46.5% shooting. The Cavs went 39-13 in those games, including their 2016 title run.
Kevin Love on Kyrie Irving’s most recent performance versus Cleveland
During his postgame interview on Monday night, Kevin Love also raved about Kyrie Irving’s most recent performance against Cleveland. Irving led Brooklyn with a team-high 32 points to go along with a season-high seven made 3-pointers in the win.
The Nets’ win also moved Brooklyn past Cleveland into third place in the Eastern Conference at 22-12. However, Irving’s dominance was nothing new for Love, who played three seasons with Irving from 2014 to 2017. Love said:
“Seen that before. The shots he makes, you just have to sit there and say, ‘Not much you can do about that.’ It’s been that way his whole career. That’s why he’s been such a special player in this league and continues to be.”
Also read: Kyrie Irving reflects on Brooklyn Nets' mindset during recent winning streak