Kyrie Irving gets All-Pro Kyle Hamilton's nod alongside Stephen Curry: "If I can pick 2 to start a team it's Curry and Kyrie"
While his off-court reputation has taken a hit over the years, Kyrie Irving is still one of the NBA's most talented guards. The former No. 1 pick just received some high praise from a fellow pro athlete.
In 2022, the Baltimore Ravens selected Kyle Hamilton with the No. 14 pick in the draft. He's had a successful start to his career, making an All-Pro team and being invited to the Pro Bowl in just his second season.
As the NBA playoffs raged on, Kyle Hamilton took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his thoughts on the game. He feels that Kyrie Irving and Steph Curry are the two greatest point guards of all time.
Kyrie Irving, 32, is in the midst of his first full season with the Dallas Mavericks. Alongside Luka Doncic, they have formed one of the top guard duos in the league.
During the regular season, Irving averaged 25.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists across 58 games. These numbers might have had him in consideration for All-NBA this season, but he was ineligible this year due to the 65-game rule.
NBA analyst praises Kyrie Irving following Game 1 performance vs Timberwolves
After taking down the Oklahoma City Thunder in round two, the Dallas Mavericks are now taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference finals. They secured a victory in Game 1 on the road, and Kyrie Irving was a major catalyst.
Irving played 40 minutes in Game 1 and finished with 30 points, five rebounds and four assists. The former All-Star had an excellent night, shooting 52.2% from the field and going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line.
While on ESPN's "Get Up," NBA Insider Brian Windhorst shared his thoughts on Irving. He feels the Mavs guard looks completely different from the player we've seen in years past.
"I've never seen Kyrie Irving like this in mind, body, or spirit," Windhorst said. "Kyrie has gone through all of these scars, he's made some mistakes, I cannot tell you how impressed I am with the transformation I've seen across the board."
During these playoffs, Irving is averaging 21.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists on 48/42/86 shooting splits. His best outing thus far came in round one against the LA Clippers when he erupted for 40 points.
When the Mavs first traded for Irving, many considered it a major gamble. Looking at the team now, the risk paid off. Not only is Irving thriving alongside Doncic, but Dallas is now just three wins away from getting to the NBA Finals.