Kyrie Irving reflects on his underwhelming first game with Cleveland after completing 11th anniversary of his NBA debut
Kyrie Irving marked his 11th anniversary as an NBA player with a 32-point outing against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team that drafted him as the No. 1 pick.
Irving didn't get off to a banging start to his career. He scored six points, three rebounds and seven assists, shooting 2-of-12 from the field and 1-of-5 from 3-point range in a 104-96 loss against Toronto on his debut.
Exactly 11 years later, Irving returned to where it all began in Cleveland, leading the Brooklyn Nets to a formidable 125-117 win over his former team. Irving reflected on his NBA debut after the game, saying (via NBA Twitter):
"I remember not being very good my first game... Being in that position of the No. 1 pick you are expected to come out with this debut, which I didn't. It's okay. I just believe that late bloomers are the best, and I'm blooming late in this league and I'm okay with that."
Kyrie on making his NBA debut 11 years ago to the day!
Back where it all started... he dropped 32 points in Cleveland tonight 🔥 https://t.co/uw8N7aK5zf
Irving came into the NBA with heavy expectations. The Cavaliers saw their best player, LeBron James, depart a year ago, which left them reeling at the bottom of the East standings. The Cleveland faithful saw him as the "next LeBron James," who would elevate the franchise to contender status single-handedly.
The pressure was immense because James was a dominant force since his debut, when he dropped 25 points, six rebounds, nine assists and four steals against the Sacramento Kings. He went on to single-handedly turn the Cavs into perennial playoff contenders. It was always going to be an uphill task to match that feat for any player, let alone Kyrie Irving.
Kyrie Irving claims void left by LeBron James was never his to fill
Kyrie Irving wanted to create his own legacy in Cleveland. The former NBA champion claimed it was never his place to fill the void left by the "prodigal son," LeBron James, after the four-time MVP took his talents to South Beach in search of a championship.
Irving believes he had to play under that pressure, and it wasn't going to be possible to help Cleveland return to the top without building a good team, which they did when James returned in 2015. Here's what Irving said about his start with the Cavaliers (via Michael Scotto):
"The amount of pressure I was putting on myself coming in after the prodigal son, LeBron James, leaves, and I had to take on the ropes after that. Who knows if I was ever going to live up to that billing? I put that pressure on myself to fill some shoes that were never meant for me. I just wanted to create my own legacy."
Kyrie Irving discussed what memories come to mind when he returns to face the Cleveland Cavaliers. He talked about coming in after LeBron James left and filling shoes that weren't meant for him, winning a title, criticisms after he left, and more. Full quote below. https://t.co/3zxt4sG1XJ
Kyrie Irving had a successful stint in Cleveland once James returned in 2015. He turned into one of the best point guards in the league and played an equally important role alongside LeBron in leading the Cavs to a championship win in 2016.
Irving stayed adamant about building his own legacy and left the Cavaliers to do so in 2017, joining conference rivals, the Boston Celtics. After two failed stints with a lack of championship success, Irving returned home to New York and joined the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent in 2019.
His tenure with the Nets has been overshadowed by off-court controversies, but he seems to have turned the corner this year. Brooklyn have arguably looked like the best team in the league over the last month and a half, and Kyrie Irving's prospects of winning another chip look good.