"Tried to bury this dude & kill his career" - Former LeBron James' coach calls out Kyrie Irving doubters following Mavericks' Finals run
It wasn't an easy road but Kyrie Irving is set to appear in his fourth NBA Finals. LeBron James' former coach Phil Handy kept receipts and was well aware of how Irving was being perceived for his rocky tenures with the Celtics and the Nets. Under his new home with the Dallas Mavericks, he has thrived and looked all the more impressive alongside Luka Doncic.
Originally, the Irving and Doncic tandem didn't reach its full potential last season due to several injuries. However, with a full offseason to hone their chemistry together, alongside several key acquisitions in the Trade Deadline, the Dallas Mavericks are set to face the Boston Celtics in the finals.
Handy shared his sentiments in an Instagram post that featured a picture alongside Kyrie Irving with the NBA Finals logo spotted at the top of an arena.
"There's a lot of people in the hoop world who owe this man public apologies," Handy said. "Some of ya'll tried to bury this dude and kill his career based on what you heard and not what you know. Word to the wise ... if you don't know someone, don't speak on them. Media and others always have their narratives but the real ones always know."
Following his rocky tenures with the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving garnered criticism from the media and the fans. However, he was able to turn it all around with his production this season in Dallas. The Mavericks' front office vision of pairing their franchise star with an elite scoring guard has looked as precise as ever today.
"Uncle Drew" is back in the NBA Finals and is more than ready to put on a show on the league's biggest stage.
Kyrie Irving looked back on his journey to reach his fourth NBA Finals appearance
Following last night's 124-103 Game 5 victory, Kyrie Irving fondly looked back at the personal journey he took to reach this stage in his NBA career.
"I'm grateful because it wasn't an easy road," Irving said (per Andscape's Marc J. Spears). "I was able to grow as a person. When you're in a professional environment such as this and you can only be judged by your on-court performances and what people say off the court and they don't know who you are. I think that is a little unfair."
Irving is well aware of how the media has perceived him after his last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. With the opportunity to change the narrative around him, he has embraced his role alongside Doncic and thrived under it.
Entering the finals, Irving capped off the WCF series against the Minnesota Timberwolves by averaging 27.0 points (49.0% shooting) and 4.6 assists per game.