Watch: Kyrie Irving seemingly enjoys camel ride in Abu Dhabi ahead of Dallas Mavericks' preseason opener
Kyrie Irving seems to be enjoying himself ahead of the Dallas Mavericks' opening preseason games this week. Leading up to their showdowns with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 5 and 7 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, Irving is enjoying some R&R. In a recent video posted to social media, Irving was seen riding a camel as he enjoyed an experience unlike anything back home in Dallas.
The games will mark the start of the 2023-24 NBA season for the Dallas Mavericks, as they look to bounce back from a rough end to the 2022-23 season. To quickly recap, after making a blockbuster trade for Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks missed the playoffs.
When the offseason rolled around, there was quite a bit of speculation regarding whether or not Irving would re-sign with the team as he was on an expiring deal. When the offseason began, the Mavericks were quick to offer Irving a three-year $120 million deal.
They then decided to do a minor roster overhaul, which notably saw them acquire Grant Williams from the Boston Celtics, and sign Seth Curry as a free agent. Heading into the 2023-24 season, Kyrie Irving seems to be in a good place.
Check out the footage below
Looking ahead at the 2023-24 season for Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks
While Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks seem to be enjoying themselves now, the fun and games will turn into a fierce competition later this week. With two matchups against the Minnesota Timberwolves on tap for the preseason Abu Dhabi games, the Mavericks will look to start the season off hot.
After missing the playoffs last season, as previously mentioned, Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks are eager to go on a revenge tour this season. Leading up to the Abu Dhabi games, Kyrie Irving spoke to ESPN about his decision to return to Dallas, and the excitement for this season:
"We're both (Luka Doncic and Irving) killers on the court, everybody knows it. We want to win. So we just have to continue to have that consistent mentality together and lead the team as best we can alongside other guys that have experience in this league or young guys that we have to coach even more.
"So it's all been a learning experience. It was so quick last year and it was so much pressure on us to win now, win big, and, 'It's Luka and Kyrie, why can't you guys win games?' So we were answering a lot of questions that honestly I don't think we were ready for."
The Western Conference got significantly more competitive this offseason, notably with the Phoenix Suns' acquisition of Bradley Beal. In addition, the LA Lakers went to work bolstering their roster, while the Memphis Grizzlies acquired former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart. Whether or not the Mavericks can keep up, only time will tell.