“Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen sent out a search party for Dennis Rodman, Kyrie said I’m gonna be over here” - NBA analyst says Kyrie Irving is similar to Rodman, says he’s relentless to be around
Kyrie Irving's drama in Brooklyn is over, at least for a while. The point guard decided to opt into the final year of his contract and will play for the Nets one more year.
There has been much speculation about possible destinations for Irving, but he chose to stay with Kevin Durant in the end.
While the offseason drama has come to an end, it will be interesting to see what happens next season. Brooklyn has dealt with a lot of problems because of Irving but is hoping next season will be different.
Irving's on-court skills are amazing, but his personality is anything but. ESPN's Freddie Coleman compared him to Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman, saying:
"That's who he reminds me of, because Dennis Rodman, for whatever was going on in his history, whatever issues he had to deal with, he was trying to figure that out. Kyrie Irving doesn't have the same kind of issues. But in terms of 'if I don't want to do something, I'm going to go elsewhere,' that's where he reminds me so much of Dennis Rodman."
Kyrie Irving is similar to Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman was another fantastic player who had a lot of issues. He was a controversial figure, but if it wasn't for him, the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan wouldn't have been as successful as they were.
In 1998, Rodman took a trip to Las Vegas during the middle of the season. He was allowed to go there for two days, but he did not return in time and his teammates had to get him.
ESPN's Freddie Coleman also pointed out some differences between the former Chicago Bulls forward and Kyrie Irving. As controversial as Irving is, he doesn't want to hurt people around him or alienate them.
Rodman, on the other hand, did not care much about others. He did what he wanted,and often got into trouble.
Will Kyrie Irving change?
Irving refused to get vaccinated this season, and his beliefs caused him to miss more than 50 games.
Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving is opting into his $37 million player option for the 2022-23 season, @TheAthletic @Stadium has learned. Irving is bypassing on multiple opt-in and trade scenarios to fulfill his four-year commitment to the Nets and Kevin Durant.
While some admire Irving for his stance, his absence while getting paid more than $30 million caused problems for his franchise.
The vaccine controversy aside, Irving hasn't been great since leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers. He left the Boston Celtics on bad terms after only two years, and his tenure with the Nets has been a massive failure.
It's unlikely that he will change soon. He will most likely play one more season in Brooklyn before signing with a team that will tolerate his behavior.