When Kyrie Irving opened up about the Dallas community embracing him: “I have been accepted way beyond just my talent on the court” originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Watching Kyrie Irving hoop has always been a sight to behold, either because of his ball-handling, ability to finish at the rim, or clutch shooting. The 2016 Finals were the perfect example, helping the Cavaliers erase a 52-year-old championship drought.
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After forcing his way out of Cleveland in 2017, Irving mostly made headlines for the wrong reasons from there onwards. He appeared rather distracted, whether it was Boston or Brooklyn, making more noise for his off-court activities. However, the 2023 trade to Dallas turned into a blessing.
The Mavericks acquired him just ahead of the 2022-23 deadline. The trade garnered mixed reactions owing to Irving and his recent controversies. There were apprehensions about him affecting the trajectory of Luka Doncic. Luckily, none of this turned out to be the case.
One year into his term with the Mavs, Irving opened up about his stay so far and how the community has accepted him with open arms.
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“I have my own beliefs and views. I think, here in Dallas, I have been accepted way beyond just my talent on the court. I think it is for what I represent in the broader world,” revealed Irving, who in the past created a huge stir with his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine and Jewish groups.
Controversial period with the Nets
Irving signed a four-year $136M contract with the Nets in 2019. He also played a pivotal role in recruiting Kevin Durant to the franchise. The two former champions aspired to build something special in Brooklyn that lacked fan culture.
Unfortunately, this would not be the case, as Irving was entangled with issues that had nothing to do with basketball. It began with his refusal to get vaccinated, which led to him missing several games. Despite all the noise, the Nets made the 2022 playoffs, only to get swept by the Celtics in the first round.
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In the following 2022-23 season, the veteran guard found himself in another scandal—this time for hurting the Jewish community’s sentiments. Irving was suspended for five games for sharing the link to a film on social media that had an anti-Semitic theme. Eventually, he apologized for his actions, and the end of his Brooklyn chapter was near.
GM Nico Harrison had no issues with Irving’s past
After disappointing stints with the Celtics and Nets, there were reservations about Irving’s non-cooperative tag. Surprisingly, this wasn’t the case at all for Harrison, who had known the 6’2” Duke product since his working days at Nike.
“He wants to be in a place where he feels respected, feels like he can be himself. Our job, my job, is to take away all the distractions so that he can just focus on basketball in a place that he feels love,” said Harrison when asked about the trade despite past controversies.
Contrary to all perceptions, Irving helped the team clinch a Finals appearance in 2024. Recently, reported to sign a three-year $119M contract with the Mavs, “Uncle Drew” doesn’t look to be going anywhere else anytime soon.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.