Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving was not spared from the spate of injuries that ended the promising 2024-2025 NBA season of several stars in both Eastern and Western Conference teams.
Irving tore the ACL in his left knee while facing the Sacramento Kings in February. This ended his second season with the Mavs and it came while the team was still rebounding from the shocking Luka Doncic trade.
However, sharing a common pain with these stars – such as Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard – Irving found an unlikely community that taught him how to get through one of the toughest injuries he’s had in his career so far.
“It’s been up and down emotionally. There are good days where you make progress, and then other days where you want to push your body but can’t… Still, it’s been a great journey,” Irving said at the Mavs media day. “I’ve connected with others who’ve torn their ACL or dealt with traumatic injuries. We saw a few star players go down this year, and we’re all praying for each other, showing our progress.”
Kyrie is following his own timeline
Irving underwent surgery in March. Six months later, he’s back on the court, even making an appearance at Dallas’s training camp in Vancouver. Fans expressed optimism, seeing how Kyrie moved with the ball and participated in the team’s shooting drills.
This progress has led many, particularly the NBA media, to believe Irving is ahead of his recovery timeline. However, head coach Jason Kidd begged to differ and urged the media to do more accurate reporting.
Meanwhile, Kyrie does not mind the noise from outside. According to Kidd, he knows he is progressing well in his recovery and is just right on schedule, but he does not want to get ahead of himself.
He’s also seen others’ incredible progress. Still, he feels no pressure and follows the best advice he got from his fellow fallen NBA brothers.
“The best advice I got was to take my time. No timeline is perfect,” the nine-time All-Star said. “Don’t compare it to anyone else, just enjoy the process. That’s what I’ve been doing.”
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Irving made a sacrifice for the Mavs
Kai found it difficult to look back on his injury, a horrific moment in his career. Before he went down, he believed that he was a top-15 player in the world. Then everything came crashing down, affecting him mentally and putting him in a bad position in team negotiations.
“At first, it was tough even to watch the play back,” Irving said. “That heartbreak stayed with me for about a week…When I got hurt, it felt like pressure was mounting. I thought about my contract year, my value, and negotiations.”
Considering what’s best for the team, Irving took a pay cut. He signed a three-year, $119 million contract extension in June with the help of his agent/step-mom, Shetellia Riley Irving.
By declining his $43 million player option, he gave the Mavs flexibility, resulting in the signing of D’Angelo Russell, who’s expected to fill in his shoes in the backcourt.
“I took it in stride. People can debate the number, but I’m grateful. We have depth now, and I don’t mind sacrificing,” he said. “Sometimes you give up money to have the best team and compete for a title.”
Irving will take his time in recovery to come back stronger than ever, though his return remains unconfirmed. But as everybody waits, the Mavericks will try to ensure Kyrie’s pain and sacrifice won’t be for naught this season.