Kyrie Irving says he is close to being 100 percent recovered from the ACL injury that has kept the Dallas Mavericks guard off the court since March 2025.
The update matters because Irving has already missed an entire season while rebuilding his body. Dallas has had to wait for one of its most important players, and his latest comments finally sound like a real step toward the next phase.
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Irving is not only talking about being healthy. He is talking about learning how his body works again after one of the toughest injuries in basketball.
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Kyrie Irving says Dallas Mavericks ACL recovery is finally close to 100 percent
In a recent Twitch livestream, Irving said his recovery has reached a stage where he can see the finish line more clearly.
“I am definitely close to being over at 100% in terms of my ACL recovery. It’s been a while now,” Irving said.
He added, “I’m so grateful that I’ve had the time to heal and just experiment with my body more on the court and off the court in the weight room & just pushing myself to the limit.”
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Irving tore his ACL on March 3, 2025 and he missed the entire 2025-26 season while continuing his recovery.
That timeline explains why his latest tone feels important. He has moved past simply waiting to heal and into the stage of testing, strengthening and trusting his body again.
Kyrie Irving says Dallas Mavericks return comes with age, patience and exhaustion
Irving also admitted that the process has changed how he feels the game and how much work recovery has demanded from him.
“At this age, I feel like the game is slowing down, but I’m also able to do more out there, just more efficiently. … I’ve been tired, man,” Irving added.
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That line captures the balance of his situation. Irving is older now, and an ACL recovery at this stage of his career is not the same as bouncing back in his early 20s.
Still, he believes the game is becoming easier to read, and that could help him compensate for the time lost physically. The Mavericks need that version of Irving. If he returns close to full strength, Dallas gets back a ball-handler, shot-maker and late-game creator who can change its ceiling.
For now, Irving’s admission is encouraging without being reckless. He sounds close, but after a year away, the final step will still be proving it in real NBA minutes.
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