The 2024-25 season was a roller coaster for the Dallas Mavericks. Aside from losing Luka Doncic via a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers on a random February night, their injury woes began to pile up. Anthony Davis was out for months after getting injured in his Mavs debut. Dereck Lively II only suited up in 36 games. As a result, the team went from contenders to play-in bound.
The most devastating injury the team sustained last season was losing Kyrie Irving to a torn ACL. The Mavericks were trying to push for a playoff spot when Irving went down in March. Perhaps he was a bit overworked due to the Doncic trade. When asked about it on the Mavericks media day, Kyrie was candid about being one of the best players in the game.
“I feel like I’ve gotten past that moment, just being able to even watch it…I felt like I was top 15 in the world, and there was no doubt about it. I was showing up every night,” per Kyrie Irving in an interview with Mike Curtis from The Dallas Morning News.
There’s no doubt that Kyrie Irving was a top 15 player in the world pre-injury. He was the Mavs’ leader after the Doncic trade and when Davis went down. It’s safe to say he was one of the best players in the entire league. But still, he might have played a bit too much then. Irving was playing close to 40 minutes per game before suffering a torn ACL in his left knee.
Kyrie Irving Is Slowly Returning To His Old Form
How Irving performs again on an NBA court remains anybody’s guess. ACL injuries, especially to older hoopers, can be career-threatening. At 33 years old, Irving is close to the end of his prime years. For a guard who solely relies on his speed, that kind of injury is hard to recover from.
However, if his videos are an indication of his progress, the nine-time all-star is on track to make a full recovery. Fans were stunned when they saw a workout video of Irving draining three-point shots. Now, if Kyrie’s camp somehow manages to upload a clip of him doing his nasty crossovers again, social media may lose it.
The post Kyrie Irving Confident He Was “Top 15 In The World Last Season” While Reflecting On ACL Injury originally published on Total Pro Sports.