Kyrie Irving used his time during NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles to connect with fans and his peers, while live-streaming most of his experiences.
The Mavericks star point guard hinted Saturday on a video stream that an update on his recovery from a torn left ACL would be provided once the All-Star break concluded.
On Wednesday, the Mavericks officially announced Irving will not play during the 2025-26 season as he continues to recover from surgery performed in 2025, ending the rampant speculation regarding his playing status.
“This decision wasn’t easy, but it’s the right one,” Irving said in a prepared statement.
Mavericks
Irving is right. The decision to shut down a midseason return is the right choice for several reasons, but most notably to preserve his long-term health. Delaying his return also increases the Mavericks’ chances to secure the highest possible lottery position for this summer’s NBA draft.
The Mavericks (19-35) will come out of the All-Star break completely out of the postseason picture, sitting in 12th place in the Western Conference. They are one win and three losses behind Utah for the sixth-best odds in May’s draft lottery.
Adding Irving’s elite offensive talents to the mix of a floundering Mavericks team would make them more competitive than they probably should be since this draft is the final one in which they control their own first-round pick until 2031.
It’s been nearly a year since Irving suffered his devastating injury on March 3, 2025, three weeks before his 33rd birthday. ACL surgery can take anywhere from nine to 12 months to heal following surgery, depending on the individual and severity of the injury.
At the time of Irving’s injury, he was playing at an All-NBA level, averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists with efficient shooting splits of 47.3% from the field, 40.1% from 3 and 91.6% from the free throw line.
The Mavericks veteran will be 34 by the time the 2026-27 season begins in October, with nearly 600 days between games. The layoff will be extensive, and it’s unclear if that level of production will be immediately replicable, but it’s plenty of time for Irving to make a full recovery without the burden of expectations to return to a team that isn’t competing for the playoffs.
“I am grateful for the Mavericks organization, my teammates and our fans for their continued support throughout the process,” Irving said.
The decision to keep Irving sidelined was anticipated, given the franchise turning the page with the midseason trade of Anthony Davis to prioritize the development of Cooper Flagg, their teenage sensation who’s positioned to take the reins of the franchise. The Mavericks forward has 28 games left in his sensational rookie season to further develop his game. The revamped front office could also use this time to evaluate who fits alongside Flagg and Irving for the future.
While it would’ve been beneficial for Irving and Flagg to get a head start on their on-court chemistry, the cautious approach with the veteran prevents him from possibly re-injuring a left knee that’s undergone multiple surgeries through his 15-year career.
The Mavericks said Irving will continue his rehabilitation under the supervision of the team’s medical and performance staff and will remain engaged with the team, which isn’t a surprise given his constant presence during practices, shootarounds and games this season.
It will be a while, but Irving should be able to participate in those on-court activities in 2026-27.
“I am looking forward to coming back stronger next season,” he said. “The belief and drive I have inside only grows.”
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Kyrie Irving to sit out rest of Dallas Mavericks season, team announces
Irving will not return to play during the 2025-26 season as his recovery from ACL surgery performed last year continues.
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