Kyrie Irving Claps Back at Fan Who Says He Hasn't Succeeded Without LeBron James
Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving responded to a fan on Twitter on Tuesday who claimed the 31-year-old has struggled to find success in the NBA since parting ways with former teammate LeBron James.
The Twitter account “Basketball Forever” posted a graphic highlighting Irving’s previous six seasons dating back to his departure from the Cavaliers. During that time, Irving has featured for three teams: the Celtics, Nets, and Mavs.
Set for his second season in Dallas after signing a three-year contract extension, Irving issued a response to the graphic, making a bold guarantee that he’d change that narrative over the course of the next few seasons.
“Pin this tweet and see what happens in the next few years,” wrote Irving on Twitter.
Pin this tweet and see what happens in the next few years.
— Chief Hélà ???????? (@KyrieIrving) August 1, 2023
Hélà
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Since the start of the 2018-19 season, Irving’s teams have failed to advance past the second round of the playoffs, including last year when the Mavericks failed to even reach the play-in tournament after trading for the eight-time All-Star.
During that same timeframe, James won a championship with the Lakers and also reached the Western Conference finals in 2022-23, where Los Angeles lost to the eventual champions, the Nuggets. Additionally, since the two parted ways, the 38-year-old has featured in 43 playoff games compared to Irving’s 22.
Irving seems optimistic that his partnership with Luka Donçic in Dallas will prove fruitful, expressing as much in his bold response to the post on Twitter.