Kyrie Irving has become one of the best point guards in the league in recent years, but he’s always getting a lot of criticism for his behavior and the things he does on the court. Irving is now part of the Brooklyn Nets, where he’s set to team up with Kevin Durant to try to take the team to the promised land next season.
Irving has one of the best hands in the history of the game, but that’s not the only good thing about his game. Former teammate Richard Jefferson explained Kyrie doesn’t get as much credit as he deserves for the way he approaches the game. The 28-year-old is recognized as one of the best players in crunch time with Jefferson explaining how he reached that level.
Talking with Omar Raja of ESPN, RJ said:
“Kyrie’s an assassin. He is a Mamba disciple. … All he would do is watch old video clips of Kobe, old clips of Jordan.”
"Kyrie's an assassin. He is a Mamba disciple. … All he would do is watch old video clips of Kobe, old clips of Jordan." @Rjeff24 tells @OmarESPN Kyrie doesn't get enough credit for his approach to the game. https://t.co/eqcCOzgNzR
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 2, 2020
Irving is well remembered for that shot he made against the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. That 3-pointer put the definite number on the scoreboard for the Cavs, completing a 3-1 comeback against the Warriors.
That’s not the only time we’ve seen Kyrie doing those things, but it was indeed the most memorable of all. He was indeed a Mamba disciple. Kobe taught him a lot and challenged him on the court, with Irving paying homage to the late Lakers legend in his first game after Kobe’s tragic death.
This guy has all the tools to be an assassin, as Jefferson calls him. He learned from the best of the best, MJ and Kobe.
