Kyrie Irving has always marched to the beat of his own drum. He’s been praised for his creativity, criticized for his beliefs, and endlessly dissected by media and fans alike. But beneath the headlines, there’s always been a deeply reflective and complex human being, and that side came out during a recent Twitch stream with internet personality Kai Cenat.
“I got bullied when I was younger, bro. I was definitely like a little soft-hearted kid, you know? I’ve always been handsome and shit like that. I’ve always been handsome, I’m not shy about that.:
“But being smart, being in the trenches, sometimes that could be seen as a threat to kids that are ignorant, you know what I mean? And that’s fine too. But it’s okay.”
That admission speaks volumes about the man behind the jersey. Kyrie has long been one of the most unique minds in the NBA, someone who refuses to fit into conventional boxes.
His style of play, flashy, unorthodox, and mesmerizing, mirrors his personality. And for all the controversy he’s courted in his career, he’s also been one of the league’s most thoughtful and introspective voices. This moment of honesty only reinforced that.
Irving didn’t just talk about bullying, though. He opened up about getting robbed in Harlem as a kid, recalling how a man on a bike approached him outside a corner store and took his belongings.
While most would carry trauma from such a moment, Kyrie turned it into motivation. That day, he said, inspired him to work even harder at basketball, so he could give back to his community and help people find paths beyond crime and survival. That’s the thing about Irving: even in pain, he finds purpose.
Despite the fame and fortune that now follow him, Kyrie is still reaching out to the same kids he once was. He wants them to see his scars, to understand his journey, to know that strength doesn’t always come from brute force but from inner resilience.
Irving’s emotional transparency has only grown stronger in recent years, especially with his turn to livestreaming. He has found a space where he can speak freely, away from the constraints of postgame microphones and media filters. And in doing so, he’s built a bridge between himself and fans who often only get a glimpse of who he truly is.
With Irving expected to miss the 2025–26 NBA season due to an ACL injury, these livestreams may be the most intimate access fans get to him for a while. But through them, we’re not just seeing Kyrie the injured star, we’re seeing Kyrie the person, the thinker, the former soft-hearted kid who’s now using his voice to empower others.
