Kyrie Irving’s incredible 60-point performance on Tuesday reminded the world of just how talented he is. Still, not everyone is convinced he’s as good as some make him out to be.
On “The Hoop Collective” podcast, NBA insider Tim Bontemps crushed the star point guard in a lengthy and passionate rant. For about a minute, he spoke candidly about his feelings on Irving, blasting the idea that he’s on the same level as guys like KD or Steph.
“We’re gonna talk about Kyrie Irving the player. People act like Kyrie the player is Stephen Curry. I don’t understand it, I really don’t. The guy has never gotten an MVP vote, has never gotten a first-team All-NBA vote. He’s made 2nd team All-NBA one time. He’s made 3 All-NBA teams in his career. And he’s always hurt. He hit one of the greatest shots in playoff history, no question. He is an unbelievably talented scorer.
He also sabotaged this year’s team. He sabotaged the 2019 Celtics. The first [three] years with the Cavs were an unmitigated disaster. His career was rescued by LeBron, who decided to show up on his team. But people act like he is Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant. Like he’s on the same level as Kevin Durant. KD got asked after the game if he and Kyrie were the best duo of All-Time. There were people arguing he should be on the Top 75.”
Tim Bontemps with some choice words on Kyrie Irving. pic.twitter.com/fF14wY4MNj
— Jac Manuell (@JacManuell) March 18, 2022
Irving, 29, is widely regarded as one of the best scorers and ball-handlers in NBA history. In 10 years in the league, he has earned 7 All-Star appearances, 3 All-NBA selections, and an NBA Championship in 2016.
He also forced himself out of Cleveland, betrayed the Celtics by breaking his commitment to stay, and arguably ruined Brooklyn’s season after making the decision not to get vaccinated over the summer.
It’s a two-sided coin for Irving, who has done a lot of good and a lot of bad for his teams over the years. Nobody is sure how history will remember him.
For now, his hope is to become a full-time player and help restore some consistency for the Nets.
This season, he’s averaging 27.7 points 5.3 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game on 49% shooting.
