In a chat with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on ‘All the Smoke’ podcast, Mavericks owner/governor Mark Cuban detailed the process of drafting Luka Doncic in 2018. In the same chat, he also spoke about Luka’s co-stat, Kyrie Irving. After re-signing the star guard to an extension this summer, Cuban debunked some of the narratives that had been circulating over the past few years.
“I love him…. and it wasn’t really much of a negotiation. It was like, ‘Tell us when you’re ready,’ but we’re here ready for you. I love Kai… Kai is the dude you become friends with in college that when you’re sitting around in the dorm room, he’s gonna get into a deep conversation. You could all be talking sports and Kai’s gonna ask you, ‘What’s this really mean to you? As long as you’re cool with that, which I am, he’s easy.”
Mark Cuban talks about Kyrie on the “All the Smoke” podcast 🗣 pic.twitter.com/06xKnDmDLl
— Kyrie Center (@kyriecenterig) November 21, 2023
Kyrie has always been described as an eccentric character, and his unique personality was put on full display in Brooklyn during his run with Kevin Durant. By the time he became a Maverick, Irving’s reputation was at an all-time low for his actions, but it seems he’s finally found a team that accepts him for who he is.
Kyrie Irving Is Proving Everyone Wrong
From almost the very start, Doncic proved that Cuban made the right trade that day. As a rookie, he averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6 assists per game on 42% shooting. The very next season he broke out into an All-Star with a stat line of 28.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists on 46% shooting. Those two seasons set the stage for what has been a historic run in Dallas, and Kyrie’s arrival marks the latest chapter in the saga. So far this season, through 11 games, Kyrie is putting up 23.9 points, 6.1 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game on 47.3% shooting.
Despite all the controversy surrounding his exit in Brooklyn and the decision to avoid the COVID-19 vaccine, Kyrie has been on his best behavior in Dallas and he’s disproving the notion that he’s nothing but a distraction in the locker room. At the very least, Mark Cuban has enabled him to be comfortable and play to his best in a Mavericks jersey, and that’s really all you can ask for.
A Strong Start For The Mavericks
Last year’s 11th-place finish left a sour taste in the mouths of many Mavericks fans, and it’s why expectations were set low for them to start this season. But thanks to a hot start from Luka, Kyrie Irving, and rookie big man Dereck Lively, the Mavs have blown past the projections this season with a 9-5 record through the first 14 games.
Currently, Dallas ranks 2nd in the league offensively with an average scoring total of 120.7 points per game. They are also fourth in effective field goal percentage, sitting at 57.5% for the season so far. With an offense like that, the Mavericks have no problem outscoring their opponents, but until the Mavs increase their performance on defense, there will always be room to doubt their potential in the West.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
