Members of the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ 2016 championship team recently got together in Europe, where they laughed together, talked together, and golfed together in a celebration of their glorious title run. While it was nothing but smiles for those at the event, fans couldn’t help but notice the absence of Kyrie Irving, who was arguably the second-most important player on the team (behind LeBron James).
While some fans blamed it on internal beef between former teammates, later reports revealed that Irving had other obligations that day. Specifically, reports claim he spent his time mentoring young players at the NBPA Top 100 Camp before returning to New Jersey to inspire student-athletes in the local community. In response to the story, however, former shooting guard J.R. Smith explained that the basketball camp in question wasn’t even on the same day. This means Kyrie did not have a valid excuse for missing the reunion, other than the fact that he just didn’t want to go.
“Wasn’t the same day, champ,” wrote Smith to one fan who explained that Kyrie was at a basketball camp.
More about Kyrie, and Delly and Shump are in route 😁 pic.twitter.com/y3fa3NpGcY
— Cavs Frog (@CavsFrog) June 18, 2026
As some people tried to defend Irving, they claimed that you can’t blame the guy for not wanting to go, especially if golf isn’t his thing. There’s no proof it’s anything personal for Irving, and he’s certainly not obligated to attend. Nevertheless, Jefferson made sure to mention that both Matthew Dellavedova and Iman Shumpert were en route, despite having packed schedules themselves. It implies that if Kyrie had simply communicated with the group, they might have accommodated his schedule.
“We are headed to St. Tropez, and Delly and Shump meeting us there,” wrote Jefferson on Instagram. “[Matthew] Dellavadova is on his way!”
Smith confirmed that Irving was invited, but he also said that the veteran point guard “ghosted” them, meaning he didn’t even reply. That’s a brutal response to someone you won the NBA championship with just 10 years ago, and it just goes to show how far Irving’s relationship has deteriorated with his former Cavaliers teammates. The question is, why?
With no obvious motive or trigger for the falling out, fans have been left to guess what might have pushed Irving to ghost the guys he once called his friends. Whether it’s bitter feelings over his exit from the team, regret over his time there, or simply a desire to focus on the present, Irving couldn’t be bothered to participate in this unlikely reunion, and it’s not something his former Cavaliers teammates will soon forget.
Fortunately, it shouldn’t impact Kyrie’s position on the Mavericks. So far, he has been a model leader for the team, and they plan to keep him going forward as a mentor and guide for Cooper Flagg. With that in mind, and coming off ACL surgery recovery, Irving is already hard at work preparing for his next campaign in Dallas.
With much to focus on, it’s understandable that Irving would refuse to attend a meaningless team reunion. In the process, however, he may have burned some bridges with some old friends and allies who won’t soon forget his betrayal.
