With 10 years having passed since the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA championship in 2016, some notable members of that team decided to have a little reunion in the United Kingdom. LeBron James, Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye, and Tristan Thompson linked up, but Kyrie Irving wasn’t with them, which raised eyebrows.
With fans repeatedly asking questions, Smith stunningly revealed that Irving had been invited but had ghosted them. That led to criticism coming the Dallas Mavericks star’s way, but NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson claims he didn’t ghost them.
Robinson revealed Smith had just thrown a lighthearted jab and that Irving couldn’t join his former teammates across the pond due to prior commitments.
“According to sources, Irving never actually RSVP’ed to the European getaway because his calendar was already fully booked with back-to-back domestic obligations.
“The Dallas Mavericks guard spent last week—from June 8 to June 12, 2026—on the ground in Rock Hill, South Carolina, serving as a marquee mentor at the prestigious NBPA Top 100 Camp. Held at the Rock Hill Sports and Events Center, the camp is elite high school basketball’s premier showcase.”
Irving was joined by the likes of Rajon Rondo, Tyson Chandler, Andre Drummond, and Shaun Livingston. The 34-year-old had an interesting message for the youngsters there.
“It’s so hard,” Irving said, via Blanton Basketball Academy. “Friends don’t understand. You have a small friend circle. Girls don’t understand. A lot of people don’t understand what the grind is. They think that you have time on your hands… My dad told me at a very young age that I was going to miss birthdays. I was going to miss events. I cried in front of them.
“He told me at 15 years old, 16 years old, you’re not going to be at everybody’s birthday,” Irving stated. “[I was like], ‘What do you mean, Dad? What do you mean?’ I’m trying to be everywhere. What do you mean, I’m not going to be able to hang out with the same friends? No, Kyrie, you’re not understanding. You’re a professional at 15, 16, mentally. You’re developing mentally first time to be a professional.
“And then if you follow something, then you gotta go through the obstacles,” Irving continued. “Then you gotta go through us. But initially, you gotta go through yourself first. You gotta break free of whatever’s holding you back, and it’s not gonna happen for everybody. That’s the other f***ed up part about it. Excuse my language, but once you unlock that potential, it doesn’t matter the height.
“It doesn’t matter where you’re from,” Irving added. “People find you, you going to get there. I mean, you gotta truly believe that. And I didn’t make all the right decisions in my life, and I always admit that I’m not perfect, and I have lived the experience to be able to share that. I got better. I’m sure I understood what family really meant, and understand why you’re sacrificing the time to be out here. If a family member or friend cannot understand that, they ain’t for you. I’m telling you. Don’t even try to force it in your life. Hey, man, it’s worth it.”
That’s something every young hooper needs to know. You’ll have to make many sacrifices if you are to achieve the ultimate goal.
After sharing wisdom with these youngsters, Irving then headed off to New Jersey, according to Robinson.
“Immediately following his time in South Carolina, Irving pivoted back home to New Jersey for a cause rooted in that exact same philosophy: grassroots basketball and community outreach.
“This week, Irving made special stops to visit with student-athletes at both Teaneck High School and West Orange High School in Northern New Jersey.
“Both premier programs have actively been wearing Anta apparel, a direct reflection of Irving’s heavy investment and executive partnership with the Chinese sneaker brand.”
You can check out Irving spending time with students at West Orange High School below.
Kyrie Irving at New Jersey High school TODAY with the youth 🙏🏽 https://t.co/qeuUtelVSN pic.twitter.com/TzVUtbh2vT
— STUNNA!🌟 (@realdealstunnna) June 17, 2026
So, all the criticism aimed at Irving, who missed the entire 2025-26 season with a torn ACL, has to stop. It’s actually admirable that he chose to be with these children rather than heading to the UK for wine tasting and golf sessions with his former teammates.
Irving has also acknowledged that he wasn’t necessarily a great teammate towards the end of his time with the Cavaliers. He understands he made mistakes and is a better man now. There is no ill will between him and them anymore.
Irving spent six seasons in total with the Cavaliers after they selected him with the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. He averaged 21.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game as a Cavalier.
The highlight of Irving’s Cavaliers tenure was, of course, hitting that iconic three-pointer over Stephen Curry in the final minute of Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. The way he exited in 2017 by handing in a trade request did leave a sour taste in the mouths of fans, but he’ll always be a legend in Cleveland for that shot.
