Kyrie Irving has become extremely active in the world of streaming on Twitch this offseason. He recently appeared on a stream with Tristan Jass, the social media basketball star who also plays for the Vancouver Bandits. They discussed several aspects of the game, both on and off the court. Among them were marriages in the NBA.
The Mavericks guard has been married to Marlene Wilkerson since 2022, and also has two kids with her. In a discussion with Jass about marriages, he revealed a shocking reality of the NBA. Here’s how their conversation went.
Kyrie Irving: “86% of all marriages fail in the NBA.”
Tristan Jass: “Wow. That’s—“
Kyrie Irving: “86% of marriages in the NBA fail.”
Tristan Jass: “Wow.”
Kyrie Irving: “So, I try to focus on the other 14%.”
Tristan Jass: “Yeah. Facts, facts, facts.”
Kyrie Irving: “The 86% number.”
Tristan Jass: “Yeah. That’s a high number, bro.”
Kyrie Irving: “That’s a f**king high number.”
Tristan Jass: “That’s a huge number.”
Kyrie Irving: “Yes. 86%, bro. That means that you damn near like… if I’m getting married while I’m in the league, you damn near like— that’s almost like a, that’s a good free throw, bro. That’s a good free throw.”
Tristan Jass: “That’s almost nine out of 10. You know what I’m saying? That’s crazy.”
Kyrie Irving: “Yes. So, for me, being aware of that, I have shared that with my wife, and she knows how honest I am. So, I’ve always done my best to make sure I’m putting things in perspective and adding context for her. Give her as many details so that there isn’t anything off the table that she doesn’t know. Yeah, trust is built that way.”
If we look at the history of the NBA, what Irving is saying may be true. From greats like Carmelo Anthony and Michael Jordan to even role players like Iman Shumpert, almost every second NBA player (or nine out of every ten players who get married) goes through a troubled marriage.
This is what makes the likes of LeBron James and Stephen Curry an even more unique breed in the NBA. Off the court, no matter how much spotlight is on them, they never shift their focus away from their families and have been happily married for over a decade each.
James has been happily married since 2013, while Curry has been since 2011. Reportedly married in 2022 himself, Irving is nearing the completion of three years as a married man. While Irving and his wife remain extremely private about their personal lives, this is one of the first times Irving has addressed NBA marriages in public.
