Every NBA player, at some point or another, encounters a challenge or obstacle that pushes him to new heights. For Kyrie Irving, there have been a number of instances throughout his young career in which he has come face-to-face with adversity.
On a personal level, Irving was just four years old when his mother, Elizabeth, died suddenly from Sepsis Syndrome. As a freshman in college, Irving suffered a nagging foot injury that kept him sidelined for nearly four months. During his second year in the NBA, a rash of injuries limited Irving to just 59 games during the regular season. In the two years preceding LeBron James’ heroic return to Cleveland, Kyrie Irving was subject to criticism from media, fans, and executives alike for his sporadic play and selfishness on the hardwood. |
In LBJ’s first season back in Cleveland, questions percolated regarding Irving’s ability to co-exist with the “King”. As it turns out, the duo has emerged as arguably the best one-two punch in the NBA. Irving’s ball-handling prowess and outside scoring ability complements James’ physicality on the interior.
However, Irving once again found himself sidelined after fracturing his left knee cap during Game 1 of the 2015 NBA Finals. The Cavaliers ultimately lost the series in six games and Irving’s health remained a point of concern heading into the 2015-16 season. After missing the first month-and-a-half of the 2015-16 season, Irving made his season debut on December 20th in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers. He appeared in 53 games during the regular season, but didn’t return to his All-Star form until the playoffs. Following the 2016-2017 season, Irving formally requested a trade from the Cavaliers. He was subsequently dealt to the Boston Celtics where he was greeted with significant fanfare. However, Irving's tenure in Boston was relatively short-lived, as the All-Star guard spent just two seasons with the Celtics before signing with the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent this summer. |