By james art One of the most significant developments from Kyrie Irving’s new chapter in Dallas has been his evolution as a leader.
Irving will officially begin his 14th NBA season on Thursday when the Mavericks host the Spurs. He shares the most NBA experience on the team with Klay Thompson and Markieff Morris, both of whom were part of Irving’s 2011 draft class. It’s clear that Irving is embracing his status as one of the Mavericks’ elder statesmen and sharing the knowledge , which he has accumulated in his entire range of experiences has become a priority.
After the conclusion of the NBA Finals, Irving returned to his familiar look – similar to his days as a member of the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets. He’s rocking a mini-Afro with a handful of gray hairs sticking out. But don’t call the 32-year-old guard an old head, at least without putting the word “young” in front of him.
“Young old head. I embrace it 100 percent,” Irving joked Monday. “I was just talking to one of my family members yesterday. The perception from the outside, I have to accept that I’ve been in the business for 14 years, people will look at me differently. I’ve settled into the position as a young person, but I’ve also gotten better at being intentional in my communication, knowing that I know better and knowing that actions speak louder than words. I just want to lead by example and also have fun doing what I love to do.”
Irving’s reputation as an elite scorer and ball handler made him an instant fan favorite, but he’s also popular among the Mavericks’ younger players. Third-year guard Jaden Hardy spoke enthusiastically about Irving’s influence. He spends time after practice mentoring two-way guards Brandon Williams and Jazian Gortman. His leadership was on full display on the court during the Mavericks’ week-long training camp in Las Vegas.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said communication has been a must-have part of the team’s preparation for the upcoming season, especially with several new players learning the team’s offensive and defensive schemes. The Mavericks won 50 games last season before the playoffs, but Kidd said small talk like asking how someone can improve or where someone likes to get the ball could be the difference in racking up more wins. Irving and Luka Doncic headlined those conversations during practice.
“I think when you talk about Kai’s leadership, he’s soft-spoken but powerful,” Kidd said. “He’s a champion, he won. Everyone respects his game… Everyone respects his dribbling, his scoring, his competitiveness and everyone wants to understand his brain on how they can get better. He takes the time to spend with the young group to try and make the game easier for them, and that’s just who he is.”
Irving’s leadership was questioned during his brief stints in Boston and Brooklyn. He was a veteran on the Celtics while stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were still coming into their own. Irving acknowledged his shortcomings as a leader during the NBA Finals, saying he has since learned how to speak through his emotions.
Not only is Irving a mentor on the court, but he even hosted the Mavericks at his home in Los Angeles last week before the team’s preseason game against the Clippers.
“It was great,” PJ Washington said. “I’ve never seen a house like that, so just being there and experiencing that was great for us. It’s always great to bring the team together and I think it was great for us, even on the court. It will be great for us going forward and we can talk about things. These things really matter and I’m glad we have vets like that.”
Despite another year in the association and offseason surgery to repair a broken left hand, Irving doesn’t seem to be slowing down on the court either. He averaged 13 points on 66 percent shooting in two preseason games. He made his first six field goals against the Milwaukee Bucks, which included an array of floaters, mid-range shots and a pull-up three in transition.
Irving averaged 25.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists on 41 percent shooting from 3 in his first full season playing alongside Doncic last year. He’ll be expected to help Doncic shoulder the offensive load again this season, but Thompson will also be there to help take away some of the scoring. Irving said the Mavericks’ dreams are possible because Thompson is in a Mavericks uniform. It’s a partnership both players are looking forward to, which they also hope will lead to another championship.
“That was a huge reason for me to be here,” Thompson said at media day, “because Kyrie spoke so highly of me and him believing that I could help achieve those goals.”
Despite his willingness to advise and help mentor his younger teammates, don’t count on Irving coaching in the NBA after he retires. Perhaps a consultant, but he would much rather spend his time pouring the players at youth level.
“Once I’m done, I’m definitely going to have one of the best academies of all time,” Irving said. “Skills Training. Mentally, spiritually, emotionally and simply appealing to many of the experts, not only in the game of basketball, but in various fields. A lot of the young old heads, old heads, I bring them back and make sure I pay tribute to the legends. After basketball, it’s going to be a lot of fun, but I’m enjoying it just as much.”
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