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LeBron James’ relationship with Kyrie Irving is one of the most complicated partnerships in NBA history. The two played together for three NBA seasons from 2014 to 2017. It all started with LeBron James’ fabled return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team he had left for the Miami Heat back in 2010. James returned to a new-look Cleveland Cavaliers team which had Kyrie Irving at its heart.
Fans expected to see great things for seasons to come, and while that did happen to an extent, their relationship has seen its fair share of downs and lows. Despite winning an NBA Championship together, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving have not always been on the same page.
NBA: LeBron James and Kyrie Irving A look back at their relationship
The Good Old Days
Kyrie Irving came to Cleveland at the age of 19, and was the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. The task at hand was to slot himself in a team that had just lost LeBron James. Irving did this almost immediately, as he averaged 18.5 ppg in his first season and went on to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
However, it wasn’t until LeBron Jame’s return to Cleveland that Kyrie Irving qualified for his first-ever NBA playoffs in 2015. Upon LeBron James’ return, Kyrie Irving had welcomed him and looked forward to learning from him for years to come.
“I'm happy he's back. It's going to be a pleasure to learn from him and grow with him these next few years. It's an exciting time for downtown Cleveland. I'm excited. Everything is happening so fast.” - Kyrie Irving on LeBron James in 2014.
Along with Kevin Love, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving formed a formidable Big 3, and qualified for three straight NBA Finals, winning a ring in 2016.
The NBA Championship
Despite the success, things were not all well behind closed doors. Kyrie Irving was the leader of the team before LeBron James’ return and did not want to stay in his shadow for long. Irving became increasingly frustrated with James being the focal point of the team.
As a result, Kyrie Irving fashioned a move to the Cavalier's rivals, Boston Celtics in 2017. On one hand, Irving was vocal about his intention to leave Cleveland as well as the reasons behind it. On the other, LeBron James appeared concerned, and always maintained that he tried to give Kyrie whatever he could, and more.
In a recent interview on Kevin Durant’s podcast, LeBron James had admitted being hurt as a result of Kyrie’s comments. He said that the two of them never aligned, and thought it was crazy that the Cavaliers still ended up winning an NBA championship, despite their two best players never 'aligning.'
Kyrie Irving’s Departure
LeBron James’ response came after Kyrie’s recent comments on Kevin Durant. After his move to the Brooklyn Nets in 2019, Irving said that for the first time in his career, he felt like someone (in his team) could shoot in the clutch. While he never mentioned LeBron James, fans assumed that this was a thinly veiled insult at the King's late-game clutch abilities.
Regardless, this is not the first time LeBron James has been at the receiving end of a Kyrie Irving comment. After his departure, the new Boston Celtics guard had claimed that while LeBron James needed him to win the NBA Championship, Irving did not need the same help. Kyrie was tired of playing in Lebron’s shadow and felt his contributions were not given the credit they deserved.
Regardless, Kyrie Irving moved on to Boston Celtics in 2017, which was followed by LeBron James' move to current NBA champions LA Lakers, a year later.
Lebron James’ Reaction
On the other hand, LeBron James can claim to have been extremely professional throughout the situation. He has never spoken ill of Kyrie Irving, and on Durant’s podcast, claimed that he wished to see Irving with the NBA MVP award. As mentioned, James said it was crazy the two won the NBA championship for the Cavaliers even without properly “aligning.”
However, LeBron maintained that he cared about Kyrie Irving’s well-being both on and off the field, and admitted that the Brooklyn Nets star's comments about the clutch shooting hurt him. Regardless, LeBron James has maintained a similar attitude for years. After Kyrie Irving’s departure, he claimed the following,
“I never felt like I didn't want to play with him. The only thing I tried to do is give him whatever I could and more."
Full Circle
Kyrie Irving denied that his comments about Kevin Durant's clutch shooting were aimed at LeBron James. Irving claimed that he will not shy away from taking names if he was talking about a specific person. As can be seen in the post, Irving called LeBron his brother and said he does not want to be pitted against him.
In regard to his disrespectful comments about LeBron James in the past, Kyrie Irving apologized for being the “young player who wanted everything immediately”, in February 2019. In an interview with the Boston Herald, Irving claimed the following,
“I apologized for being that young player that wanted everything at his fingertips, and I wanted everything at my threshold. I wanted to be the guy that led us to a championship. I wanted to be the leader. I wanted to be all that, and the responsibility of being the best in the world and leading your team is something that is not meant for many people. “
Needless to say, James accepted the apology, and the two have been close since then, although LeBron admitted to being hurt by Kyrie’s recent comments as well. However, Irving has claimed that he did not mean to take a dig for James, and it appears as though the duo's relationship has come full circle!
Guess the Lakers players!
