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NBA reporters have been known to ask players some very perplexing questions. However, perhaps none were stranger than the question former Cleveland Cavaliers star point guard Kyrie Irving was asked in 2015.
Ahead of the Cavs’ Eastern Conference finals matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, the reporter first told Irving about his teammate Tristan Thompson’s recent comments. She said that Thompson called then-Cavs superstar forward LeBron James a great father after their East semi-finals matchup against the Chicago Bulls.
However, the statement caught Irving off guard:
“Kyrie, Tristan called LeBron a great father after the Chicago game,” the reporter started.
“What?” Irving asked as he interrupted her in confusion.
The reporter then clarified her comment to which Irving replied that he thought that she was talking about James being a great father to his teammate:
“Oh, a great father, my bad, I interpreted that completely wrong,” Irving said.
“I thought you said he was a great father to him. I was like, ‘What?’”
However, Irving’s confusion quickly proved to be justified. This came as the reporter then transitioned to a question about James’ parental role regarding his teammates:
“So, what kind of parental role has he played for you and your teammates?” the reporter asked.
Irving then appeared to be flabbergasted as he shut down any notion that James was like a father figure to him:
“Parental role? I don’t know how to really answer that question. He’s been a great leader for us. I have one father, it’s my dad Drederick Irving.”
However, Irving added that James was still a positive influence on him and his teammates:
“But for us, in terms of learning the nuances of the game and also how to win on the court, and also how to carry ourselves off the court, I feel like he’s been a great influence in that role".
What is the age difference between Kyrie Irving and LeBron James?
The reporter asking Kyrie Irving about LeBron James being a father figure to him seemed weird enough at first. However, most agreed that it only got stranger after many pointed out that the age gap between Irving and James is only seven years.
Irving was 23 while James was 30 at the time of the interview.
