Kyrie Irving

At 32 years old, Kyrie Irving has this physical status:

Kyrie Andrew Irving (born March 23, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

After being selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft, he was named Rookie of the Year.

In 2016, he became a six-time All-Star and two-time member of the All-NBA Team, winning an NBA championship with the Cavaliers. Irving played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils before joining the Cavaliers in 2011.

For the 2014 All-Star Game, he received the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

In the 2016 NBA Finals, he made a three-point field goal with 53 seconds remaining in a tied Game 7 to help the Cavaliers win a championship over the Golden State Warriors.

Irving, who lost a rematch with the Warriors in the 2017 Finals, demanded a trade and was dealt to the Boston Celtics after losing a rematch.

He was a Celtic for two seasons before signing with the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent in 2019.

He has also played for the United States national team, winning gold and silver at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

In 2018, he appeared in the film Uncle Drew.

Early life

Irving was born in Melbourne, Australia, on March 23, 1992; the son of Drederick Irving and Elizabeth (née Larson) Irving, who were both exiles, is an American expatriate. He has an older sister, Asia, and a younger sister, London. Drederick's father, along with Jeffrey Teague (father of Jeff and Marquis Teague) and under coach Rick Pitino, played college basketball at Boston University. Irving's father played for the Bulleen Boomers in the SEABL after finishing his college career. Irving and his family lived in Kew, Melbourne, before relocating to the United States when he was two years old. He holds dual citizenship in the United States and Australia. Irving was forbidden from using his left hand while attending a Catholic academy in 1996, despite being born left-handed.

Drederick and his mother, who was African American and Lakota, died of an illness when he was four years old, and his grandparents helped him with Irving's aunts. Irving's father remarried in 2004, to Shetellia Riley, who as of March 2022, is Kyrie Irving's agent.

Irving grew up in West Orange, New Jersey, where he attended his father's adult-league games. He learned to play in the NBA after visiting Continental Airlines Arena during a school trip in fourth grade, "I promise I will play in the NBA." Irving spent a considerable time in Boston, including at BU's basketball skills camp, due to his dad's link to Boston University. Irving said that then-head coach Dennis Wolff gave him a scholarship to Boston University in fifth grade. Irving competed for the Amateur Athletic Union as a youth (AAU).

Personal life

Irving loves reading and has a journal. He also likes to sing, dance, and play the baritone sax. Rod Strickland, a former NBA star, is his godfather. Isaiah Briscoe, his uncle, was a highly rated basketball player who played at the University of Kentucky before deciding for the 2017 NBA draft. Irving and his ex-girlfriend have a child.

Irving kept a promise to his father that his bachelor's degree at Duke would be completed in five years in May 2011. However, having not earned his degree, he said he was putting off his plans in 2016 and saying, "when I leave the game of basketball, I'll concentrate on the next step in my life." In 2015, he unveiled his PSD Underwear collection.

Irving and his older sister were honoured at a "welcome home" service at Standing Rock Indian Reservation in August 2018, recognizing their family links to the area and appreciation for Irving's tireless support for the water protectors at the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. Irving's mother was known to the tribe, but she was "adopted out" at a young age, and their late grandmother and great-grandparents all had ties to the reservation group. Since then, he has continued to honor his Lakota roots by making Lakota shoes, designing Nike shoes dedicated to the Lakota people, and lighting sage before every game. In 2021, his application for citizenship was approved and he became an official member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

Irving started a plant-based diet in the 2016–17 season, which he also mentioned in a Nike ad in December 2017. Irving has switched to a 100% plant-based diet since then.

Irving declared in April 2021 that he is committed to Islam (and other faiths), "For me, being a member of the Muslim faith and believing in Islam, and also being committed to all races and faiths, as well as having an understanding and admiration." Irving has been fasting for Ramadan since 2021.

Irving expressed his love for the water protectors at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota in November 2016. The pipeline, according to proponents, runs under the river and across the region's aquifer; there is an urgent fear that the crude oil passing through the pipeline could jeopardize not only the Standing Rock people but also those from many nearby communities, both Native and non-Native.

Through his K.A.I., he has contributed to various charitable causes. The Family Foundation is a charitable foundation that supports families in need of assistance. In 2020, he donated a home to George Floyd's family. Irving repaid student loans for students from Lincoln University. Irving has pledged $1.5 million to assist WNBA players who have dropped out of participating in the COVID-19 pandemic. On his birthday, Irving donated over $300,000 to food banks and City Harvest. He gave the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe 17 pallets of food.

Irving initiated the Paani Project in Pakistan on July 29, 2021. The Family Foundation is a charity that supports families in need of assistance.

Irving said in a podcast interview in February 2017 that he believes that the Earth is flat. In a later interview, he was less vocal in propagating his flat Earth belief and urged others to "do their own research" into the issue. Irving denied these allegations in September 2017 and said the media mistook him for joking. However, in a June 2018 interview, when asked if he'd accept that the world is round, he replied, "I don't know." "I really don't" and said that people should "do [their] own study for what [they] want to believe in" because "our educational system is broken." Irving apologised for his original flat Earth remarks in October 2018.

Irving also stated that he believes in other conspiracy theories, such as the belief that John F. Kennedy was killed because he wanted to end the banking cartel.

Irving has expressed and responded with a conspiracy theorist's social media messages on Instagram, saying that "unknown organizations are giving vaccines in an attempt to connect Black people to a master computer for a scheme of Satan."

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High school career

In his freshman and sophomore years in high school, Irving was a student at Montclair Kimberley Academy. He finished with 26.5 points, 10.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.6 steals, making him the second highest scorer in the school's history. In his sophomore year, he led MKA to its first New Jersey Prep 'B' state championship. He went to St. Patrick High School after that year because he wanted a bigger challenge. Due to the transfer, he had to miss the first 30 days of St. Patrick's season. Irving played with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who was widely regarded as one of the best players in the class of 2011.

Irving's first season as a player, he averaged 17.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game, leading to the team's third New Jersey Tournament of Champions championship in four years. He led the USA East to the NCAA World Challenge in August 2009. With 21.3 points and 4.3 assists per game, he was the MVP. St. Patrick was barred from the state tournament for staging workouts until the winter sports season was allowed. St. Patrick finished his senior year with 24.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game as he finished his senior season.

Irving was chosen to the 2010 Junior National Select Team on January 19, 2010. On April 10, the team attended the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. He was also selected to participate in the 2010 McDonald's All-American Game and the 2010 Jordan Brand Classic, where he was named co-MVP with Harrison Barnes. Irving was a member of the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship gold medalist team in June 2010.

College career

In a television broadcast on ESPNU, Irving committed to Duke on October 22, 2009. Irving was a basketball player for the 2010–11 basketball season under the guidance of head coach Mike Krzyzewski. He averaged 17.4 points per game, 53.2% shooting, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in the first eight games of the season.

Irving was a strong candidate for NCAA Freshman of the Year until he sustained a serious ligament injury in his right big toe in his ninth game of the season. On March 17, the day before Duke played Hampton in the first round of the NCAA tournament, he played for his first game since being injured.

Duke qualified to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament but lost to Arizona. Irving scored 28 points in what turned out to be his last game for Duke.

Professional career

Irving said he'd forego his remaining three seasons of eligibility and jump into the 2011 NBA draft, where he was drafted with the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Irving was named in the 2012 Rising Stars Challenge, where he competed for Team Chuck. Irving scored 34 points in the game, going 8-of-8 from three-point range, and was named MVP. He received the 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year Award with 117 of a possible 120 first-place votes. He was the only unanimous pick to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Irving shot 48.5 points, 5.4 assists, and shot 46.9% from the field on a season-wide basis, with 39.9% on three-pointers.

Irving sustained a fractured right hand while playing with the Cavaliers in the NBA Summer League on July 14, 2012, after reportedly slapping it against a padded wall after commiting a turnover. "I am a little dissatisfied," he said. "I need to be more aware of my health." It was just crazy. It happened so fast." Irving would have hand surgery on July 18, according to the newspaper.

Irving suffered his index finger in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks at the start of the 2012-13 NBA season. He was scheduled to play in the Cavaliers' next game, but injuries forced him to miss three weeks of action. Irving scored his second game back, while wearing a black protective face mask to cover a fractured bone against Milwaukee, he suffered against the Milwaukee Knicks. He was the youngest NBA player to score 40 points in Madison Square Garden, a year younger than Michael Jordan, who did it in 1985.

Irving was selected to play in his first All-Star game by the coaches. He had 15 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds. He also competed in the Rising Stars Challenge again, scoring 32 points for Team Shaq in a losing effort. Irving earned the event when he scored 23 points in the final round. He finished his second season with averages of 22.5 points, 5.9 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.

In the 2014 NBA All-Star game, fans selected Irving to be the starting point guard for the Eastern Conference. As the East defeated the West 163–155, he was the All-Star game MVP, with 31 points and 14 assists.

Irving defeated the Utah Jazz 99-79 for his first triple-double in his career, with 21 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. This was also the Cavaliers' first triple-double since March 16, 2010. Irving scored a career-high 44 points in a 96-94 overtime loss to the Charlotte Bobcats on April 5, 2014. Irving was averaged 20.8 points, 6.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals on the season.

Irving agreed to a five-year, $90 million contract extension with the Cavaliers on July 10, 2014. LeBron James' return to Cleveland and Kevin Love's trade request from Minnesota, as the three teams teamed up to begin a new "Big Three" in Cleveland. Irving went on an eight-game winning streak, with some of the Cavaliers achieving a record of 5–7 after a loss to Toronto on November 22.

The Cavaliers won just five more games in December after losing on December 11 to Oklahoma City on December 11, a streak that has since been lost. During December, the new Big Three players missed time, contributing to the team's inconsistency and mediocre play. With Irving's help, the Cavaliers began their 2015 season on January 2 as they snapped a three-game losing streak. Love's 27 points was his highest point, and the Cavaliers defeated the Charlotte Hornets 91-87. Irving's next game, against Dallas on January 4, was his lowest point total for him, scoring just six points before going to the third quarter with less back tightness; the Cavaliers lost 109-90. Irving skipped the next game against Philadelphia before returning to action against Houston on January 7 for a then-high of 23 points. He finished the game with a then-high 38 points, but the Cavaliers lost 105–93, the team's seventh game in nine games, but he did not help lead the Cavaliers to victory.

Irving and James led the Cavaliers on a 12-game winning streak to bring them back to contention after a six-game losing streak between January 4 and 13. During the streak, Irving averaged 24.5 points per game, with a game against Portland on January 28. His 11 three-pointers in that game tied for the second most points scored in Cavaliers history (behind James' 56) and the most scored in a home game, as well as the most points scored in Quicken Loans Arena history. His 28 points in the first half marked a new record in a half.

Irving scored 57 points, including a buzzer-beating three-point shot, to send the Cavaliers into overtime in a 128–125 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on March 12, 2015. It was the most points for a player against the defending champion in a regular-season game against the Philadelphia Warriors since January 14, 1962, when Wilt Chamberlain scored 62 points against the Philadelphia Warriors in a loss to the Celtics. The effort also surpassed LeBron James' career single-game scoring record of 56 points, which was also set against the Toronto Raptors on March 3, 2005.

Irving was the No. 1 in 34 games for the Cavaliers in their last 43 games to finish the regular season as the No. 1 in 34. With a 53-29 overall record, two seede in the Eastern Conference has been seeded. Irving scored 30 points in a 113–100 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their first-round playoff matchup in his first appearance in his career in his first playoff game on April 19. Despite missing two games against the Atlanta Hawks due to a knee injury in the Eastern Conference Finals, he continued to help the Cavaliers reach the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history. Irving was suspended for the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors in overtime, and he was sidelined for three to four months. In six games, the team lost the series to the Warriors.

Irving was ruled not to be able to play in Game 1 of the 2015 NBA Finals on August 27, 2015. He made his season debut on December 20, scoring 12 points in 17 minutes against the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring 12 points in 17 minutes as a starter. In a 121-115 victory over the Washington Wizards on January 6, he scored a season-high 32 points. In a 120-100 win over the Sacramento Kings on February 8, he tied his season high of 32 points and tied his career high of 12 assists. In a 120-111 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, he tied for his season high point with 35 points.

With a 57–25 record, the Cavaliers earned their first seed in the Eastern Conference during the regular season. The Cavaliers defeated the eighth-seeded Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs, winning by 31 points in Game 1 on April 17. He tied for the highest score in Game 4 of the series with another 31-point game, assisting the Cavaliers in their sweeping of the Pistons. The Cavaliers advanced to the NBA Finals in 2016 with a 12–2 record to advance to the Eastern Conference playoffs for the second year in a row. As the Cavaliers defeated 104–89 in Game 1, Irving struggled with his shot in his first Finals game, going 7-of-22 from the field for 26 points. Following a Game 4 loss, Irving and LeBron James took over in Game 5; the Cavaliers won by 112–97, prompting a Game 6. In a NBA Finals game, Irving and James became the first teammates to each score 40 points. Irving had a three-pointer with 53 seconds left in a game that sparked the Cavaliers to a 92-89 victory and a 93-89 victory. The Cavaliers won the series 4–3 and became the first team to recover from a 3–1 Finals deficit, snaping a 52-year major sports championship drought in Cleveland.

Irving scored a game-high 29 points in a 117-88 victory over the New York Knicks on October 25, 2016, after receiving his first championship ring before the season opener. He scored 26 points and hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 44.3 seconds remaining three days later, boosting the Cavaliers to a 94-91 victory over the Toronto Raptors. In the fourth quarter of the Cavaliers' 112–108 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on November 27, he scored 19 of his then season-high 39 points. In a 116–112 victory over the Toronto Raptors on December 5, he had a career-high 10th straight game with at least 20 points, finishing with 24 points. In a 113–102 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on December 21, he had 31 points and a career-high 13 assists. In the second half of the Cavaliers' 124–122 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on January 23, 2017, he scored 35 of his season-high 49 points, their fifth loss in seven games. In a 125–97 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, he set a new career record with 14 assists. In a 135-130 win over the Atlanta Hawks on March 3, he had a 43-point effort. With 25 three-pointers, the Cavaliers tied for the most points in the NBA regular-season season. In a 125–120 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on March 19, he had a 46-point effort. In a 126-125 overtime loss to Atlanta, he had a 45-point effort on April 9, 45-point effort.

Irving scored a career-high 42 points to lead the Cavaliers to a 112–99 victory, taking a 3–1 lead in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He helped the Cavaliers defeat the Celtics 135-102 for their third straight Eastern Conference title and a return to the NBA Finals with 24 points in Game 5 of the series. Irving scored 40 points in Game 4 to help Cleveland extend the series and prevent a sweep with a 137-116 victory over the Golden State Warriors after going down 3–0 in the 2017 NBA Finals. In Game 5, the Cavaliers lost to the Warriors, ending the series 4–1.

Irving begged the Cavaliers to trade him in July 2017, allegedly wanting to be more of the focal point of his own squad rather than continuing to play alongside LeBron James. He was traded to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante i, and the right to the Brooklyn Nets' 2018 first-round draft pick (which later turned into Collin Sexton). The Celtics decided to offer the Cavaliers a second-round draft pick as a punishment for Thomas' poor physical.

Irving had 22 points and ten assists in a 102–99 loss in his Celtics' season opener against the Cavaliers on October 17, 2017. At the horn, he had a chance to tie it with a 3-pointer but missed. He scored 24 points in his third straight game, helping the Celtics beat the San Antonio Spurs 108-94. It was the Celtics' first victory over the Spurs since 2011. Irving's 128 points in his first six games as a Celtic were the most since Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen combined had 131 in 2007. In a 110–107 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on November 6, 2017, he scored more points (245) than any other Celtic in his first 30-point game, while scoring more points (245) than any other player in his first 11 games with Boston. The Celtics improved to 9-2 after beating Atlanta, the Celtics' longest winning streak in seven years.

The Celtics rallied from a double-digit deficit to defeat the Dallas Mavericks 110-102, extending their winning streak to 16 games on November 20, 2017. He scored ten of his season-high 47 points in overtime on November 20, 2017. With a loss to the Miami Heat two days later, the streak came to an end. In a 103-95 loss to the Orlando Magic on January 21, 2018, he scored 40 points in a 103-95 loss to the Orlando Magic. By mid-January, the Celtics had a 34–10 record, but their loss to Orlando was their third straight defeat. In a 109-105 loss to the Golden State Warriors on January 27, 2018, he scored 37 points on 13-for-18 shooting with five 3-pointers. Irving helped the Celtics move to 4–0 after the All-Star break with a 134–106 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on February 28, 2018. In the first three quarters, Irving led Boston with 34 points, making 13 of 18 shots overall and going 4-for-6 from three-point range. He was out for three to six weeks after undergoing minimally-invasive surgery to cut a tension wire in his left knee. He was out for the entire postseason, with a recovery time of four to five months following another surgery to remove two screws from his patella that were implanted in 2015 to fix a fracture suffered during the NBA Finals earlier this year.

Irving was in his first game since March and had seven points and seven assists in a 105-87 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in the Celtics' season opener on October 16, a victory that was reminiscent of the Philadelphia 76ers. He missed his first nine attempts from the field and didn't score until finally connecting on two free throws early in the third quarter. Irving scored 31 points in a 108-105 victory over the Detroit Pistons on October 30, after average 14 points through the first six games. In the Celtics' 116-109 victory over the Phoenix Suns on November 8, he scored 18 of his then-high 39 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. In a 123–116 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors on November 16, he scored a season-high 43 points and 11 assists. It was his first game scoring at least 40 points with 10 or more assists, and he became the first Celtics player to do so since Antoine Walker in 2001. In a 130–125 overtime victory over the Washington Wizards on December 12, he scored 38 points. In a 121-114 overtime victory over the 76ers on December 25, he scored 40 points and ten rebounds. In the second half of the Celtics' 112–103 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, he scored 22 of his 26 points on December 29. His 13 assists matched his season best but fell short of his career high. In a 117-108 victory over the Raptors on January 16, he had 27 points and a career-high 18 assists.

In a 107-99 victory over the Miami Heat on January 21, he had a career-high eight steals. In a 115-111 loss to the Golden State Warriors, he scored 32 points and ten assists on January 26, a record breaking. It was his 11th double-double with points and assists, becoming the first Celtic with 11 of those kind of double-double double-double since Larry Bird in 1986–87. It was also Irving's sixth straight game with at least 25 points, his longest on record. In a 126–120 victory over the Sacramento Kings on March 14, he recorded his second triple-double in his career, with 31 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds, becoming the first Celtics player to record 30-plus points and a triple-double in the same game since Rajon Rondo in February 2012. In a 129-120 victory over the Atlanta Hawks two days later, he had 30 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. Irving played in his first playoff game as a Celtic, defeating the Indiana Pacts 84–74 in game one of their first-round series. Irving scored 37 points in a 99-91 victory in Game 2 of the series. Irving led the Milwaukee Bucks to victory in Game 1 of the second round with 26 points and a playoff career high-tying 11 assists.

Irving signed with the Brooklyn Nets in a free agency on July 7, 2019. Irving played for the Nets for 50 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists in a 127–126 overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 23, 2019, becoming the first NBA player to score 50 points or more in a team debut. Irving became the seventh player in franchise history to score 50 points or more in a single game, and he joins Stephon Marbury (2001) as the only one to have 15 total rebounds and assists. In the first half, he scored 25 of the Nets' 56 points.

Irving missed 26 games due to a right shoulder injury but returned on January 12, 2020, scoring 21 points on a 10-of-11 shooting in the 108–86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Irving led Brooklyn to a 121–111 overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons on January 25, while simultaneously recording six rebounds and seven assists. The Nets had intended to play the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on the next day, but Irving left the arena before tip-off after learning of Kobe Bryant's death. Irving won by 133-118 over the Chicago Bulls on January 31, scoring a season-high 54 points on 19-of-23 shooting. Irving will recover from season-ending surgery on his injured shoulder, according to the newspaper on February 20.

Irving had 25 points, four assists, and four rebounds in a 125-99 victory over the Golden State Warriors in the Nets' season opener on December 22, which was 125–99. Irving led to a 123-95 victory over the Boston Celtics on December 25, with 37 points and eight assists. Irving was voted an Eastern Conference starter for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game on February 18, 2021, his seventh pick. Irving lost by 113–109 to the Dallas Mavericks on May 6, scoring a season-high 45 points in a 113–109 loss. Irving was the ninth player in NBA history to play for the fifth and a half (.506), the three-point line (.4042), and the free throw line (.922). Although making the 50–40–90 team, Irving was only the fourth player to reach over 25.0 points, with Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Larry Bird.

Irving strained his right leg after landing on Giannis Antetokounmpo's foot against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 4 of the Conference Semifinals, and he missed Game 5. In seven games, the Nets lost the series.

Irving will be ineligible to play or practice with the team until Irving is vaccinated, according to Nets general manager Sean Marks. Despite remaining unvaccinated, the Nets announced Irving would return to the team as a part-time player for games outside of New York and Toronto, as a result of a large number of players suffering from injuries and health and safety policies, as well as an inordinate minutes load on Kevin Durant and James Harden. Irving made his season debut on January 5, 2022, scoring 22 points, three rebounds, and four assists on 9-of-31 shooting in 31 minutes.

In a 126-123 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, Irving scored a season-high 38 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals on February 26, defeating the reigning champions. On March 7, New York City mayor Eric Adams announced that the city would no longer have a vaccination waiver for indoor activities in February 2022. However, Irving was still subjected to a different workplace vaccination policy, which was also in force. Adams said in a public address that giving a specific exemption for Irving would "send the wrong message" to other people employed in the city.

Irving had scored a then-high 50 points on 15-of-19 shootings from the field and gave 6 assists in a 132-121 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on March 8. He was the second guard in NBA history (after Michael Jordan) who would have multiple 50-point games while shooting 75% from the floor. In a 148-108 victory over the Orlando Magic, Irving scored 41 of his career-high and Nets franchise-record 60 points in the first half, grabbed 6 rebounds, and stole 4 assists on 20-of-31 shooting from the field, including eight three-pointers. Mayor Adams declared on March 23 that the city will be easing its COVID-19 vaccination policy, allowing Irving to play at the Barclays Center. Irving lost 119–110 on March 27, his home debut against the Charlotte Hornets, scoring 16 points in 41 minutes.

Irving, in his first play-in appearance, scored 34 points and disheyed 12 assists in a 115-108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 12, securing the seventh spot in the playoffs for the first time. In a 115-114 loss to the Boston Celtics, Irving scored a game-high 39 points, 6 assists, and 4 steals. During Game 1 in Boston on April 17, Irving was fined $50,000 for middle finger gestures and profane words to supporters. Brooklyn lost in four games to Boston for the first time in his career, as Irving was swept for the first time in his career.

Following the conclusion of the season, there was rumors that Irving would decline his player choice and pursue a sign-and-trade contract with another team. Irving, on the other hand, opted out of his $37 million player pick, returning to the Nets in 2022-23 NBA seasons.

National team career

Irving was in contention for a spot on the Australian team for the 2012 Olympics in 2012. However, he did not vote for his country of birth but instead concentrated on the selection of the United States national team for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Irving was a member of the United States national team that competed in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in the United States. He was instrumental in Team USA's gold medal and was later named tournament MVP. He appeared in all nine games, averaging 12.1 points and 3.6 assists per game, with 26 points in the gold-medal tournament. He was then named the Year's Best Basketball Male Athlete of the Year in 2014.

Irving was a member of Team USA's gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in 2016. With his win, he became Team USA's fourth member to win the NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal in the same year, as LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen.

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