WATCHING Kyrie Irving blossom with the Dallas Mavericks is proving a bittersweet experience for LeBron James.
Irving has been in exceptional form for Dallas throughout their run to the upcoming NBA Finals where they’ll face the Boston Celtics.
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Forming a lethal partnership with Luka Doncic, Irving has averaged 22.8 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds throughout the Playoffs.
Watching on in admiration has been Los Angeles Lakers star James, whose team was knocked out of the Playoffs in the First Round by the Denver Nuggets.
James and Irving were teammates for three years as members of the Cleveland Cavaliers, during which time they won one NBA Championship.
In the latest episode of his Mind The Game podcast which he co-hosts with former NBA star, and potentially his next head coach J.J. Redick, James was full of praise for Irving, who he dubbed “The Wizard.”
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“There was nothing on the basketball floor that Kyrie couldn’t do,” he explained.
“And sitting here watching [The Playoffs], I’m playing like so f*****g happy and so proud to watch him continue his growth and whatever the case may be.
“And at the same time, I’m so f*****g mad at the same time that I am not his running mate anymore.”
James described Irving as “the ultimate wild card,” saying having him on your team was “like having a Draw Four in your hand every time someone deals you cards in Uno.”
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He went on to add that watching Irving’s performance in Game 1 of their Western Conference Finals win against the Minnesota Timberwolves was especially eye-opening.
James explained that watching Irving’s play made him realize, “Oh s**t! Dallas may be able to not only win the Western Conference Finals, they may be able to win the whole thing because of that wild card.”
Inside Kyrie Irving’s car collection, with NBA star cruising around Dallas in modded Jeep Wrangler and $500k Lamborghini
If this wasn’t high enough praise, he went so far as to label Irving “the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen.”
As for Redick, he went on to reiterate a comment he’d previously made on-air, saying, “I think I mean this – I’m not sure there’s ever been a player that’s more aesthetically pleasing when he has got it going.
“His game is beautiful.”
James’ praise quickly drew a variety of comments from fans on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Omg we need Bron and Kyrie to team up in LA ASAP,” one commented.
“When Kyrie’s on it’s like watching [Lionel] Messi play,” said a second.
“LeBron to the Mavs confirmed,” predicted another.
Time for LeBron to retire?
“At the end of the day, I hate to say it, but I believe this in my soul right now – I wish LeBron James would retire.
“Not because I don’t want to see more of LeBron James, not because I don’t appreciate LeBron James.
“But I honestly believe deep down inside, the more LeBron James continues to play the game of basketball, the more it’s going to hurt his legacy and the more it’s going to continue to hurt his GOAT argument.
“As long as he steps foot on that floor, every single season, there’s gonna expectations of him winning a championship.
“And when he don’t do that, we’re gonna be looking at him saying: ‘Well what happened now?'”
ESPN star Kendrick Perkins speaking on First Take about LeBron James’ future in the NBA
James has one more optional year on his two-year $99 million contract with the Lakers
His future has been a hot topic since the end of the Lakers’ Playoff run, with James’ agent Rich Paul recently hinting that his client’s future could lie elsewhere.
“LeBron is a free agent,” he said on TNT.
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Irving is in the first year of his three-year deal with the Mavericks, worth $120 million.
The eight-time All-Star will have another chance to show prove James’ praise right when the NBA Finals begin on Thursday at 8:30pm ET.
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