Mavericks' Kyrie Irving pushes back on critics and fans in Twitch rant, addresses 'cancer' label
Irving's tumultuous run with the Nets ended when he was traded to the Mavs in February
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}During a recent stream on Twitch, eight-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving made it clear he was not happy about the way he is perceived by the public following his recent controversies.
Irving also addressed the idea he has created problems in locker rooms throughout his NBA career.
"I am not a cancer," Irving said in the Twitch video.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The crux of Irving's argument seemed to hinge on the idea that people have judged him based on the few hours they get to watch him perform in games.
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Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena Feb. 8, 2023, in Los Angeles. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
"You see me for three hours, and you think you know who I am. You see a few posts. ‘Oh Ky is woke, Ky got it. Oh, Ky is, oh my goodness. He just doesn’t fit into the mold of all the people. He’s different, he’s crazy, he’s arrogant, he’s this, he’s that.’
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"All from seeing me for three hours. You get all that."
His comments came after the Mavericks lost 113-106 and Irving appeared to get into an argument with a fan during the game over the guard sharing an antisemitic movie.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Irving served an eight-game suspension when he was with the Nets after he posted a link to the film. As the controversy about the social media post grew, Nike parted ways with Irving.
He also addressed speculation surrounding his departures from the Cavaliers, Celtics and Nets.
"‘What’s Ky gonna do this summer? Does Ky like Dallas? What happened in Brooklyn? What happened in Boston? What happened in Cleveland? Why did you leave LeBron [James]? Why did you leave Jayson [Tatum]? Why did you leave KD [Kevin Durant]? Why did you leave all these people?'"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Irving also noted that the other "21 hours every day" outside of games should be considered. He also said "older, bitter gentlemen and women" were responsible for portraying him as a "cancer" when there are 15 players on an NBA team.
In July 2017, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith reported that Irving didn't want to play for the Cavaliers anymore because he didn't like feeling "like he's the child and LeBron's the father or big brother he's supposed to look up to."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}During the Forbes' Under 30 Summit in 2018, Irving mentioned that, at one point in his life, he believed in conspiracy theories. He also previously declared that the earth was flat, but he later apologized for those remarks.
In October 2018, when Irving was in Boston, he vowed to sign an extension with the Celtics but ultimately changed his mind a few months later.
Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving gestures during the first half of Game 3 of the team's first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers April 19, 2019, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
In a May 2019 report from Jeff Goodman of Stadium, an unnamed Celtics player said Irving was "hard to play with" because he makes things "all about him."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Irving did not speak with the media for the majority of Brooklyn's home games during the 2021-22 amid his controversial decision to decline the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving reacts after hitting a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half of the opening game of the NBA play-in tournament April 12, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
On Feb. 3, Irving requested a trade from the Nets after he declined a contract extension. A few days later, he was sent to the Mavericks.
The Nets received Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2027 second-round pick, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick and a 2029 second round-pick in exchange for Irving and Markieff Morris.
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Irving has teamed up with superstar Luka Dončić in Dallas. The Mavs have won three of the nine games the two have played in. Dončić and Irving combined for 82 points in a win over the 76ers last week.
Dončić and Irving became the first duo in franchise history to score at least 40 points in the same game. In his 11 starts for the Mavs, Irving is averaging 27.5 points and 6.6 assists.