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Kyrie Irving returns from injury to join forces with 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg in Dallas.<\/p>\n
DALLAS (AP) \u2014 Veteran Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving said Friday he\u2019s under no physical restrictions from the torn ACL in his left knee that sidelined him 19 months ago, an injury that he called \u201cprobably the best thing that happened to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m ready to go out there and kick some butt,\u201d Irving, 34, said during the team\u2019s preseason media day, the first time that he\u2019s addressed the media since the March 3, 2025 injury. \u201cI know that naysayers or some of the questions around where I\u2019m going to be are going to be inevitable. But for me, I have the confidence of a champion. \u2026 This is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately type of league, and everybody wants to see it up close. So, I\u2019m looking forward to being able to lace up my shoes and being on the court with my teammates and show everybody what I got again. It\u2019s just like riding a bike.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn terms of health, he\u2019s right there,\u201d new team president Masai Ujiri said. \u201cYou hope he plays games and he gets right back into it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Irving said the time away from competitive play gave him time for reflection.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn where I want to be as a player and most importantly where do I want to be as a man,\u201d he said. \u201cHow can people look to me to be a better leader, a better communicator, be more emotional, vulnerable. And also taking the approach of acting like my age finally. Being 34 years old, I\u2019m going on year 16. Been through a lot, been through a lot of ups and downs as a person. But I think me as a competitor out there, you never have to worry about me falling short of (putting) my best foot forward out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Irving \u2013 and all the Mavericks \u2013 will play for a revamped franchise after last season\u2019s 26-56 lottery finish, Dallas\u2019 worst in eight years. Ujiri was hired<\/a> in early May, then hired Dusty May<\/a> in late June as coach to replace Jason Kidd. May, who led Michigan to last season\u2019s NCAA title, becomes the first coach to go directly from college basketball to an NBA head job since John Beilein left Michigan for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019.<\/p>\n Asked about being a rookie head man coaching Irving, a nine-time All-Star, May said, \u201cKyrie has seen and done as much as just about anyone in the association. I would expect that I\u2019m only going to coach him when I\u2019m able to add value.\u201d<\/p>\n