Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Stephen Douglas

Kyrie Irving Gets Brutally Honest About Time in Brooklyn on Live Stream

Ben Simmons, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant during their time with the Brooklyn Nets. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Kyrie Irving live-streamed the recent Mind the Game podcast on Twitch on Tuesday night, going through Kevin Durant's appearance on the LeBron James and Steve Nash-hosted show. The former Nets point guard cleared the air about a number of things including his time in Brooklyn with Durant and Nash.

Irving seemed just as surprised by most of the things that happened in Brooklyn as those observing from the outside. It sounds like he and his teammates were especially affected by the departure of Ime Udoka who was an assistant under Nash.

"Ime Udoka literally went to the Boston Celtics after coaching with us. That was crazy, bro," said Irving. "You know, that was crazy! We had Ime Udoka literally go to Boston the next year! That means you got coaches on the other team. And it wasn't anybody's fault, it's just opportunity. but we're in the same division. Can you imagine going against the coach that literally saw all of our strengths and weaknesses and now we're playing against them? Boston was ready for us. Ime had them ready, had the Celtics ready, dog. When we played them in the 2022 playoffs, s--- got wild."

The Celtics swept Irving, Durant and the Nets in the first round of the '22 postseason. That came a few months after the team traded James Harden to the 76ers, a move which Irving also addressed on his live-stream.

"When that trade happened it shocked a lot of people. It shocked me. S--- I was talking to James one day, I'm like, 'S--- bro we're about to go win this championship.' Then he was like... a day later he asked for a trade. I was like 'Woah! Shoot. O.K.? Sh-- like that now?' O.K., I can't be mad. I'm not gonna ever be mad at someone doing what's best for them. And shoutout to James. I've had my conversation with James and I told him I understand completely. I understood completely what he was doing."

Irving, Durant and the Nets would end up winning one total series in two trips to the playoffs.


More NBA on Sports Illustrated


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kyrie Irving Gets Brutally Honest About Time in Brooklyn on Live Stream.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.