"I was afraid to admit that initially" - Kyrie Irving confessed speculation about why he left Cleveland was a major distraction in Boston originally appeared on Basketball Network .
The buzz around Kyrie Irving 's move to Boston never really quieted.
After asking out of Cleveland and leaving behind LeBron James and a championship core, Irving landed with the Celtics in the summer of 2017. His talent was unquestioned, but the questions about his motivations never stopped. Reporters asked about leadership. Teammates looked for chemistry. Fans expected answers.
"Last year it was almost like a trial," Irving admitted , speaking ahead of his second season in Boston. "There was a lot going on. It was overwhelming at times, to be honest. The focus needed to be directed on getting better and helping my new team win a championship, instead of focusing on all the outside noise [regarding his departure from Cleveland] that affected me personally."
For years, Kai had been seen as the sidekick to Bron. In Boston, that narrative flipped overnight. Now, he was expected to be the leader. He had to run the locker room and keep the team locked in through a long season. But from the very start, the weight of that responsibility wore him down.
"I was afraid to admit that initially," Irving said, "because I wanted to be prideful and handle everything. So, it's been a matter of figuring it out and growing."
He had reason to think things might click. The Celtics had a solid roster — a pair of rising stars in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum , a defensive juggernaut in guard Marcus Smart , former All-Star forward Gordon Hayward and a slew of quality depth — and a respected coach.
They also had momentum after a playoff run without him the previous spring. But none of that carried over. The chemistry wasn't there, and the trust never quite formed. Irving was still carrying the baggage of his Cleveland exit, and it showed in the way he handled the spotlight.
He wanted to prove he could lead a team without a guy named LeBron on the depth chart. That pressure seemed to grow heavier by the week.
The Celtics opened the year with high expectations. But even as they piled up wins, the team fell off. Irving never found his rhythm. Young players, Tatum and Brown, were adjusting to new roles, and the team couldn't lock in for long stretches.
Meanwhile, talk of Irving's looming free agency hung over the season like a cloud. Every road trip turned into a guessing game. Every quote was dissected. Irving was playing basketball and answering for his choices simultaneously. There were locker room issues and visible frustration on the floor.
The Celtics bowed out in the second round of the playoffs — in five games to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the East-leading Milwaukee Bucks — and the roster fell apart not long after. Irving left for Brooklyn that summer. Looking back, it was clear that things had unraveled far earlier.
He admitted the noise had affected him more than he let on. And as much as he wanted to lead, the distractions never really left.
Irving's Boston run is remembered for what it could have been. A talented team that never found the right rhythm. A gifted player carrying too much weight. And a decision that followed him until he couldn't ignore it anymore.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
