Kyrie Irving is arguably the greatest ball-handler the game has ever seen. Whether it is putting his opponents on skates or deceiving the defenders, Uncle Drew mastered the art of dribbling to perfection. He possesses an unreal agility and has a firm grip over his movements on the hardwood.
Irving is not the strongest or most athletic guy, but he was blessed with an elite skill set. Standing at 6'2", he can not only shoot from distance but also finish at the rim efficiently. Not to mention his clutch abilities, which were on full display during Game 7 of the 2016 Finals.
That said, growing up, Irving did seek inspiration from certain players. One of them was Rod Strickland , who was also his father's friend. Other names included Allen Iverson and Jason Williams (White Chocolate), whom Kyrie studied and tried to imitate in his driveway as well.
"I'd watch the highlights on YouTube, and I'd go out on my driveway and try it. And then I'd watch more YouTube videos, and I'd go back out and try it. It would be an all-night thing," shared Irving.
However, Irving had his own views on guidance and coaching, which did not necessarily align with those of coaches.
Though Irving has found stability with the Dallas Mavericks , things weren't always this smooth around him. His defiant nature was no secret, as evidenced during his stints with the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets . He frequently made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Irving was not the ideal example when it came to following instructions, which was primarily why he did not share the best relations with some of his coaches. During his tenure in Brooklyn, Kyrie openly voiced his apprehensions about the methods of Kenny Atkinson and Steve Nash .
Growing up, Irving relied heavily on YouTube videos to develop as a player, emulating the basketball moves he saw online.
"It was not about being afraid to try that move that your coach tells you not to do, like being on a fast break and doing double moves and your coach wants you to do a regular layup. I don't believe in that. I believe in having creativity in the game and bring excitement to what everyone kind of is afraid to do," added the nine-time All-Star.
Nonetheless, Irving has found his perfect setting in Dallas, especially when it comes to being coached under Jason Kidd.
Irving has shown a lot of trust in J-Kidd as a coach, and the two are usually on the same page. Interestingly, Kyrie also wants the current Mavericks coach to guide him wherever possible. The player-coach duo shares a high level of mutual respect and often take up for one another.
Kai takes nothing J-Kidd says lightly, which is another example of the trust he has in the Mavericks coach. A case in point was when the Mavs coach apprehended the roster for allowing 72 points in the paint during a game against the Raptors in the 2023-24 season.
Irving being in a good space has shown to translate into excellent results, something we've observed in the past as well. While there are no complaints about his capabilities as a player, he is not the easiest personality to deal with.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
