By Dorothy J. Gentry
Sports Editor
In his first comments since officially becoming a Dallas Maverick on Sunday, Kyrie Irving expressed excitement and gratitude for his new basketball home.
“I am super excited and grateful for this opportunity. I really feel wanted,” Irving said from practice in California where the Mavs are in the midst of a four-game road trip. Irving is expected to make his debut Wednesday night when the Mavs take on the L.A. Clippers.
“I know they had to give up pieces for me to get here; I don’t take that for granted,’ Irving continued. “Shout out to Mr. Cuban; shout out to the whole front office of the Dallas Organization. It’s been a warm embrace and genuine love.”
Irving, an eight-time NBA All-Star, was acquired along with forward/center Markieff Morris from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for guard Spencer Dinwiddie, forward Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick and two future second-round picks.
Irving, 30, won an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 alongside longtime teammate LeBron James. He is a perennial All-Star, including being named an All-Star starter for this year’s games in Salt Lake City, Utah. On Friday he requested a trade from the Nets where he has played the last four seasons.
Mavs officials have finally landed a bona fide superstar in Dallas to play alongside their face-of-the-franchise Luka Doncic, the former Rookie of the Year, a four-time NBA All-Star and a current MVP candidate.
“Having two of the top guards in the NBA starting side by side is going to be exciting!” Mavs owner Mark Cuban told Texas Metro News via email. “I think they will be really tough to slow down and makes us far, far better.”
Irving said he is looking forward to his pairing with Doncic and is willing to do whatever is necessary to help the Mavs win a second championship.
“This will be my first time seeing one of those bad Europeans come over here and dominate, up close, and have the opportunity to do it at a pace that I don’t think has ever been seen before,” Irving said. “Other than like Larry Bird or like somebody else that just plays at their own pace, scores a bunch of points and is constantly in the MVP conversation every year just because he commands that much attention.
“So as much as I can alleviate for him, as much as I can lead alongside him…I’m willing to do. There’s no pressure here, nothings forced with me and him,” Irving continued. “I just want to play basketball, and enjoy his talent and enjoy my teammates’ talent and, you know, work toward a championship.”
Irving is one of seven players averaging 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in 2022-23. Among 40 players using two-or-more iso possessions/game, Irving’s 1.28 points/possession lead the NBA and are the highest for any player (min. 2.0 iso possessions/game) since the statistic was first tracked in 2015-16.
Born in Melbourne, Australia, while his father was playing professional basketball for the Bulleen Boomers, Irving moved to the United States when he was two years old. He elected to represent the United States national team and helped the Americans win a gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. With the win, Irving became just the fourth member of Team USA to capture the NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal in the same year, joining LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen.
Irving’s community work includes his KAI Family Enterprise, which seeks to uplift underrepresented entrepreneurs and businesses that do not have access to proper guidance in the business world. Amongst his philanthropic endeavors, Irving has donated $1.5 million to help cover the salaries of WNBA players who opted out of the 2020 season during the COVID-19 pandemic, paid off the tuition for nine students at HBCU Lincoln University, gave $323,000 to Feeding America during the COVID-19 pandemic, and partnered with City Harvest to donate 250,000 meals across the New York area.
Irving will wear No. 2 for the Mavericks.
Morris (6-9, 250) holds career averages of 10.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 24.3 minutes over 742 games (377 starts) with Phoenix, Washington, Oklahoma City, Detroit, the L.A. Lakers, Miami and Brooklyn. He has shot 44.6% (3,051-6,844 FG) from the field, 34.2% (627-1,831 3FG) from beyond the arc and 77.8% (1,189-1,528 FT) from the free throw line in his career. Morris appeared in 27 games for the Nets in 2022-23 and averaged 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.6 minutes.
Selected 13th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Suns, the University of Kansas product won an NBA Championship in 2020 with the Lakers. He averaged 5.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 18.4 minutes per game in 21 games (2 starts) during the Lakers’ postseason run.
In the community, Markieff and his twin brother, Marcus, started the Family Over Everything Foundation to provide support and guidance that helps alleviate the burdens, financial and otherwise, faced by many single parents, families in underserved communities, and at-risk members of society.
Morris will wear No. 13 for the Mavericks.
