While Kyrie Irving was sidelined with an injury during last week’s Suns matchup against the Mavericks, Kevin Durant had effusive praise for his former teammate.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In an interview with Grant Afseth, Durant boldly asserted, “I think he’s [Kyrie Irving] the most skilled ever to play the game. I think that there’s nothing he can’t do with a basketball. So, it doesn’t matter what setting it is. He could do the same thing regardless if he’s playing Team USA, NBA, NBA Finals, Playoffs, Streetball, or Rec Ball. He can do it. He can play his game anywhere. That’s just a testament to how great he is and how hard he works.”
Durant and Irving shared the court for approximately two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets. Unfortunately, injuries disrupted any deep playoff runs, with Durant missing 74 games over the two seasons and Irving missing 81.
However, the duo played a pivotal role in leading Team USA to a gold medal during the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics.
Reflecting on the bond formed in Rio, Durant shared with Afseth, “Yeah, it was a weird time. We stayed on a boat in Rio the whole time, so we definitely just got to know each other really tight.”
The possibility of the two reuniting on the court this summer remains. Both were selected for the 41-man player pool for Team USA, with 12 players eventually earning a chance to compete in Paris.
In terms of the ongoing season, the Suns and Mavericks have split the series, each team securing a victory. Their next encounter is scheduled for February 22nd in Dallas.
As of now, the Suns occupy, the 6th spot in the Western Conference, while the Mavericks hold the 8th position.
