How Good Was Prime Kyrie Irving Actually

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He made one of the biggest shots in NBA history.

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Curry, one on one, Irving puts it up.

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It's gone!

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Kyrie Irving from downtown!

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He's arguably the best ball handler of all time, breaking ankles across the NBA.

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Oh no!

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Going to work on Brandon Knight.

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And was even the star in some of the best basketball commercials ever. Kyrie Irving is also one of the best finishers of all time, with an unlimited offensive arsenal.

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Oh! How did that go in?

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And plenty of clutch moments.

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Irving spins, puts up the shot. It's good! Kyrie Irving with 3.4 remaining.

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But Kyrie is also no stranger to controversy. There were flat earth comments and fallout with LeBron James in Cleveland, the ugly breakup in Boston, and an even uglier one in Brooklyn.

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He looked like a fool. He looked crazy. The fact that he had the audacity to put together a wish list and give it to the Brooklyn Nets, is the craziest thing I've seen.

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However, when he got to Dallas, Kyrie straightened out and helped Luka make the NBA finals, showcasing great leadership along with acrobatic layups and crazy game winners.

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Irving for the win!

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But with Kyrie, the talent was always there, but there were also injuries. Irving has only played over 70 regular season games three times in his 15-year career. And just when you started to think he was one of the best players in the league, something always came up.

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Kyrie Irving has been suspended for at least five games without pay.

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Whether it was trade demands, beefs with teammates, injuries, or something else, it seemed like Kyrie never reached his full potential. However, despite all the problems, one thing is undeniable. Kyrie at his peak was basketball poetry in motion, and he averaged over 20 points per game 12 times in his career. But just how good was prime Kyrie Irving? And when exactly was that prime? Kyrie Irving was born to play basketball. His father, Dredrick, was a former player, and Kyrie became obsessed with the sport, dribbling the ball all day every day. And even though Ky was naturally left-handed, he attended a strict Catholic school, and his teachers forced him to do everything with his right hand.
That was a blessing in disguise, as Kyrie soon became ambidextrous.

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You were left-handed at first? Absolutely. I was getting slapped on the hand for writing with my left hand. Oh, wait.

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I never knew this.

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Are you ambidextrous? Yeah.

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Both sides of my brain are unlocked, if you're asking.

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And by eighth grade, his godfather, Rod Strickland, a former NBA player, realized that his godson had the best handles he'd ever seen from such a young kid. Even though he was always shorter than his peers, Kyrie's handles and shooting touch were at an NBA level, while he was still a high school sophomore. By his senior year, Irving had grown to 6'2 and became a top three prospect in the country, after which he accepted a scholarship from Duke. And even though a toe injury limited him to just 11 college games, it was enough for NBA scouts to realize Kyrie was the most talented player in the upcoming draft. Irving averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 assists, and 1.5 steals at Duke, while shooting 53% from the field, 46% from three, and 90% from the free throw line. It was clear he would become the first pick in the stacked 2011 NBA draft.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers select Kyrie Irving from Duke University.

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When he got to the NBA, it didn't take much for Kyrie to get acclimated.

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Kyrie knows the clock, sends it.

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Got it, Kyrie Irving! At the heart!

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As a rookie, he averaged 18.5 points and 5.4 assists, while shooting close to 50, 40, 90 from the field. Kyrie won the Rookie of the Year, dominantly, three votes shy of a unanimous victory ahead of guys like Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson, Ricky Rubio, and Kemba Walker. And then in his second season, Kyrie improved his averages to 22.5 points and 5.9 assists per game, which earned him his first All-Star selection. Ky also competed in the Rising Stars game, where he annihilated Brandon Knight And now the teams small fold.

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Kyrie! Going to work on Brandon Knight!

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And also took home the three-point competition trophy, defeating Matt Bonner in the final round. In 2014, Kyrie made the All-Star again, this time as a starter, and he showed up guns blazing, recording 31 points and 14 assists as the East beat the West 163 to 155, which earned him the All-Star MVP award. During the summer, Irving joined Team USA for the 2014 World Cup, and he was the best player on the team that also included Steph Curry, James Harden, Clay Thompson, Derek Rose, Anthony Davis, and Demarcus Cousins. With 26 points in the finals against Serbia, Irving led Team USA to a gold medal, after which he was named the tournament MVP. Up to that point, Irving was considered the most promising and most talented young guard in the NBA, but one thing was missing, winning. In his first three seasons, the Cavs were stuck in the lottery, but to be fair, that wasn't a reflection of Kyrie, as the roster was leakier than the Titanic defensively, and not much better offensively. However, that would all change with two strokes of luck. First, the Cavs won the 2014 lottery, despite having only a 1.7% chance of selecting first overall.