Kyrie Irving isn’t one for subtlety. He’s not going to alter his personality or his approach to leadership in the Brooklyn Nets locker room.
If there’s one thing that Brooklyn Nets All-NBA point guard Kyrie Irving does not lack, it’s transparency. He attributes the fame his name garners to the respect that he’s earned as a player.
Kyrie recently made headlines due to his comments regarding concerns about the Nets roster. He alluded to a “glaring” need for “one or two more pieces” before the team could be considered genuine threats.
On Friday, Kyrie took the time to follow up on his recent comments and the negative attention it attracted.
“At the end of the day, my name was given to my grandfather, I’m very grateful, but it’s in a lot of people’s mouths all the time. It is what it is. I’ve earned that respect in terms of how great I am as a player,” Irving told reporters.
Kyrie Irving with STRONG words at practice:
"It's not like I'm an ass—- yelling at everybody in the freaking locker room all the time … If it's harsh as a leader or it's too much for anybody, you're not in our locker room—stay the f— out." pic.twitter.com/peVcXQgsun
— SNY (@SNYtv) January 17, 2020
For the season, Irving is averaging 27.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.9 assists. Such stats are impressive in their own right. Nonetheless, the numbers have yet to translate to consistent victories for the Nets. Brooklyn is just 5-9 with Irving in the lineup.
That being said, he knows what it takes to win at this level. There’s no denying that fact, considering he’s won a title. The Nets have struggled mightily this season and there will have to be personnel adjustments if that’s to continue.
This was never going to be the year the Nets went all the way. That hope is for next season once Kevin Durant returns. That’s when the Nets’ aspirations shift to hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy. Anything short of that with Durant and Irving in the lineup would have to be considered a failure.
The Nets aren’t there yet, as Durant is still recovering.
But for the time being, Brooklyn must find a way to return to the win column. They’ll take on the Milwaukee Bucks, who boast the league’s best record at 37-6, on Saturday at 6:00 p.m ET.
