NBA: Kyrie Irving glad to be with Mavs after Nets 'disrespected' him
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Kyrie Irving has said that he feels disrespected when he was with the Brooklyn Nets.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
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LOS ANGELES – Kyrie Irving is glad to make a new start with the Dallas Mavericks after engineering a move away from the Brooklyn Nets.
In his first interview since Brooklyn dealt him to Dallas on Monday, he said on Tuesday that he was “very disrespected” at his former workplace.
“I just know I want to be places where I’m celebrated and not just tolerated or just kind of dealt with in a way that doesn’t make me feel respected,” Irving said in Los Angeles ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Clippers.
“There were times throughout this process when I was in Brooklyn where I felt very disrespected and my talent – I work extremely hard at what I do.
“No one ever talks about my work ethic, though.
“Everyone talks about what I’m doing off the floor, so I just wanted to change that narrative, write my own story and just continue preparing in the gym and, now that I’m in Dallas, just focus on what I control.”
Asked to elaborate on how the Nets disrespected him, Irving replied he saw insufficient “transparency and honesty from people in the front office”.
Last week, Irving demanded a trade away from Brooklyn, and the Nets obliged, dealing him and Markieff Morris to the Mavericks in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round draft pick and two second-round picks.
His four seasons in Brooklyn have included controversy.
He missed dozens of games last season due to his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
This season, he was suspended for eight games after a social media post referencing a film that contained anti-Semitic themes
Irving is now looking forward to teaming with Mavericks star Luka Doncic, though both of them are ball-dominant guards.
“There’s no pressure here. Nothing’s forced with me and him,” he said.
“I just want to play basketball and enjoy his talent and enjoy my teammates’ talent and work towards a championship.”
In the National Basketball Association games on Tuesday, Nikola Jokic had 20 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds for his 19th triple-double of the season as hosts Denver scored a season high in points against Minnesota in the 146-112 win.
In Brooklyn, Deandre Ayton tied a career high with 35 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as Phoenix held on to win 116-112, despite a record-breaking night by the Nets’ Cam Thomas.
Thomas scored 43 points after pouring in 47 and 44 in his previous two games.
The budding superstar became the first player in franchise history with three straight 40-point games.
At 21 years, 117 days, Thomas also became the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 40 points in three straight games.
REUTERS, AFP
