Kyrie Irving has a checkered reputation around the NBA as a man, but as a player, he has almost as sterling a reputation as anyone.
For years, he has put up big scoring numbers while shooting a high percentage from the field, and he is one of the league’s deadliest players come crunch time.
But his greatest skill may be his ball-handling, and Hall of Famer Allen Iverson said on “The Big Podcast with Shaq” what many have felt for some time — Irving is the greatest ball-handler ever, per NBACentral.
Allen Iverson says Kyrie Irving is the greatest ball handler EVER
(🎥 @bigpodwithshaq / https://t.co/fvZKTONJGT) pic.twitter.com/kCoEqzbVhC
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 21, 2024
Irving’s ability to split double teams and traps on the perimeter with ease makes him a slippery player to try to defend.
Once he gets past thickets of defenders like that, his facilitating and passing ability makes him even more dangerous.
Irving is averaging 25.5 points and 5.5 assists a game while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from 3-point range this season, and he has helped the Dallas Mavericks look like a playoff team.
He has also made life for Luka Doncic, who is putting up career-highs in scoring, assists, and 3-point accuracy, a lot easier.
Irving has been regarded as a flaky character, especially at his last two stops with the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets, but in one calendar year with Dallas, he has appeared to be on his best behavior.
Dallas needs some more help in order to become a championship contender, but at the very least, Irving has given them an added dimension they haven’t really had in years alongside either Doncic or Dirk Nowitzki.
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Pacers Veteran Opens Up About Trade Rumors
