Kyrie Irving went 19 months without talking to reporters. When he finally did on Friday, Sept. 24, he said the torn ACL that kept him out of the NBA all that time was “probably the best thing that happened to me.”
He said he is done rehabbing. The Dallas Mavericks guard told reporters at the team’s media day that he has no physical restrictions in his left knee, which he injured March 3, 2025.
“I’m ready to go out there and kick some butt,” Irving said. “I know that naysayers or some of the questions around where I’m going to be are going to be inevitable. But for me, I have the confidence of a champion.”
All that time away also gave him a lot of time to think. Irving, 34, said he spent it considering “where I want to be as a player and most importantly where do I want to be as a man.
“How can people look to me to be a better leader, a better communicator, be more emotional, more vulnerable,” Irving said.
Kyrie Irving’s comeback by the numbers
■ 19: Months he’s been sidelined. A typical ACL recovery takes nine to 12 months.
■ 34: His age and he knows that isn’t on his side. “Being 34 years old, I’m going on Year 16,” he said. “Been through a lot, been through a lot of ups and downs as a person.”
■ 9: All-Star selections
■ 1: Championship, won with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016
■ 0: Reasons to doubt his effort, according to Irving. “You never have to worry about me falling short of (putting) my best foot forward out there.”
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NBA champions through the years
2026: New York Knicks (beat San Antonio Spurs in five games)
(Dustin Safranek, Imagn Images)
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NBA champions through the years
2026: New York Knicks (beat San Antonio Spurs in five games)
(Dustin Safranek, Imagn Images)
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NBA champions through the years
2025: Oklahoma City Thunder (beat Indiana Pacers in seven games)
(Kyle Terada, Imagn Images)
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NBA champions through the years
2024: Boston Celtics (beat Dallas Mavericks in five games)
(Peter Casey, USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA champions through the years
2023: Denver Nuggets (beat Miami Heat in five games)
(Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA champions through the years
2022: Golden State Warriors (beat Boston Celtics in six games)
(Adam Glanzman, Getty Images)
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NBA champions through the years
2021: Milwaukee Bucks (beat Phoenix Suns in six games)
(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA champions through the years
2020: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Miami Heat in six games)
(Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA champions through the years
2019: Toronto Raptors (beat Golden State Warriors in six games)
(Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA champions through the years
2018: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in four games)
(David Richard, USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA champions through the years
2017: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in five games)
(Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA champions through the years
2016: Cleveland Cavaliers (beat Golden State Warriors in seven games)
(Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA champions through the years
2015: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in six games)
(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA champions through the years
2014: San Antonio Spurs (beat Miami Heat in five games)
(Brendan Maloney, USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA champions through the years
2013: Miami Heat (beat San Antonio Spurs in seven games)
(Brendan Maloney=, USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA champions through the years
2012: Miami Heat (beat Oklahoma City Thunder in five games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
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NBA champions through the years
2008: Boston Celtics (beat Los Angeles Lakers in six games)
(GABRIEL BOUYS, AFP via Getty Images)
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NBA champions through the years
2005: San Antonio Spurs (beat Detroit Pistons in seven games)
(ROBERT SULLIVAN, AFP via Getty Images)
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NBA champions through the years
2004: Detroit Pistons (beat Los Angeles Lakers in five games)
(Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images)
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NBA champions through the years
2003: San Antonio Spurs (beat New Jersey Nets in six games)
(JAMES NIELSEN, AFP via Getty Images)
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NBA champions through the years
2002: Los Angeles Lakers (beat New Jersey Nets in four games)
(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY)
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NBA champions through the years
2001: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Philadelphia 76ers in five games)
(STAN HONDA, AFP via Getty Images)
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NBA champions through the years
1999: San Antonio Spurs (beat New York Knicks five games)
(TIMOTHY A. CLARY, AFP via Getty Images)
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NBA champions through the years
1997: Chicago Bulls (beat Utah Jazz in six games)
(JEFF HAYNES, AFP via Getty Images)
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NBA champions through the years
1996: Chicago Bulls (beat Seattle SuperSonics in six games)
(PAUL BUCK, AFP via Getty Images)
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NBA champions through the years
1995: Houston Rockets (beat Orlando Magic in four games)
(PAUL BUCK, AFP via Getty Images)
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NBA champions through the years
1994: Houston Rockets (beat New York Knicks in seven games)
(BOB STRONG, AFP via Getty Images)
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NBA champions through the years
1993: Chicago Bulls (beat Phoenix Suns in six games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
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NBA champions through the years
1992: Chicago Bulls (beat Portland Trail Blazers in six games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
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NBA champions through the years
1991: Chicago Bulls beat Los Angeles Lakers in five games.
(Ken Levine, Getty Images)
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NBA champions through the years
1990: Detroit Pistons (beat Portland Trail Blazers in five games)
(William Archie, Detroit Free Press)
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NBA champions through the years
1989: Detroit Pistons (beat Los Angeles Lakers in four games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
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NBA champions through the years
1988: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Detroit Pistons in seven games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
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NBA champions through the years
1987: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Boston Celtics in six games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
MAVERICKS SEASON PREVIEW: Lineup, roster, prediction, biggest question
When does Kyrie Irving play next?
The Mavericks open the preseason with two games against the Houston Rockets in Macao, China on Oct. 9 and 11. The regular season starts Oct. 21 in Houston. The home opener is Oct. 24 against the San Antonio Spurs.
Irving expects it all to come back quickly. He’s looking forward to lacing up his shoes, getting on the court with his teammates and, as he put it, showing “everybody what I got again.
“It’s just like riding a bike.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kyrie Irving healthy and ready to ‘kick some butt’ for Mavericks
