SALT LAKE CITY — Kyrie Irving won All-Star media day … at least in terms of the biggest draw.
Wearing a black hoodie and black sunglasses, the Dallas Mavericks’ new trade superstar fielded questions from more than 100 reporters, camera operators and media personalities on Saturday afternoon after the Western Conference All-Stars participated in a mock practice at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Center arena.
That beat the scrum around Eastern Conference captain Giannis Antetokounmpo.
And former Nets teammate turned Phoenix Suns blockbuster trade arrival Kevin Durant.
And two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic.
And even new Mavericks partner Luka Doncic, who always commands the most Spanish-language and international attention.
Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison stood to the side of Irving’s podium set-up during the interview session and at one point looked at this reporter, widened his eyes and mouthed: “So many people.”
Such is the norm for one of the NBA’s most intriguing, talented, controversial and polarizing superstars.
Below are some of the highlights from Irving’s final interview before the All-Star Game on Sunday — from his thoughts about playing with Doncic and the Mavericks to abruptly requesting a trade out of Brooklyn to what career he might’ve pursued if not for professional basketball.
Irving’s answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
— Q: You’ve played with several All-Stars at different stops in your career. Is it hard to mix stars on a team? It seems like you and Luka are still trying to learn how to play with each other.
— Irving: It’s a fresh trade, so it’s going to be a figuring-out process. I wouldn’t call it trouble. I just — you know, we’ve dealt with some ups and downs throughout live games, and that’s our only way we can really grow.
I wish we could have training camp together where you guys don’t see some of our mistakes, but we’re living it out in front of you guys. So for me I just have to prepare to be an incredible teammate, of course, but also be selfless enough to change my approach game to game. I have to be flexible and adaptable.
— Q: Do you have any regrets that you leave back in Brooklyn?
— Irving: No regrets. I had a plan in place where I wanted to stay in Brooklyn long term, be a Net. It was a dream come true for me. Obviously, I wish things could have worked out for the best of all of us in terms of winning a championship and etching our names into the history of the NBA. Those are big aspirations.
It sounds easier said than done. But I had an incredible four years. I’m grateful to all the people I met throughout the whole entire organization.
But I have no regrets. Went through a lot of personal battles myself, had a unique journey. Now I get to speak on it truthfully and know that I’ve grown as a person, grown as a player. Now I can move forward and reflect on the rearview when it’s time, but move forward with Dallas and the teammates I have now. So I’m grateful.
— Q: With the All-Star team draft happening about an hour before tipoff Sunday and operating like a pick-up game, have you ever played pick-up and not been picked first? What are your memories of playing in situations like that growing up?
— Irving: Yeah, was I ever not picked first? Of course, of course. There was a time where I definitely wasn’t sure who I was going to be as a player. I think what clicked for me was just the inner confidence, the inner knowing that my work will carry me forward.
All the pickup games that I played in New Jersey made me who I am today. I played against all generations, all walks of life. Not just in New Jersey, but I spent a large part of my time playing in New Jersey. That really gave me that chip on my shoulder that I have now, that ability to play with anybody and everybody, and then also compete at a very high level with kind of the crowd being on your side or against you. I’m used to that East Coast ruggedness, playing outside and just going after it.
Hoop is most important. We just get our respect that way on the East Coast, and we take pride in that. So I’m grateful I got to be a part of that.
— Q: Load management has been such a prominent topic of debate this NBA season — how do you feel about the potential need to cut back on the number of games in a season or that players can sit out for rest.
— Irving: I don’t know who created the term “load management” or guys sitting out games or this narrative that continues to play on about star players or guys not being available. I don’t know who started the narrative, but it’s completely run amok.
I think it’s dehumanized some of us in terms of just the way we prepare ourselves day-to-day. This is a 24/7 job. We have cameras on us all the time. It’s a high-level, combative sport. It’s very aggressive.
Nobody knows how anyone else’s body heals. The only person that knows is the person that is hurt or injured. We try our best to tell you guys what is going on, but you have doctors online telling everybody that he needs to be back in two weeks. You’ve got this person over here saying that he is not really hurt. He doesn’t want to play.
So I think the narratives have run amok. But us as players, we really take pride in preparing ourselves at a very high level and performing not only for our families, but for the fans that support us. We’re nothing without our fans.
I just think the narrative needs to change in terms of load management. Eighty-two games is a long season. I’m not saying we can’t do it. We’re in 2023. We have all the technology necessary. We have to use it wisely, and we have to be very communicative about what the plan is for everybody individually.
Everybody’s body is different. So you may see somebody heal in two weeks, but it may take someone else a month and a half to heal. It’s just different. That’s all. Appreciate the question.
— Q: If you could have any other career, what would it be?
— Irving: If I could have any other career? Shoot, I would probably be one of those people that does hotel reviews, travels around the world and does a whole bunch of reviews on what I think about the five-star treatment that I got or the four-star treatment.
I’m obviously joking, but that would be a great career. Just to record YouTube videos all day and just say how I feel about the experience. You know, I have so many interests outside the game, but I think that is probably a story for another day.
— Q: What have been your early impressions of playing with Luka Doncic?
— Irving: I can say this about Luka — he scored the ball extremely well. He gets everybody involved very easily, and he plays at his own pace, as we’ve said it over the last few years. But his IQ is something that I’m really looking forward to learning more about, and just picking his brain. He’s 23 years old. He’s seen a lot, but he still has more room to grow and more room to improve. He’s as great as he is now, but just imagine what he’s going to look like in three years, playing with some high-level guys.
— Q: How legitimate are the Mavericks’ championship hopes this season?
— Irving: I feel very strongly about our ambitions to winning a championship. I can sit up and say we’re going to win one and put it out there, but we have all these great players in the way, and that’s the beauty of this game, that’s the beauty of this sport, that’s the beauty of this profession. I’m grateful that I’m in the Western Conference now because they say this is the best conference, loaded with guys, loaded with talent. I want to walk up that mountain. I want to climb up that mountain, and this is what I want for my career because winning at the West at this point, with all these great young guys that are coming in — of course the Eastern Conference is competitive. I would love to stay there, too. But being in the Western Conference is a challenge I needed.
— Q: As an offensive superstar, how you try to break down a defense?
— Irving: The first thing I’m looking at when I’m going against a defensive opponent is just their feet placement, body positioning, hands — where they’re playing their hands on my body — and then also their momentum, their strength. How are they pushing me on my hops or on my shoulders or on my feet? Are they getting me off my spot? Have I gotten to my spot I want to be at? So all these questions go down in a mental breakdown when someone’s in front of me, and then I make a quick decision. So it’s a 0.2, 0.1 decision, go left, go right, shoot or dribble. Really simple.
