The stage for the 2024 NBA Finals is set. Dallas vs. Boston. A clash of two star-studded duos in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving vs Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Out of these four, Kyrie Irving sticks out like a sore thumb considering he’s 32 years old. But his inclusion goes well beyond his role as the best “Robin” in the league right now. The 2024 Finals is a story about Irving’s redemption arc.
The 2011 number one overall pick has loads of playoff experience, including the notorious championship-winning shot against the Golden State Warriors back in 2016. But everything following that championship run has created a negative aura around Irving’s name that he’s one step closer to finally shaking.
Now, he’s brought back to face off against the team where his character was first called into question, the Boston Celtics. This championship is more than just another ring on Kyrie Irving’s resume, it’s almost like it’s Irving’s canon event.
Rough Breakup in Cleveland
Irving was one of the bright spots for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the absence of LeBron James. He was their first number one pick since James in 2003, and although he wasn’t able to lead them to the playoffs single-handedly, he took home the Rookie of the Year award in 2012 and had two all-star appearances in 2013 and 2014. He even took home the All-Star Game MVP in 2014.
Then LeBron James came home. And suddenly, all eyes were on Cleveland. Irving didn’t falter though, becoming an All-NBA player and aiding the Cavs to the second seed in the East. But unfortunately, his first taste of the NBA Finals would be cut short after a knee injury in Game 1 of the 2015 Finals.
But in 2016 he was back. He wasn’t an all-star like a year prior, but when the playoffs came, he rose to the occasion. Even down 3-1 in the 2016 Finals, Irving didn’t back down. 90 points in the last three games, and his shot over Stephen Curry to seal Cleveland’s first title in 52-years will forever be iconic. The Cavs were on top of the world…until July 4, 2016 when Kevin Durant signed with the Warriors.
They met the Warriors for a third time in 2017, and this time they fell in just five games. And a few months later, Irving requested a trade. Why? Because he no longer wanted to be in the shadow of LeBron James and wanted to be a star elsewhere. Ties severed, and he landed in Boston.
Batman in Beantown
Irving’s arrival in Boston came with a lot of excitement as he was not only joining a young, promising core of Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart, but also getting another all-star teammate in Gordon Hayward.
Hayward’s season would be cut short just five minutes into the first game. But under Irving’s leadership, the Celtics would still finish second in the East going into the playoffs. However, once again, Irving was out for the playoffs. But, Brown and Tatum passed their first test as potential stars with flying colors, coming just one game away from the NBA Finals.
That offseason, Irving cemented his role as the Batman of Beantown by telling fans in TD Garden that he was planning to re-sign with Boston the following offseason.
Irving came back out in the 2018-19 season and played some of his best basketball in his career. He notched his sole All-NBA Second Team appearance, but the season was a lot more shaky than usual for the Celtics.
They ended up as the fourth seed and only won 49 games, and by midseason, Irving had changed his tune from the previous offseason, saying he didn’t owe anybody anything and would make his free agency decision in July. Irving would then collapse in the second round against Milwaukee, shooting 36% from the field and 22% from three in a five-game loss.
He’d then sign with the Brooklyn Nets in July. Irving’s redemption arc had officially seen it’s starting point.
Burning Sage and Bridges
The first season in Brooklyn would get off to an exciting start with a 50-point game in his debut. Unfortunately, Irving’s season wouldn’t amount to much as he only played 27 games due to a shoulder injury.
But a reloaded Nets with a healthy Kevin Durant and newly acquired James Harden seemed primed to make some noise in the 2020-21 season. But Irving was also making noise in headlines for all of the wrong reasons.
Whether he was burning sage courtside in TD Garden, or making flat-earth theories, he wasn’t the most heralded star. Then he ran into the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2021 playoffs. And this time, he was a villain.
When he stepped into TD Garden for Games 3 and 4, chaos broke loose. A fan was arrested in Game 4 for throwing a drink at Irving as he left the court, but not before Irving stomped on the Celtics logo on midcourt.
The Nets would beat Boston in five games, but fall inches short of beating the Bucks in the second round in Game 7.
The following season would also find Irving meeting the Celtics in the playoffs, this time losing the series. But not before flipping off fans in Boston.
Then came the tumultuous 2022-23 season.
Video Links and Vaccines
Irving turned down a four-year extension with the Nets due to his decision to not get vaccinated against COVID-19. New York City had a vaccination mandate at the time for all employed workers of the city, therefore Irving only played 29 games for the Nets.
Irving was very vocal towards his feeling of the city’s vaccine mandate, citing it as “one of the biggest violations of human rights in history,” in a 2022 tweet.
Irving’s Brooklyn controversies wouldn’t end there, as days later he would share a link to a documentary which held Anti-Semitic hate speech. In the fallout from the documentary, Irving would be suspended for five games due to a cited failure to “unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs.”
With the negative press plus Irving’s refusal to sign a contract extension, as well as a formal trade request from Irving, the Nets sent him to Dallas at the trade deadline. His level of play wasn’t hindered whatsoever, but the Mavericks took a bit to adjust.
The Mavs were the fourth seed upon acquiring Irving. They would fall out of the play-in tournament entirely by the season’s end.
2024: Kyrie Irving’s Redemption Arc
Following the trade, Irving made public comments saying he felt disrespected by Brooklyn. He even went as far as saying it was the “best decision” of his career to request a trade.
But ever since his arrival in Dallas, Irving has seemingly taken a step towards maturity. He’s handling all of his past destinations with tact, putting his demons of the past at peace.
Most recently, he gave words of support towards both LeBron James as his first star teammate. He also credited his opposition in the 2024 Finals, the Boston Celtics. All signs are pointing to this being Irving’s redemption arc.
In interviews leading up to Thursday’s tip-off to the Finals, Irving acknowledged how he’s better at consolidating his emotions and expects healthy competition from the TD Garden crowd, but is more willing than ever to take it on with class.
The 2024 NBA Finals begins Thursday, June 6 at 8:30 pm on ABC.
***
Want to partner with Fantom? Contact us here.
Check out our podcasts!
Check out Fantom Sports on Facebook!