Lots of players looked up to Kobe Bryant, but Kyrie Irving idolized him and developed a close relationship with the late NBA legend. With the Dallas Mavericks in town to play the Los Angeles Lakers in a game where everyone was talking about Luka Doncic,

It was the first time he visited the Kobe and Gigi Bryant statues outside Crypto Arena. Irving made the visit during pregame. "It meant everything to me. I needed that before game," Irving said. "I don't know if anybody has dealt with that avoiding feeling,

Dallas Mavericks fans held their breath on Monday night (March 3) as Kyrie Irving went down with a painful-looking leg injury against the Sacramento Kings. But in a moment that had shades of his mentor,

Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in the first quarter of the Sacramento Kings–Dallas Mavericks game.

Kyrie Irving reflects on his emotional visit to the Kobe and Gianna Bryant statue, highlighting his connection to their legacy and the impact on his basketball journey.

Irving did his best to carry the Mavericks since the franchise traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers roughly a month ago. The soon-to-be 33-year-old scored 25+ points in seven of his 11 appearances in the aftermath of the deal, including 42 points in a 111-107 victory against the Golden State Warriors on February 12.

Not long after the Mavericks officially confirmed on Tuesday that Kyrie Irving has been diagnosed with a season-ending ACL tear, the star guard took to Instagram Live to discuss his injury and to thank fans for their messages of support,