31 Inspiring Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving, considered to be one of the best players in National Basketball Association, is currently playing for the Brooklyn Nets. He is world renowned for his trademark baseline dribble, and ball handling skills. Here are a few facts about the unguardable guard:

1. The winner of 2014, USA Basketball Male-Athlete of the Year, Irving has to his credit six-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA Team honors apart winning the 2016 Summer Olympics Gold Medal.
2. An excellent free-throw shooter, he has converted 87.3 percent of his attempts with Cavaliers including a career-high 41.5 percent in 2014-15 season.
3. Apart from basketball, Irving has taken the opportunity to express himself with his footwear over the year. He was given his own Nike signature shoe, the Kyrie 1, in December 2014. He has worn different versions of it including clover-covered toecap, as well as special-edition ‘mom’ shoes.
4. He holds dual citizenship as he was born Kyrie Andrew Irving on March 23, 1992, in Melbourne, Australia, to an American expatriate’s. His father Drederick Irving was a professional basketball player with Bulleen Boomers, Victoria, Australia.
5. As the second of three children he lost his mother at the age of four and was raised by his father and his aunts. He has an older sister, Asia, and a half younger sister, London Irving.
6. After spending his early childhood in Kew, Melbourne, he was relocated to United States and grew up in West Orange, New Jersey, where he attended Montclair Kimberley Academy and later moved to St. Patrick High School Academy, to complete his schooling.
7. In his very first season he averaged 17 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals per game and led his team to its third New Jersey Tournament Championships title and in August that year he led the USA East to the ‘Nike Global Challenge.’ He was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
8. In June 2010, he was selected to the gold medal winning, United States team for the ‘FIBA America Under-18 Championship.’ He was also selected to the 2010 McDonald’s All-American Game and 2010 Jordon Brand Classic, where he was the co-MVP.
9. His college career was short lived as he suffered a severe ligament injury in his right big toe. He was sidelined indefinitely, but returned to action during the first round of NCAA Tournament.
10. He was a high school basketball star in New Jersey before being selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers as number one pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and went on to win the 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend Rising Star Challenge by scoring 34 points for team Chuck to earn the Most Valuable Player award.
11. In the 2012 season he averaged 18.5 points with 5.4 assists. He was named ‘2012 NBA Rookie of the Year Award’ and made it to NBA All-Rookie First Team as the only unanimous choice.
12. In 2012, he opted not to represent Australia in the Summer Olympic in London instead focusing on making 2016 US Olympic team. He was eligible to represent Australia by virtue of birth.
13. On July 14, 2012, Irving sustained a broken right hand after slapping it against a padded wall after committing a turnover. He again injured his index finger in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks, and was forced to miss three weeks of action.
14. In the sophomore year season he averaged 22.5 points with 5.9 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals. In the season he recorded his then career high 41 points against New York Knicks, to become the youngest player to score 40 points at Madison Square Garden, with 41 points against New York Knicks.
15. He made his debut in the 2013 All-Star game as first time selection for the Eastern Conference reserves. He also participated in the Rising Stars Challengers and contributed 32 points in the losing cause for the Team Shaq and won the NBA Three-Point Shootout.
16. He was voted as the starting point guard in the 2014 NBA All-Star game, where he scored 31 points for Eastern Conference’s win with 14 assists to be voted as Most Valuable Player.
17. Irving was part of 2014 United States FIBA Basketball World Cup team, which won the gold medal. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
18. On July 10, 2014, Irving signed a contract extension with Cavaliers for five years and worth $ 90 million. In the season he recorded his career and franchise-high score of 57 points in the game against San Antonio Spurs on March 12, 2015.
19. On June 05, 2015, in a MRI scan it was revealed Irving has suffered a fractured kneecap and will be out of action for the reminder of NBA Finals. In the first game of NBA Final with a just two minutes left he fell grabbing his left knee. He had missed two games of Eastern Conference Finals due to injury.
20. On June 13, 2016, during game five of NBA Finals trailing 3-1, both James LeBron and Irving scored 41 points to propel Cavaliers to 112-97 win against Warriors. They became the first teammates to score 40 points in an NBA Finals.
21. On June 19, 2016, Irving made a go-ahead 3-pointer field foal over the NBA’s first unanimous regular season MVP Stephen Curry to take lead with just 53 seconds remaining. The Cavaliers went on to win 93-89 for major championship victory in 52 years.
22. On May 23, 2017, Irving scored career playoff high 42 points to take Cavaliers to 3-1 lead in the series. He scored 19 in less than five minutes and 33 in a 19 minutes stretch with James in foul trouble he was forced to do more work.
23. In July 2017 he requested the Cavaliers to trade him stating that he wants to play in situation where he can be more of a focal point and that he no longer wants to play alongside LeBron James. On August 22, 2017, he was traded to the Boston Celtic.
24. On July 7, 2019, he signed up with the Brooklyn Nets and made his debut with 50 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists in an over-time loss to Minnesota Timberwolves, to become the first player in NBA history to score 50 points on debut.
25. On November 23, 2015, he had a daughter out of his relationship with his ex-partner. He named her Azurie Elizabeth Irving, in honor of his mother.
26. Irving had his own theory about Earth when in February 2017, when he said that he believed the Earth is flat. He also believes that John F. Kennedy was killed by the Federal Reserve and that the C.I.A tried to kill Bob Marley.
27. In 2012, he took on the role of ‘Uncle Drew’ in a series of Pepsi Max advertisement. He later wrote and directed episode 2, 3 and 4 of Uncle Drew series. He also appeared on an episode of the Disney XD series Kickin’It.
28. Irving enjoys reading and keeping a journal. He also likes to sing and dance and play the baritone sax.
29. Irving purchased 5,508 square foot house for $ 800,000 at Westlake, Ohio which belonged to Keyshia Cole and Daniel Gibson. The property was built in 2007, with five bedrooms and four bathrooms and three car garage. It also has home theatre, game room and a trophy room.
30. In November 2016, he tweeted in support for Standing Rock Sioux Protesters, against the Dakota Access pipeline in North Dakota. In August 2018, Irving and his older sister were honored with a ‘welcome home’ ceremony. His mother was half Sioux.
31. Kyrie Irving Net Worth: $70 Million