Seven years! Seven long years it took Kyrie Irving to relive the moment, the feeling from the NBA Finals. It didn’t go according to plan after the unplanned trip to the grandest stage of the NBA, but from now on, the plan is to continue that. Kyrie Irving probably deserved his fair bit of happiness after the abhorrent phase during his Celtics and Nets spell. With the Mavs, he’s getting it and is again being the free-willed Irving that fans love to see. Example? His recent China and Bangkok tours were prime examples. Irving was seen walking among the fans in a Kobe jersey. He even hopped on his car and signed shoes and jerseys while being swarmed by hundreds of fans all with little concern for his safety.

That wasn’t the case when Irving was embroiled in the anti-Semitic controversy. In the fallout, he feared for his and his family’s well-being. But in Dallas, he’s finally free, fearless. The 32-year-old highlighted this facet of his troubled past in an interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic. “It led to death threats, and it led to me having more security, and it led to me having to deal with associating with my family in public places because we were unsure of what the response was going to be,” Irving told Amick while discussing the vitriol following his controversial actions in 2022.

“It’s just that I felt unfairly treated. And again, I take my accountability, but I’ve been able to learn from it,” Irving said, highlighting the malice intended by typing away at home without repercussions. Not only him but even those who remotely tried to defend Irving were abused. For instance, Jay Williams received death threats for his part in siding with Irving. The ESPN analyst believed the public backlash against Irving was over the top and unjustified.

The polarization of such topics has become severe enough to lead to a life-risking degree, and Irving prioritized his and his family’s safety. Thanks to his inspirational run to the Finals last season, the noise surrounding him has died down a bit. But even in Dallas, trouble followed him.

Kyrie Irving and his major scare in Dallas grabbed headlines

For anyone from outside the US, with little to no experience or idea about Texas, the state paints a picture of the Wild West. Sure, wild stuff happens all the time here and security has been a concern, but accidents happen. Something of that sort happened to Kyrie Irving’s son Kaire last season. While sitting courtside during a game vs. the Wizards, a calamity took place.

One of the Wizards players tumbled over Kaire while chasing a ball to keep it in bounds. Luka Doncic was close by to check on the little one before daddy Irving ran to the scene. The good thing was that Kaire escaped the ordeal unscathed. But after consulting with Jason Kidd, Irving barred his son from being on courtside for his safety.

In Uncle Drew’s words, his family is extremely happy in Dallas since his move which has contributed to his form on the court. While there have been no reports of any unsavory issues regarding his family, having proper security measures around them gives the All-Star peace of mind. The Mavs nation will want that and so would Irving who’s on a mission to bring the glory back to Dallas.