“I mean, it’s not a one-on-one battle between me and Steph, man, as much as fans make it,” said Kyrie Irving earlier this year. For the period between 2014 and 2018, he and Stephen Curry were two soldiers in the war between two of the then-most prominent NBA teams: the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. Four times, the duo faced each other during an NBA Finals, and NBA enthusiasts hyped up the team rivalries four times. However, a lot has changed since then. Kyrie Irving has even moved to a point where he won’t recreate a moment that remains a dark shadow in the minds of Warriors fans.

Renowned social media personality Kai Cenat, and his group, recently hosted a Thanksgiving livestream. Their special guest of honor is Kyrie Irving. Given Cenat’s liking for the ball game, what better place to spend time with the Mavericks star than a basketball court? Amongst discussions between best teams and historical moments, Tylil requested Irving to recreate the iconic shot he made during Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. Others joined in and urged the player to do it too. However, Irving took a brief pause and then said “Sorry fellas. That was the past. Time to create some new memories, man.”

After giving a couple of Halpert-type stares, Irving allowed someone else to do the shot. However, he stayed determined in not doing it himself.

The shot Kyrie Irving was asked to recreate might be the one Warriors fans would most like to forget. After all, you can imagine it yourself. The date is June 19, 2016. The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors compete not just in any Finals game, but Game 7! The scores tied 89-89, and 1:05 minutes remain in the game. Kyrie Irving has the ball, and Stephen Curry takes over from Klay Thompson to defend him. A bit of dance with the ball, a swift moment to the right. The player concluded the movement with a leap to make a far-away shot that sent the ball through the hoop!

The three-pointer, and then a free throw that LeBron James made, secured the championship title for the Cavaliers. Kyrie Irving’s shot, and the fact that he made it despite being defended by Stephen Curry, elevated him. Despite this, years later, Irving wants to let the past be the past.

Kyrie Irving’s refusal may have disappointed Kai Cenat, Tylil, and other people in the group. However, for Warriors fans, this was a moment that was worthy enough for them to send out respect.

How did NBA fans react to Kyrie Irving refusing to recreate 2016 NBA Finals Game 7 shot?

One social media user sent out his praise to Kyrie Irving by writing “Kyrie’s all about the future—respect!”

Leaving the past behind and focusing on the future has been an important trait of Kyrie Irving. Or, that is what he likes to at least preach. Irving didn’t stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers for long and left the team only a year after winning the championship. According to reports, the shooting guard/point guard felt overshadowed by LeBron James. He wanted to be part of a team where he could be valued more. Despite this, he remained on good terms with LeBron as he looked to put the future in the frame.

When discussing his move from the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks, Irving stated “For me, it wasn’t time to think about the ‘what ifs.’ It was time for me to put my best foot forward. That’s what I did. It’s hard to think of the ‘what ifs,’ the allure, the thoughts of it.”

One individual took a shot at predicting the future. He did so by writing “The edits bouta be crazy with that quote.” Unforeseen moments by NBA players, both former and current, have created some memorable moments on social media. From the face that Shaquille O’Neal made while eating Hot Wings to Michael Jordan’s crying meme, one can find memes of such moments everywhere. Similarly, if there is something that holds the potential to become a meme or part of a viral edit, it is the “Time to create some new memories, man” line.

One social media user wrote, “I gain more respect from kyrie everytime i see him bro. such a humble and chill dude”. The fact that this comment was made by a person with a Stephen Curry profile picture shows that Irving’s action may have won over quite a few Warriors fans.

Since Irving’s Cavaliers exit, the rivalry between him and Stephen Curry may not be on the same competitive level. The now Mavericks player himself hasn’t shied away from praising the All-Time Three-Point Leader from time to time. He even went ahead at one point and said, “The guy has completely revolutionized the game. Coming into the league as a young man in 2011 and only seeing glimpses of what he was capable of because he wasn’t as healthy those early [years]. So we only got to see glimpses. But when he caught fire, everyone was on notice.”

For one social media user, Irving’s quote was a sign that Stephen Curry can gain respect from anyone and everyone. This compelled him to write “Too much respect for the goat curry”, accompanied by a handshake emoji. 15 years in the league, 4 NBA championships, All-Time Three-Point Leader, and numerous other records to his name. If Stephen Curry cannot earn the respect of his fellow peers, then who can?

One fan attempted to downplay Irving’s response by writing “Bro knew it was a fluke shot”. In response, another social media user wrote “Averaged 27 th series….ofc it was”, accompanied by a smiling face emoji. Defend one guy, others will come out to defend you.

Overall, the majority of reactions were positive towards Kyrie Irving’s choice to not recreate his shot. Perhaps fans might see the shot again if Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving compete in the NBA Finals again. However, both players are now part of the same Conference. Therefore, the best that can happen is a Western Conference Finals series. With the Dallas Mavericks holding a 11-8 win record, and the Golden State Warriors at 12-6, a bit more push from both teams may make the scenario a reality.