When the Mavs made their move before the 2023 trade deadline for Kyrie, it was completely unexpected. The 8x NBA All-Star was already a controversial figure because of his previous stint with the Celtics. Even in Brooklyn, his past was not leaving him, as he kept having an episode with the media. Mark Cuban then made this major move to support his young squad. He roped in Kyrie and Markieff Morris for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a first-round pick, and two second-round picks. However, considering the chaos in the community around Kai’s scarred name, wasn’t it difficult for Cuban to risk it all just for some guidance?

Well, Kyrie is a great player, no doubt. However, another person had a role in determining Cuban’s decision for the Kyrie trade. “Nico known him a long time, and Nico was like he’s a good dude man, and I would talk to people around him and every single human being that I talked to that played with him, was in the same organization all said he’s great dude just misunderstood,” Cuban explained the current Mavs GM Nico Harrison’s role on the Roommates Show.

Especially after the Nike controversy when Kyrie posted a link to a documentary with anti-semitic views, it was a little risky to pick him up. “If you just respect who he is, and he’ll respect you back, and I was like, that’s easy to do. Nico was like this is worth taking. We did not even see it as a risk, “ Cuban eliminated any lingering negative feelings about the point guard. However, he did make sure to do some of his own research about Kyrie Irving initially before fully accepting him.

“As you get to talk to Kyrie and Shetellia, his stepmom, and agent, you know you get to learn that he’s a different guy, but he’s got the biggest heart ever, and if you respect that, respect his views, even if you disagree with him, then he’s going to be able to focus on basketball and I think that just worked well and turned out well,” the Mavs Co-owner said, diving deep into Kyrie’s mentality.

Still, only Mark Cuban got his trust back in the NBA Hall of Famer with his extensive research. However, it was not enough for Kyrie and Luka to gel together immediately. So how did they go from strangers to being “connected for the rest of their lives,” as God Shammgod once quoted?

How did Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic begin hanging out, despite the Mavs’ initial disaster?

Luka Doncic was a lost cause around the time Kyrie Irving entered the Mavericks locker room. First, it was a left ankle sprain in January 2023, then a right heel injury, after which followed Doncic’s right thigh strain in March. It was a combo that destroyed his pairing with the NBA Champion, which everyone initially thought would work. Also, Dallas couldn’t even make it past the Play-in tournament in the West. However, Luka knew that his pairing with Kai was a masterstroke, and both of them had to “make it work.”

Therefore, after the offseason, when the Mavs departed for Abu Dhabi and Madrid for a preseason tour, the bonding began. Initially, it was just a meet and greet during the matches. However, when the team got to Spain in a slower-paced life, attending the late-night gatherings, Irving and Doncic worked out well, becoming pals. As per the Mavs veteran Morris, “They were enjoying each other’s company.”

That’s where the magic happened, and the two of them came close. Later in the camp, Jason Kidd and Kyrie Irving achieved their goal, as they inspired the team with the latter’s practice routines. It not only instilled a sense of responsibility but also uplifted the spirits of Luka Doncic, the talisman. Indeed, Kyrie Irving’s addition might be the best thing that happened to Doncic!

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger