Despite Admitting His Fault, Kyrie Irving “Doesn’t Get Credit” for This Overlooked Quality

There’s a lot said about Kyrie Irving. And in his big return to the NBA Finals, he’s trolled and criticized. Only a few speak about the side his teammates see. While even Dallas fans have turned on him for consecutive low-scoring games, his coach has not. Darrell Armstrong‘s NBA career included playing with some impressive teammates like Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. That led him to coach the Dallas Mavericks as an assistant, a team he once played for. So, he’s seen the roster go through decades of changes and Kyrie Irving stands out to him for one reason.

Recently, Armstrong had a lot to say about having Irving on the team. “Kyrie has done a hell of a job you know? You hear so much things on the outside and it’s like he’s been totally different. He’s been a guy who comes in and one thing he doesn’t get credit for is like being a great teammate… he is a hell of a teammate,” said Armstrong, via the Knuckleheads Podcast.

During his playing career, Armstrong played for the Mavs from 2004 to 2006. After retiring in 2009, he returned to Dallas as an assistant coach. The 1999 6MOTY had a championship on his resume when Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavs to the 2011 title. Since then, the team has now been in the finals.

The Mavs are down 2-0 and Irving has only gone 12 and 16 points in the first two games. That’s after he demonstrated veteran leadership in the playoffs. But his slump since winning the 2016 title before landing in Dallas overshadows his quality as a team player. Boston has made a sport out of mocking Irving, amplifying the boos and ‘Kyrie Sucks’ chants during the first two games in TD Garden. Although he has shown remorse for disrespecting the Celtics nation, the city has not forgiven him.

Irving has risen above the hate, ignored the noise, and proved Armstrong right, that he is a better teammate despite what others believe about him.

Kyrie Irving proves his coach right

Like his teammates, Armstrong has seen Irving outside the regulation games, press conferences, and public events. “If you be around him every day and in practice, you’ be like, ‘man, what in the hell is these folks talking about?’ But everybody doesn’t have a good personality, everybody don’t know how to talk to people. So, you know everybody don’t know how to handle a professional athlete.”

Kyrie’s less-than-underwhelming form in this series, right when everyone was talking about him making the best backcourt duo with Luka Doncic. He’s taken full accountability for the past two losses and displayed what Armstrong is talking about. He was seen approaching Doncic after the Game 2 loss to share his feelings about it. “Just letting him know it is my fault,” Irving later revealed.

Irving has admitted he was not perfect in the past. But very rarely can anyone who played with him call him a bad teammate.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.