Dallas star Kyrie Irving drew a lot of heat when he sought a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017. Fans weren’t impressed with his decision to leave his former teammate LeBron James behind just after they won a championship together. As the former Duke star is once again headed for the finals after 6 years, NBA legend Udonis Haslem shared what might have finally inspired Irving.

Haslem believes that the superstar wasn’t appreciated enough during the six long years before he joined the Mavs. Udonis also expressed doubt that Irving’s last best time was with the Cavaliers. Moreover, he added that the 8-time NBA All-Star wasn’t surrounded by like-minded people after he left James. He further claimed that right now, the champ is in his best space, the Mavericks. It is where he is needed and appreciated.

“You have a guy in a situation in the locker room where he just doesn’t fit, and he’s painted as a villain. But all of a sudden, you take them out and you put them in a locker room with like-minded guys, and pay for places where he’s wanting, where he’s appreciated, and where he’s valued. And then you watch the maturation, and the evolution, and the growth of that player,” Haslem said in his podcast, The OG’s Show.

Speaking of all the skills Kyrie has always had, Haslem said, “He (Kyrie) just didn’t feel comfortable bringing them out for whatever reason. He wasn’t comfortable in those spaces. He’s comfortable now; he’s one, he’s appreciated. So I think Kyrie, for once, he’s happy now, and I don’t know if he’s had his happiness since he played with Bron and Cleveland.”

Is Haslem correct about his claims? Well, if the NBA All-Star Game MVP’s performance is taken into consideration, Haslem isn’t wrong about his narrative. While Irving may have left James’s side for his own reasons, his partnership with the Lakers was truly phenomenal.

LeBron James is proud of his former teammate, Kyrie Irving

While repeatedly clarifying that there was no resentment between him and King James, Irving stated that he simply wasn’t satisfied with what the Cleveland Cavaliers had in the future for him. So, after the 2016–17 NBA season, he expressed a desire to find a new space where he could build his own legacy; and it’s safe to say he succeeded. Excited to watch his former teammate’s success, the 4-time NBA champion, James, opened up during an appearance on his ‘Mind the Game’ podcast.

He admitted to feeling both proud and frustrated with Irving. “I’m so f—ing happy and so proud to watch him continue his growth. I’m so f—ing mad at the same time that I’m not his running mate anymore,” James said on the podcast. LeBron James was 31 years old when he played alongside a 24-year-old Irving. Now, with the Dallas Mavericks, Irving has formed a similar and strong bond with Luka Doncic. At the moment, he is aiming for another NBA championship title, reminiscent of his time with James. However, whether he can recreate that magic remains yet to be seen.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, had to say about the marketing genius, watch this video.