All the times Kyrie Irving proved he really does have an ego
By Dave Daniels
Kyrie Irving has a massive ego despite what you might have heard from him lately.
Boston Celtics PG Kyrie Irving recently appeared on ESPN’s First Take and claimed that he is a player without ego. He was quite cautious during his appearance and did his best to stay out of the headlines. Why he appeared on the show in the first place is a mystery if that was his agenda, but that is a question for another day.
The ego comment was notable though, because it is clear the former Cleveland Cavalier has a huge one.
Here are some examples of Irving showing off his massive self-confidence.
The first example is his belief that the earth is flat. This is egotistical for reasons of pure ignorance and laziness, and here’s hoping that it dawns on people how ridiculous it is for an NBA player who routinely gets questions from The Boston Globe to think the earth is flat. In all fairness, some have posited that Irving only said this to create headlines.
The second example of the PG’s inflated self-worth is the most obvious. Irving achieved zero team success before LeBron James returned to Cleveland, and once the King resumed his throne, the Cavaliers made it to the NBA Finals three straight times. Anyone who thinks they would be better off without the best player in the world must have an extremely enormous ego.
“I’m looking forward to becoming something that I’ve always envisioned myself being, that’s being a complete point guard on a great team,” Irving said to ESPN. “I want to be able to come off pick and rolls and be able to dissect the defense.”
Those aren’t the words of someone who thinks of himself as a shrinking daffodil, and he was lucky to end up on a roster that will give him a decent chance of success next season.
The last reason Irving is full of himself should come as more of a compliment than a criticism. It is Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. With the championship deadlocked, it was not James, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson or Kevin Love who made the biggest shot of the game. It was Irving who believed in his abilities, and it made him a legend to the people of Cleveland.
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It is important to recognize that there is no problem with having an ego, but being dishonest about it just doesn’t really make sense on any level. Irving should embrace his self-image, because it is the only thing that will make the Celtics contenders next year.