Nets player says Kyrie Irving is ‘misunderstood’
BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 24: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics is announced before the game against the New York Knicks at TD Garden on October 24, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Kyrie Irving’s two-year run with the Celtics got off to a solid start, but ended in undeniable chaos.
From Irving’s hot-and-cold attitude to the noticeable lack of on-floor chemistry throughout the entire roster, the Celtics struggled to be what Irving convinced you they could and would be under his leadership.
But according to Nets guard Joe Harris, who played with Irving in Cleveland for two seasons, Irving is merely misunderstood.
“Kyrie, he’s got a big personality,” Joe Harris on Kyrie Irving: "Kyrie, he’s got a big personality. I think he’s one of these guys that’s misunderstood. I think the way that he’s construed in the media is probably going to paint him in a light that is not necessarily true."
Irving may be a good guy to be around, but it was clear that he did not have that great connection with his teammates in 2018-19. In fact, once the reality of this being a deeply flawed Celtics team set in, Irving reportedly became ‘detached’ from his teammates. He looked every bit detached in Boston’s borderline lifeless, five-game round two loss to the Bucks.
But to Harris, that perception comes with the superstar status Irving has earned in his NBA career.
“None of us are perfect all the time,” Harris offered. “We’re all going to have ups and downs throughout the course of the season. For him, unfortunately, he’s just in one of these scenarios where there’s so much more attention on him and people are paying much more attention to when he does have an off day.
“People care when Kyrie [has an off day].”
The good news for Irving, of course, is that he’s now going to be the face of an NBA franchise in New York.
The only other Eastern Conference city that cares about basketball more than Boston.
