“I can be the best version of myself”: Kyrie Irving throws another anti-Cleveland jab after confessing he could have been drafted by the Mavs in 2011

Eight-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving reiterated that if he had his way, he would have preferred being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 and not by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He said that as a rookie he would have benefitted from the stability the team had at the time.

He shared that to veteran NBA journalist Rachel Nichols on her Headliners program over Showtime. Irving said that with the benefit of hindsight, playing for the Mavericks early on his career would have made him better not only as a player but also as an individual. It's something he also shared in one of his interviews in the offseason.

"Me getting drafted as a young person, needing a lot of mentorship, needing a lot of nurturing, I can look back and have 20/20 vision and think - I could have used this," Irving told Nichols.

“I knew that if I gave myself a chance to be around people that knew more than me, that was smarter than me in certain instances than I can learn from, then I can be the best version of myself …”

It bears noting, though, that Dallas was in no position to draft Kyrie Irving in 2011, as the Mavericks were coming off a conquest of the NBA title that year.

Irving, though, cannot be faulted for thinking the way he does, considering how he saw the Cavaliers struggling during his early years there, as they went 78-170 in his first three seasons.

Eventually, though, thanks to the return of LeBron James in ‘The Land,’ Irving won his first NBA title in 2016, draining the pivotal 3-point shot that secured them the championship.

Irving is now in his second year playing for the Mavericks, signing a three-year, $126-million contract to stay with Dallas in the offseason after being traded there midway last season from Brooklyn.

He's averaging 23 points, 5.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 32 minutes for the 15-9 Mavericks.

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Kyrie Irving makes re-signing with Mavericks a priority

Kyrie Irving is savoring his time with the Dallas Mavericks so much so that he made it a priority to re-sign with the team in the offseason.

The one-time NBA champion inked a three-year pact worth $126 million to stay in Dallas, saying that it's not a tough decision to make from his end.

In an interview with ESPN after securing his new deal, Kyrie Irving highlighted that the reception he has received since his arrival from the Mavericks organization and the community played a big part in his decision:

"I took everything into account. I took my time a few days before free agency just to be with my family, gauge how they felt about being in Dallas alongside me. And everybody was excited. …

“I just wanted to be myself. And then going on the last few years, just figuring myself out. So I think this is the best place to do it and continue to mature and grow as a man."

In Irving's latest contract, a player option for the final season is included as well as $6 million in total incentives.