"Started my villain arc" - Kyrie Irving gets candid on career-changing moment that made him a household name

Kyrie Irving has been known to be one of the most skilled players in NBA history, playing key roles in the Cleveland Cavaliers championship season in 2016 and Dallas Mavericks’ finals run last year. But before he was one of the biggest basketball stars in the world, Irving was an unknown local player in high school.

According to former NBA player Austin Rivers, Irving was once a local kid that high school stars thought was a liability on the court. This happened when Irving was inserted in a camp with some of the top players in the country, as River narrated.

“I get to this camp, one of the players had to leave because something happened so we had 19. They wanted to invite a local kid…and they grabbed this kid named Kyrie,” Rivers said in an interview with Overtime last January.

“There were three of four notable players and they were ‘who’s this kid, you all just grabbing a random dude and come play with us. Now we got a liability’,” Rivers said.

Irving has now responded to the podcast interview from two months ago, expressing that it started his villain arc as he became the top overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft.

“I think it’s time I provide context to @AustinRivers25 story lol. this is what low key started my villain arc in high school,” he wrote on X last Friday.

Irving has since become a nine-time All-Star and one of the most recognizable players in the league. However, Irving's brilliance on the court will be on pause for the near future as he recovers from an ACL tear he sustained last March 5. He is expected to miss the rest of the season and the majority of next season.

After the Mavericks traded Luka Doncic, Irving became the de facto leader for the team, averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game this season, albeit ended by an injury.

Austin Rivers says Kyrie Irving is the hardest player he guarded

Austin Rivers had numerous matchups against Kyrie Irving during the former’s time in the NBA. Rivers looked back at the instances he faced Irving on the court, saying that he was the hardest player to guard in the league.

"He is the best player I've ever had to guard…I don't know how to explain that because I know I've played against players who are technically 'ranked' higher than him,” Rivers said in an interview with Overtime.

Rivers regarded Irving as someone with a flawless game, often demanding more than one defender.

"Being on an iso with him is like, you're looking around like where I got my help at?,” he said. “He has no flaws in his game."

However, NBA fans will have to wait a while to see Irving return to basketball as his ACL tear could take up to one year before he recovers.

When he returns to the court, he is expected to form a formidable duo with Anthony Davis for the Mavericks.