(Boston) LeBron James praised his former teammate Kyrie Irving during a podcast, calling him “the most gifted player in NBA history.”
The feeling is mutual.
“There’s also a lot of gratitude,” Irving said Wednesday, when asked if he heard James’ comments. We have matured and can appreciate what we have had the chance to accomplish. »
During the Mind the Game podcast, James said he was “happy and proud to see Irving in the finals,” while being upset to no longer line up with him.
“There was nothing wrong with him on a basketball court,” James said.
Irving and James reached the Finals three straight years with the Cavaliers, triumphing in 2016 against Golden State.
The following year, Cleveland was defeated by the Warriors.
Irving then requested a trade and the relationship with James deteriorated.
“There were things that hurt our relationship when I was a little younger,” Irving said during the NBA Finals media day on Wednesday. Now that I’m able to express what I feel and be comfortable, I feel like our relationship has evolved.
“I definitely miss him,” Irving added. “There’s a mutual respect for what we contributed. I learned a lot from him and that’s something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”