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For Cleveland and its passionate sports community, 2016 remains a year etched in glory, even if the old adage warns against dwelling on the past. Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, a pivotal figure in the Cavaliers' historic NBA championship that season, took a moment to look back after his team faced Cleveland on Nov. 14.
"It's been 10 years, but it's been a great reflection point for me, to be able to come back and receive that support," Irving said. "I'm so grateful for all the Cavs fans, Cleveland in general, Ohio wrapping their arms around me as well."
Irving, the No. 1 overall pick by Cleveland in the 2011 NBA Draft, authored one of the most memorable 3-pointers in league history during Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals on June 19. That shot was part of the legendary sequence known as "The Block, The Shot and The Stop," which sealed the Cavs' comeback from a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors.
"I'm grateful I was playing against the best of the best, best teams in the world, getting everybody's best shot for about three straight years," Irving said. "A lot of young players never get to experience that, you know, being on the hunt for championships every single year. So I take those little moments and try my best to connect it to the fans here as well because we couldn't have done it without them. Everyone was well wishing us, praying for us. Fifty-two years [is] a long period of time waiting for a championship, and we did it. Personally, I think it was one of the hardest championships ever in NBA history that we got to accomplish."
Saturday marked Irving's first trip back to Cleveland with the Mavericks this season. He received a standing ovation when introduced in the starting lineup, and a tribute video featuring his Game 7 winner played on the scoreboard later in the first quarter. The game was the second of the season chosen to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the 2016 title, with the next set for Dec. 12 when the Warriors visit Cleveland.
"This one felt different than other times just because of the patience in terms of like the game flow," Irving said of the Cavs' 127-117 win. "Last time it was kind of a quick timeout, but this time [I] got to really settle in and embrace the support that's here for me." The contest echoed Irving's early years with the Cavs, as his individual brilliance (34 points and five assists) wasn't enough to prevent a loss.
Irving Credits Cleveland for Career Growth
Most 19-year-olds don't always know what they need or like, and Irving was no different. But he credits Cleveland for embracing him and guiding him through the league. "When I first started here, drafted at 19, I didn't know what to expect," he said. "I was just excited to play basketball again. A lot of figuring out who I wanted to become as a person most importantly, but also as a player."
During his time in Cleveland, Irving averaged 21.6 points, 5.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 381 games. He ranks eighth on the Cavaliers' all-time scoring list with 8,232 points. Despite what critics may say about his career, what he accomplished and who his teammates were, Irving said he always thanks "The Land" for who he became.
"Don't try to hide away from criticism, don't try to run away from," he said. "I think that's what I was learning when I came into the league, is the media or everybody else expecting you to be the number one pick or to be a contributor to a winning franchise or to a franchise and contribute to winning. So a lot of figuring out, but I give myself a lot of grace for myself, and really proud of the guys that influenced my career positively while I was here, from the front office to the medical staff to strength and conditioning, to our coaches to my teammates. Like, everybody had a positive impact on my career in some way or another."
Originally reported by yahoo.