Dallas Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving returned to Brooklyn on Tuesday for the first time since he was traded by the Nets last season.
The eight-time All-Star played exceedingly well en route to helping Dallas to a 119-107 win. He scored 36 points on 15-of-24 shooting while adding five assists.
Interestingly enough, the embattled guard’s return to Brooklyn came without much fanfare. He didn’t receive any standing ovations and wasn’t necessarily booed throughout.
Though, Irving did get into it with one fan that was sitting courtside. The fan asked Irving why he didn’t play like this when he was in Brooklyn? Irving’s response was to the point.
Talk about a blast from the past. Irving is referring to the New York COVID-19 vaccine mandate Mayor Eric Adams and other leaders put into place during the 2021-22 season.
As you likely remember, Irving was anti-vaccine at the time. It led to him not being able to play in home games and remaining away from the Nets to open the season. It was the continuation of some major drama between the organization and the NBA champion since the Nets signed him ahead of the 2019-20 season.
“I think it was just really heavy emotionally this season,” Kyrie Irving said back in April of 2022. “We all felt it. I felt like I was letting the team down at a point where I wasn’t able to play. We were trying to exercise every option for me to play, but I never wanted it to just be about me. And I think it became a distraction at times. And as you see we just had some drastic changes.”
Vaccine mandates are a thing of the past. Irving has a new lease on life with the Mavericks. When on the court, he’s playing stellar basketball. But apparently, this drama remains in the back of his mind.