Yesterday afternoon, the NBA world went into a frenzy after finding out Kyrie Irving requested to be traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers team. The 25-year-old Duke University product reportedly said he wanted to become the face of his own team rather than continue to ride the coattails of LeBron James. The young point-guard definitely has the talent to rise at the top of most NBA teams in this league, and he just feels it is time to spread his wings.
As surprising as the trade request was to hear, Irving may have foreshadowed to this moment just over a year ago after the 2016 NBA Finals. On his Instagram account, Irving posted a picture of Kobe Bryant after winning an NBA title when he was playing with Shaquille O’Neal during their 2000-2002 reign. Bryant doesn’t look too happy despite holding onto the trophy every player in the league dreams of holding.
When you think about it, this could have very well been the spitting image of Irving after the Cavs’ successful campaign last year. Sure, Bryant had success beyond most player’s comprehension, but he wanted more: he wanted to be Finals MVP.
Both Bryant and Irving are natural born competitors, so wanting to put everything they owe to the game of basketball is of top priority. Having a superstar teammate hinder you from fully seeing your athletic dreams come true can be frustrating, even if you are holding onto the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy.