Now that the trade between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics has been finally ironed out, former Cavs star point guard Kyrie Irving took to Instagram to give a farewell message to the city he called home throughout the first six years of his career.
“My love extends way beyond the court I have for Cleveland and it will always be a place thats special because of the great people and experiences,” Irving’s message read. “The Ups and downs, we stand and fight no matter what the circumstances are, and that’s what being in Cleveland embodies, it is all Love and a whole lotta pride.”
“To the incredible individuals I’ve met who support the Cleveland organization and help allow us as Players to feel a special bond to the State/City and shared countless moments with, keep being YOU and know that my appreciation is eternal. Thank you From my whole being for being there as I was a 19-year-old kid coming into the league, to now where I start another step in the journey as a 25-year-old Evolving man. It will Always be Love and respect Cleveland. “The journey is always the Reward.”
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He also issued a four-and-a-half-minute video explaining his departure and the reason why he made this decision to part ways with the organization.
“There are no other ulterior reasons other than being happy and to be somewhere you feel like it’s an environment that’s conducive for you maximizing your potential,” Irving said in the video.
The scoring phenom thanked owner Dan Gilbert and the rest of the franchise for taking a chance on him and selecting him with the first overall pick, back in 2011.
“They took a chance on a 19-year-old kid that was coming off a stubbed right toe, of being in a very, very immature place at the time,” he said.
Irving will be remembered by some as the hero of the NBA Finals, the one who buried a cold-blooded three-pointer off the dribble to seal a Game 7 on the road and the city’s first-ever NBA championship. For others, there will be the sour taste of what could have been if he and LeBron James were to stay together and given it another shot.
Regardless, the one-on-one assassin is now en route to a new team with new teammates and still many years in his future — but it won’t be long until he is in familiar grounds, as he’ll start the season at Quicken Loans Arena, when the Cavs host the Celtics to tip off the season on Oct. 17.
A four-time All-Star, Kyrie Irving averaged 21.6 points and 5.6 assists per game through six NBA seasons, including a career-high 25.2 points per game in 2016-17.