Dallas Maverick guard and injured vet and mentor for a host of young NBA players, Kyrie Irving, talked to fans last week after the game against the Sacramento Kings. He urged younger players to use all the opportunities
afforded to them through basketball to help their community and make a difference.
“People are going to remember the impact you made on them and the legacy you left as a person,” Irving said to the group of fans assembled after the game, some in Kings jerseys, all there to listen to and meet the vet.
“It costs nothing to be kind. It costs nothing to be nice to people. It’s always good to be a good person and show up for others and show up for yourself,” he continued, making clear that basketball is just what brought this group together but to Irving, there’s much more to life.
“This is just what it’s about for me. Being in front of … strangers, but now I feel like you’re part of the tribe. So this is honestly why I do what I do,” he said with a smile.
In Dallas, Irving has become known for helping people behind the scenes, donating to gofundme campaigns, helping to pay for a fan’s wheelchair-accessible van, covering costs for medical bills for others in need, and so much more – just google it. All done discreetly, usually only shared by the beneficiaries.
And then apparently – as Mavericks assistant coach Phil Handy is insinuating in the video – he has been arranging these meet-and-greets after games. Nothing major, small gatherings of people with special interests or fans who want to thank him, tell him their stories or talk to him. Like this gathering one year ago, when he spent a long time after a late game speaking with each member of the Native American community in Dallas Fort Worth.
“He means everything to us, showing children there’s hope, representation,” the leader said.
Despite being in the know about a lot of stuff that goes on around the Mavericks, these meetings and donations are only on my radar because attendees share videos or their experiences on social media. To my knowledge, there’s been no announcements and very little press releases (if any) through his almost three years in Dallas. This suggests that these small acts of kindness are at least as meaningful to Kyrie Irving as basketball. Maybe more.
“I’m injured right now but basketball is universal, so I’m still connected to what we got going on (with the Dallas Mavericks). And, yeah man, this feels good.”
You can tell that he’s referring to the small gathering of people in Sacramento, earnestly listening to him, chatting and taking pictures afterward.
“One opportunity can change your life. One conversation can change your life,” he said, smiling at the group. “It’s all about mindset. How you approach your life every day.”
Irving seems adamant to stress the fact that how we treat each other and how we act can be a powerful tool to create change. This is not the first time we’ve heard him say something to this effect.
And he made it clear that he has bigger expectations for the next generation than what his own generation accomplished when it comes to this aspect of life and basketball.
“It’s good to see the youth show up. I want them to use basketball as a better vehicle than we used it. There’s more opportunities that you can have and that basketball affords you,” he said, urging the younger players to take their responsibility seriously.
Mavericks assistant coach Phil Handy, who has known Irving from back when both were with the Cleveland Cavaliers, also had a few words to say about Kyrie Irving from his own point of view, about the kind of person he has become.
“He arranges all of this,” Handy said, gesturing to the group of people lining up to meet their favorite player:
“Everybody loves his basketball acumen. I love him as a human. The person that he has become. He’s an incredible person.”
