The friendship is over. Kyrie Irving has left Cleveland because he wants to have a team of his own where he is the superstar. Is Kyrie wanting to be the superstar basketball player the right attitude to have? Or is there more to this saga?
Wanting to be the superstar basketball player
I don’t remember in the 90’s a player leaving a championship team to be a superstar. Not in the peak of their career. In fact in any sport I’ve followed I don’t know of a player that was one of the superstars on a team that went to the finals 3 straight years leaving.
Leaving a team to play on another to get more minutes and grow is totally understandable. I encourage young professional basketball players to always exercise this thinking to help them move up the basketball ladder. But this situation seems a little bit more than a player wanting to move on and grow.
Why did Kyrie Irving leave Cleveland?
Well there’s a question for the ages and I guess it’s something we will never know. But if I have to suspect anything it would have been an altercation between the two superstars, Lebron and Kyrie.
It’s clear that Cleveland is Lebron’s team, something I’m not easy with. I don’t believe that a team should be one players but that’s a discussion for another day. Something must have been said that Kyrie Irving took exception too and a few trades later we have Kyrie in Boston.
The right attitude for basketball
If this move by Kyrie was really motivated by wanting to be the superstar or what the commentators are calling it, the alpha male, then is this the right attitude to have in team sport?
In Kyrie’s situation, I don’t believe so. He was one of the superstars on the team and on a regular basis was the clutch player when the game was on the line. Not to mention he got a lot of minutes and helped with a championship for Cleveland. A story tale career so far!
I believe that CAVS have the best chance of beating the Warriors. I think with a few more role players they had what it takes to challenge for a championship. Why would you leave such a great situation?
Drama on the basketball court
I think this is all due to a drama between Lebron and Kyrie. It’s a shame to see two egos get in the way of another championship push. More than Kyrie’s move I think Lebron’s character is in question. The demands he has placed on the CAVS has been extreme. Especially for a player that might jump ship at any moment.
Let’s hope for an exciting NBA season and an even more exciting face off between the CAVS and the Celtics.
