Kyrie Irving Shares the Truth Behind His Cavaliers Departure and Time With LeBron James (1 Viewer)

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Kyrie Irving has reflected on his time playing alongside Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James during their Cleveland Cavaliers days, making it clear that his 2017 exit had nothing to do with personal issues between them.

Speaking on a Twitch learn more, the nine time All Star described sharing the court with James as both an incredible opportunity and a unique challenge, one that came with relentless pressure and constant attention.

“When you’re playing with someone like [James] … it’s a different animal,” Irving said, via CBS Sports. “It’s a different journey. You’re automatically expected to be at the top of the league.”

Irving also spoke about the intense spotlight that comes with playing next to a global icon.

“Every time you play with [James] it’s going to be a lot of media attention, a lot of narratives, spun narratives, politics, a lot of s— that people don’t see in front of the camera,” he explained.

He stressed that his trade request in 2017 wasn’t about disliking James, but rather about his own personal growth.

“For me I was just a young person trying to figure it out,” Irving said. “It’s not that I disliked playing with [James] at any time. It was just literally my time to move on.”

During their three years together, Irving and James became one of the most dominant duos in NBA history. They led Cleveland to three consecutive NBA Finals appearances and delivered the city’s first championship in 2016.

That title run included one of the most iconic moments in Cavaliers history, Irving’s clutch, go ahead three pointer in Game 7 of the Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

Since leaving the Cavaliers, Irving has played for the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets before joining the Dallas Mavericks, where he remains a key piece in their push for another championship.