Kyrie Irving has regrets about his relationship with Mike Brown

Kyrie Irving and Mike Brown will be on opposing sides for the 2017 NBA Finals, but Irving still harbors some guilt about the time they spent together.

Addressing reporters on Wednesday, Irving said that he had regrets about his relationship with his former head coach.

“It was a learning experience, to say the least,” said the former No. 1 overall pick, per Brian Windhorst of ESPN. “I kind of regret being part of that because he was just trying to teach me a lot of things that I didn’t necessarily understand as a 21-year-old in the NBA.

“I understand that things happen in this league sometimes, whether controlled or uncontrolled,” Irving continued. “I was a 21-year-old kid, just trying to lead a franchise, and he was a new head coach that I had to get introduced to a new offense, new players, as well as new system.”

Brown was hired to coach the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2013, right before Irving’s third season in the league. While Irving was an All-Star that year, the Cavs found themselves plagued by injuries, internal friction, and even rumors that Irving, then the franchise player, wanted out of Cleveland. The Cavs finished just 33-49 and Brown was promptly fired after just that one season.

Now, Irving is a 25-year-old NBA champion about to play in his third straight NBA Finals, and Brown is leading the mighty Golden State Warriors in Steve Kerr’s absence. But their history with one another is inescapable, adding yet another compelling layer to what is guaranteed to be a classic Finals series.