Kyrie Irving may be down, but he is insisting that he is not out.
The awful news broke on Tuesday that the nine-time All-Star Dallas Mavericks guard Irving is done for the season due to a torn ACL that he suffered in his left knee. Irving sustained the injury during a loss to the Sacramento Kings the night before (video here).
A few hours after the news broke, Irving went live on Instagram to address fans. During his nearly six-minute video, Irving sent a strong message assuring fans that he will be back.
“This one hurts for sure,” said Irving. “It’s painful to deal with this at this point. But at the same time, how I’ve been built … Dealing with pain and suffering is just as important as dealing with all the positivity and things that go on and the happiness that you want. Accepting what comes with all this is the next aspect for me.
“I will be OK moving forward,” Irving added. “I will be back. I will be better … This is not the end of the story. This is just the beginning of a new chapter. Injuries are a part of the business … Don’t let anybody ever tell you to give up. Don’t you dare give up on yourself.”
Irving also expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of supportive messages that he had received on social media. You can watch his full video below.
A torn ACL is perhaps the most challenging injury for a professional athlete to overcome. It is especially so for Irving, who turns 33 years old later this month and relies a lot on explosiveness and shiftiness to create separation from defenders.
With Irving now out for the remainder of this season as well as possibly a chunk of next season as well, he has a big decision to make with his $44 million player option for the 2025-26 campaign. But for the time being, Irving will be focusing on his recovery, and he has already received countless messages of support, including from his former co-star Luka Doncic.
