Despite already being one full year removed from his unceremonious exit from the Cleveland Cavaliers, tales of Kyrie Irving's antics during his time with the Cavs continue to surface to this date. This time around, we have a first-hand account from one of the Boston Celtics point guard's former coaches, who claims that Irving once avoided him on purpose just to test him.
Phil Handy, whose first assignment as a new member of the Cavs coaching staff in 2013 was to personally work with a 21-year-old Irving, shared his story to Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. According to the coach, Irving refused to take his calls or answer his text messages during that summer.
“He was challenging me in a sense, to see how I was gonna handle it,” says Handy, who grew close to Irving in their four years together. “It wasn't just a smooth start. This kid, he was very evasive, and he was doing it on purpose. We laugh and joke about it now, because we're well beyond it.”
That does sound quite unprofessional on the part of Irving, but at least the two were eventually able to bury the hatchet and build a good working relationship through the years.
Handy also revealed how Irving justified his actions once the two were finally able to discuss the incident years later.
Irving's explanation was simple, Handy recalls: “I didn't know you. I had to give you another number just to keep you at bay, just to see what you were gonna do.”
At least Irving was straightforward with his response and did not lie about his true intentions. The five-time All-Star has come a very long way since 2013, and it is interesting to think if he still holds this type of attitude towards his current coaches.
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