Despite the fact that he is already a NBA Champion and multiple-time NBA All-Star, now is the time for Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving to truly prove himself as a legitimate force as the Eastern Conference franchise has already encountered some serious adversity early on in the 2020-21 regular season.
Even with Irving previously solidifying himself as one of the best point guards in the NBA today, the Nets signal caller has always had a wingman of sorts to aid his progression over the years.
Kyrie Irving Is Overrated?
Obviously, Irving's time with the Cleveland Cavaliers was highlighted by the presence of superstar forward LeBron James while his time with the Boston Celtics allowed him to be surrounded by a slew of talented young players. Now a member of the upstart Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving not only has a formidable supporting cast around him but also the benefit of playing alongside arguably the best offensive player in today's NBA in superstar forward Kevin Durant.
However, Durant will be forced to miss an extended period of time due to the league's current COVID-19 protocols despite the fact that the former Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors standout has not tested positive for the “coronavirus” himself.
Nonetheless, the 3-4 Nets will be looking to Irving for answers in Durant's absence — especially with first-year NBA head coach Steve Nash leading the way. Although Irving can no doubt put up all-around solid and impressive numbers on an individual basis, it will be interesting to see what the Nets point guard is able to do with his team as Brooklyn looks to bounce back from a sluggish start without its best player on the floor.
Now will be the time to flip the narrative that he is overrated as Irving can very well propel the Nets toward the top of the Eastern Conference standings. However, that probably won't happen because nothing about Irving's skill set translates to a player that can single-handedly lead a team to something special. The majority of his team-related accolades have come — in-part — due to the presence of others like the aforementioned James and Durant, among others.
Just because he has unparalleled ball-handling skills and a quick move off the dribble, does not make Irving an untouchable offensive threat when playing alone. He has been unable to close out games, which was recently evidenced even with Durant on the floor, in addition to the fact that he is a streaky shooter, which could come back to bite him in the absence of his hampered Nets teammate. With all the talk and media avoidance that the world has seen from Irving, his play when not surrounded my more talented players than himself should simply be better if the seasoned signal caller doesn't want to be labeled as an overrated NBA point guard.
Without his wingmen, which have literally been one right after the other, Kyrie Irving isn't the same player. Although no doubt a talented player with a unique skill set, Irving remains in the category of overrated as it stands today.
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