Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy is one of the most renowned trainers in all of the NBA. He's also been part of no less than three championship-winning teams, so it goes without saying that he has earned the respect of both his peers and the players.
The 50-year-old recently made a guest appearance on a podcast and he made quite the revelation. When talking about the most skilled player he's ever had the privilege of witnessing, Handy pointed to none other than Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving:
“I will go on record and say this. He is probably the most skilled player to ever play,” Handy said of Kyrie. “Offensively, probably the most skilled player to ever put on basketball shoes.”
“He’s the most skilled player to ever put on basketball shoes”
– Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy on Kyrie Irving 😳 pic.twitter.com/7kYivjBGjP
— ⁶ (@TaIkContext) August 17, 2022
LeBron James will want to hear Handy's statement here. The Lakers assistant's GOAT-level praise might strike a chord with The King, particularly because of the fact that a LeBron-Kyrie reunion has long been rumored to be a looming prospect.
For his part, Phil Handy also spent time together with the pair during their stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, so I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mind seeing James and Irving on the same team again.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Ot0D0tHM49p8zV7PPjmUp?si=aa69776c161949bf
It is also worth noting that Handy has worked with more than a few all-time greats in the past. This includes Lakers icon Kobe Bryant. So, for him to say that he considers Kyrie Irving to be the most skilled player ever speaks volumes of how much admiration he has for the enigmatic Nets star.
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