The Philippines is a basketball nation through and through, and they have creative ways to express their love and support for some of the NBA's most popular players. Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving was the latest to receive the deity treatment from Filipino fans, with artist Maya Carandang creating a beautiful mural of Irving on a basketball court in La Union.

This beautiful artwork did not escape the sight of the Mavericks star. In fact, Irving feels very appreciated by this masterpiece, and in turn, he expressed his willingness to visit the Philippines in 2025.

“All I needed was an invite. Next year for sure. Thank you for the LOVE. This is Legendary,” Irving wrote as a comment on Instagram.

Kyrie Irving has long been a fan favorite in the Philippines. His wizardry with the basketball and top-tier dribble moves have endeared him to fans, both young and old, who would want nothing more but to emulate the magic he creates on the hardwood. Moreover, Irving was a crucial member of the Cleveland Cavaliers team that won the championship in 2016 — the Cavs were such a popular team in the Philippines thanks in large part to LeBron James.

The mural created by Maya Carandang depicts Irving in his pose after he nailed one of the most difficult game-winners in recent history against the Denver Nuggets this past season. The Mavericks star memorably nailed an off-balance, off-hand floater from near the free-throw line over the outstretched arms of Nikola Jokic to give Dallas the victory at the buzzer.

The Mavericks star is set to visit the Philippines really soon

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Kyrie Irving's status as a fan favorite in the Philippines has remained even after a few seasons of tumult with the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets. Despite no longer being a Nike athlete, Irving's shoe line has remained very popular with fans even if he's still beginning his journey with Anta.

Irving had already been planning a trip to the Philippines. With the success of the Anta Kai 1 line in the Philippines, the Mavericks star already said that he will be visiting Manila “very soon”.

For now, however, Kyrie Irving is locked in on his goal of taking the Mavericks over the hump. Last season, they fell short against the Celtics in the NBA Finals in five games. But with a new season comes a new opportunity to rise to the top of the league's totem pole.