Despite the off-court issues over the years, there is no denying that Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is a special talent. When he wants to, Kyrie is an absolute killer on the hardwood and one of the toughest players to guard in the Association.

And if you’re asking Irving’s former coach in Cleveland Mike Brown, who is now in charge of the Sacramento Kings, he believes the veteran is arguably the best player around when it comes to 1-on-1 situations.

Via Tim McMahon:

“If you look at pound for pound who’s the best 1-on-1 players, he’s got to be right up there with the best of them, if he’s not the best.”

Brown, a four-time NBA champion as a coach, has a very valid point. Kyrie Irving is ridiculously athletic, has a mind-boggling handle, and possesses insane athleticism. He can get by just about any player in this league and break his ankles in the process. If the 30-year-old was more available in recent years, he’d definitely be considered a top-10 talent in the NBA.

There is no question that the Mavs are ecstatic to have acquired Kyrie from the Brooklyn Nets, which gives Luka Doncic a much-needed co-star in the Dallas backcourt. Irving put in work in his debut on Wednesday too, pouring in 24 points in a win over the Los Angeles Clippers, showcasing his versatile skillset while Doncic watched from the sidelines.

The Mavs are currently sitting in fourth place in the West with a 30-26 record and play Friday against the Kings. with Luka still nursing a heel injury, one could expect Kyrie to shoulder the offensive load once again. He’s averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per night in 2022-23.