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NEW ORLEANS — The Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans will go head-to-head in a road game on Wednesday night. With the NBA All-Star Game reserves set to be announced on Thursday, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd explained why he believes Kyrie Irving deserves a spot on the roster.
“Luka and Kai are our All-Stars,” Kidd told reporters before the game. “Our MVPs… When you ask about Kai, Kai’s leadership, the stats and what he’s done for our team is All-Star caliber.”
Will Kyrie Irving earn a 2024-25 All-Star selection?
Irving, 32, has indeed enjoyed an All-Star caliber season. The Mavs guard is averaging 24.1 points per game while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from beyond the arc. Irving is recording per game averages of 4.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per outing as well.
Irving's statistics only tell part of the story. His leadership has been of the utmost importance, especially in a season that has seen the Mavericks deal with a plethora of injury concerns.
“His energy, his confidence, his positivity with his teammates is huge for us,” Kidd said of Irving's leadership. “I think the guys feed on that. His calmness, his ability to understand the time to score. We’ve asked him to do a lot of things and he’s never said no. He’s been there through the wins and losses. He understands the journey and that’s to win a championship, so we are lucky to have him.”
There is no denying the fact that Kyrie Irving has made a crucial impact ever since joining this Mavs team during the 2022-23 season. Sure, the Mavericks have endured ups and downs during that time, but Irving has enjoyed plenty of big moments. Kyrie almost helped Dallas win a championship last season, and the team's championship ceiling is still present.
For now, Irving and the Mavs will focus on trying to defeat the Pelicans in New Orleans on Wednesday night. Perhaps he will earn his ninth career All-Star selection on Thursday as well.
