Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving said at Media Day that he didn't appreciate the “stigma” surrounding him as a player following a controversial 2021-22 season. The seven-time All-Star missed more than half of last season while refusing to comply with New York's workplace vaccine mandate, a decision that ultimately caused Brooklyn's once hopeful season to implode.

This year, Irving is fully available as the season begins. Throughout training camp, the New Jersey native's messaging has been one of support for his teammates and toughness on the court.

“I try to just center in on what I want to accomplish,” Irving said early in camp. “And that was just focusing on being the best teammate that I can be. And being on a great team and what that means to me and really embodying that action every single day. Not just saying it.”

Irving is backing up his comments with his production and effort level during the preseason. The guard was outstanding in three preseason games, averaging 24.5 points and four assists in Brooklyn's last two wins. Nets center Nic Claxton said Monday that Irving's focus during camp has been noticeable to his teammates.

“He’s bringing a totally different energy this year,” Claxton said. “He’s definitely been locked in. He’s ready to kind of change the narrative about himself.

“Honestly, he’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had,” he continued. “That may not be the public perception of him, but he just wants to clear the air this year I feel like.”

Nets head coach Steve Nash is entering his third season alongside Irving in Brooklyn. He echoed the same sentiment as Claxton Monday when speaking about Irving's attitude.

“Kyrie’s been unbelievable,” Nash said. “His performances on I think both ends of the floor have been exceptional. Not just in games, but in practices. I think his leadership and mentorship to the young guys has been great. He’s just been outstanding top to bottom this whole preseason.”

Kyrie Irving appears to be embracing a leadership role this season, something the Nets desperately needed him to do in prior years. The 11-year veteran called out his team's effort following a 109-80 loss to Miami, saying Brooklyn needs to get tougher if they hope to compete for a title.

“I think the low-hanging fruit that we could honestly all agree on is sometimes, some possessions, we’re not playing hard enough,” Irving said. “And you saw it against Miami the other night. They were really physical, and we don’t want that to be our stigma or M.O. in the league. Everybody knows each other, but the most physical teams usually win ballgames, especially down the stretch. So we’ve got to be tougher.”

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The fourth-year Net backed up those words with his hustle in Brooklyn's final two preseason games, particularly on defense. The former No. 1 pick is widely recognized as one of the most talented offensive players of all time, but his defensive deficiencies have been a point of criticism throughout his career. That appears to be a focus for Irving this year, with the guard frequently showing effort like this on defensive possessions:

https://streamable.com/5r1gjq

Irving's availability over the last two seasons has undoubtedly altered the public perception of him as a player. When on the floor, the guard is among the top players in the league. In 2020-2021, his lone full season with Brooklyn, he averaged 27.0 points per game while becoming the ninth player in NBA history to join the 50-40-90 club. Despite this, ESPN ranked Irving 33rd in their Top 100 player rankings for this season.

For the third consecutive year, the Nets' title hopes rest on Kyrie Irving's ability to remain available and productive as the team's second-best player. However, this year has different implications with 2022-23 a contract season for Irving after Brooklyn refused to offer the guard a fully guaranteed long-term contract this summer.

There were rumors in the offseason about Irving leaving the Nets, but those have quieted down and Irving is singing a different tune thus far while supporting his consistent messaging with his play. The former NBA champion said early in camp that he and his teammates were aware of the narratives surrounding the Nets last season. He said changing that perception has served as motivation as they look to bring a title to Brooklyn this year.

“We want to erase everything that was said about our team the last few years in terms of our weaknesses. We want to turn them into our strengths, and it starts with developing good habits and going out in a game and not just talking about it, but doing it.”