BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 23: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics brings the ball up court during the game against the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden on December 23, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
Kyrie Irving has had quite the year.
Not only was he a big reason why the Cleveland Cavaliers made the NBA Finals but he is also a major reason why the Boston Celtics, his new team of course, are at the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
Nonetheless, Sports Illustrated did an awesome article featuring Irving and his best quotes from 2017, and we are about to show off some of those quotes below. You can read the entire SI article here.
A quick intro from the SI article:
On Christmas day the Celtics will take on the Wizards, and as we approach the New Year, it’s a good time to appreciate just how much ground we’ve covered with Kyrie Irving this year. What follows is a collection of thoughts on the surface of the earth, the moon landing, pedagogy, capitalism, the thief of joy, eating animals, the soundtrack from Rent, and exploitation tactics.
This is not an endorsement, not a criticism—this is merely a historical document. Including a few honorary guests along the way, here are 31 quotes from Kyrie Irving and the year of just asking questions.
Without further ado, let’s get to some of those Uncle Drew quotes.
26. “I’m not here to tirade anybody … There comes a time where you mature as an individual, it’s time to make that decision, and there is no looking back from that standpoint. There is no time to figure out how to save somebody’s feelings when ultimately you have to be selfish in figuring out what you want to do.” (First Take)
25. “Brad fits perfectly in terms of that because he has an intellectual mind and is an intellectual human being. It was something I was unbelievably craving in terms of what I wanted for my career.” (Holding Court)
24. “I think that the most important thing that I strive to live by is extremely by truth and by consistently giving others the truth, without any judgment, without constraints, without anything extra except the understanding that I see you. I have family members who come from knowing energy, and it was passed along to me.” (Boston.com)
23. On differences between the Celtics and Cavs: “Man, comparison’s a thief of joy.” (Jay King)
22. On why he wants to start a self-sustaining community: “I always say it to my friends… the fact that you have to pay to play in this world is ridiculous. You really have to pay to play. You have to pay your phone bill. You have to pay for the spot that you’re living in right now. You have to pay for your clothes. You have to pay for your hat. You have to pay for your shirt. And on top of that, you want to throw on some jewelry. And then there’s a separate class that they’ve put us in because of money.” (Short Story Long)
For all it’s worth, Irving is averaging 24.7 points, 5.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game this season. The Celtics, as mentioned before, are at the top of the East with a record of 29-10.
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