The Utah Jazz are struggling at the outset of the 2024-25 NBA season, having suffered four consecutive losses. Among those was a 110-102 defeat to the Dallas Mavericks last Monday, a game in which Jazz head coach Will Hardy expressed admiration for one of Dallas’ stars.

“He’s one of the most skilled players that I’ve ever seen,” Hardy said of Kyrie Irving during his post-game press conference at the American Airlines Center. Although he acknowledged, “I obviously have not been around the NBA for its entirety,” Hardy added: “You’d be hard pressed to name ten guys that have ever played in this league that are more skilled than he is.”

This high praise followed an impressive performance from Irving, who led Dallas with 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists. Outshining even Luka Doncic and Klay Thompson, Irving took charge, guiding the Mavericks to a hard-fought and crucial victory.

Kyrie’s virtues

Hardy didn’t stop at simply ranking Irving among the best; he elaborated on what makes the guard so exceptional. “The spectacular plays that he makes, the crazy finishes, the unbelievable ball handling is the stuff that makes highlight reels on Instagram and all that stuff,” Hardy began.

Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball during the NBA game at Footprint Center

“But his fundamentals are unbelievable… He’s one of the most fundamentally sound players that we have. To watch Kyrie shoot an open pull-up jumper is how you would teach someone to shoot it. His base is perfect and wide. He jumps straight up and down,” said Hardy, making clear his admiration for the guard.

High hopes for Dallas

After reaching the NBA Finals last season, the Dallas Mavericks are determined to take it a step further. They’ve doubled down on their confidence in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the pillars of last season’s success, and added another star to the mix: Klay Thompson.

With Thompson aiming to return to peak form, the Mavericks are poised to be strong contenders in the Western Conference. They’ve started the season on a high note, winning three of their first four games, showing the potential to meet—and even exceed—high expectations.