Kyrie Irving named the toughest player to guard in NBA by rival star: 'The greatest handle I've seen'

Kyrie Irving is currently recovering from knee surgery following the ACL injury he suffered earlier this year. The Dallas Mavericks are eagerly awaiting his return, knowing that their chances of competing at the highest level in the NBA will significantly increase with him back on the court. One rival player recently praised the 33-year-old guard’s exceptional talent.

“Who is the hardest guy I’ve had to guard? Kyrie Irving,” T.J. McConnell said without hesitation during a recent appearance on the Christian Kuntz Podcast. “It’s just, it’s a tough place to be mentally, guarding Kyrie.”

The Indiana Pacers guard was born just two days after Irving, in March 1992, and entered the league a few years later, meaning their careers have largely run parallel. And until Kyrie joined Dallas in 2023, they had always competed as rivals in the Eastern Conference—facing each other countless times over the years.

Based on that firsthand experience, McConnell explained what it’s like to guard Irving. “You’re on an island,” T.J. said. “And you just don’t know what he’s gonna do. You can force him one way, but he still ends up getting the way you don’t want him to go.”

T.J. McConnell #9 of the Indiana Pacers.

Irving’s greatest strength, according to McConnell

During the same conversation, McConnell highlighted what he considers Irving’s most defining skill in the NBA. “His handle is impeccable. He’s got the greatest handle I’ve seen,” said the Indiana guard. “And he can really shoot it, like he’s fast.”

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One of the podcast hosts added, “He has the best handles of all time.” McConnell didn’t hesitate to agree: “I would have to say yes.” However, to avoid sparking debates or comparisons with past legends, he added: “I don’t want to talk about the whole era thing. But like, the best handle I’ve ever played against? Easily him, yeah.”

When will Irving return to the court?

Irving underwent surgery on his left knee on March 26. Since then, he has embarked on a long recovery process that is expected to keep him sidelined through the early months of the 2025–26 NBA season. Initial speculation suggested the 33-year-old guard might be ready by early 2026, but Irving himself has worked to temper expectations.

“I don’t want to make any predictions on when I’m going to be back,” Kyrie said during a recent Twitch stream about his comeback with the Dallas Mavericks. “I just want to be back a hundred fifty thousand percent better. So I’m taking my time right now to really get healthy. I’m taking my time to really get my body right, other parts or portions of my body right and really just enjoy this recovery process, man.”

Based on those comments, it’s safe to assume Irving may miss a significant portion of the regular season, with a possible return closer to the playoff push. That’s why the Dallas Mavericks signed a high-level guard like D’Angelo Russell and may also look to give a playmaking role to Cooper Flagg.