Kyrie Irving has been a standout in the NBA for over a decade, known for his remarkable skills and clutch performances. At 32, he has become an integral part of the Dallas Mavericks, helping guide them to the NBA Finals last season. Now, the guard has revealed one of the most impactful pieces of advice he received from Kobe Bryant that continues to resonate with him today.
“I use the craft of basketball to get me into rooms, but it’s not defining me at all,” Irving shared during an interview on Kai Cenat’s Thanksgiving Special stream. He credited that mindset to Bryant, saying, “That’s what Kobe taught me. ‘Don’t let this sport define you, bro.’”
Kyrie has often spoken about the deep bond he shared with Bryant, a relationship that began during Irving’s early years with the Cleveland Cavaliers and continued through Bryant’s final seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. In fact, Irving won his only NBA title in 2016, the same year Kobe retired.
“He was a genuine friend, a genuine big brother, and losing someone like that was one of the hardest things to deal with, to grieve over it,” Irving reflected, recalling the profound impact Bryant had on him. “It wasn’t just about me. It was about everyone—his family, people all over the world. And that’s how you know someone did more than just play basketball; they were universal.”
Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts during the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on November 25, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.
It’s not just about basketball
In the same conversation, Kyrie Irving made it clear that Kobe Bryant’s influence on him went far beyond his success as an athlete. “Kobe isn’t the only one, he learned from,” Irving explained, emphasizing that the lessons he took from Bryant were part of a broader philosophical outlook on life. He then drew comparisons between Bryant and a range of influential figures in modern history.
“It could be Bruce Lee. It could be Bill Russell. It could be Malcolm X. It could be Martin Luther King. It could be a myriad of revolutionary people, Bob Marley,” Irving said, listing off iconic names. ”It could be revolutionary people that left the ideology for us to become better people and want us to make a positive impact on the world.”
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Irving and Bryant: A shared legacy
Kyrie Irving and Kobe Bryant were rivals for several years in the NBA. Bryant was already an established superstar when Irving entered the league in 2011, after being selected with the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Both players remained NBA stars until 2016, when Bryant retired from a legendary 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Although they never played together on Team USA, their paths crossed in the international basketball scene. Kobe’s final tournament with the U.S. national team was the 2012 London Olympics, a year when Irving was just beginning to emerge as a young star in the NBA. Irving’s first major international opportunity came two years later, when he led Team USA to the 2014 FIBA World Cup title. He also claimed Olympic gold in 2016 at the Rio Games.
