Kyrie Irving facts for kids

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Kyrie Irving

Irving with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022

No. 11 – Dallas Mavericks

Point guard / shooting guard

Personal information

Born

March 23, 1992 (age 33)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Nationality

American

High school

Montclair Kimberley Academy
(Montclair, New Jersey)
St. Patrick
(Elizabeth, New Jersey)

Listed height

6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)

Listed weight

195 lb (88 kg)

Career information

College

Duke (2010–2011)

NBA Draft

2011 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall

Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers

Pro career

2011–present

League

NBA

Career history

2011–2017

2017–2019

2019–2023

2023–present

Career highlights and awards

NBA champion (2016)
9× NBA All-Star (2013–2015, 2017–2019, 2021, 2023, 2025)
NBA All-Star Game MVP (2014)
All-NBA Second Team (2019)
2× All-NBA Third Team (2015, 2021)
NBA Rookie of the Year (2012)
NBA All-Rookie First Team (2012)
NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2013)
USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (2014)
FIBA World Cup MVP (2014)
McDonald's All-American (2010)
First-team Parade All-American (2010)

Medals

Men's basketball

Representing the United States
Olympics
Gold	2016 Rio de Janeiro	Team
World Cup
Gold	2014 Spain	Team
FIBA Americas U18 Championship
Gold	2010 San Antonio	Team

Kyrie Andrew Irving (born March 23, 1992) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Irving was chosen as the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2011. He was the very first player picked in the 2011 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has been an NBA All-Star nine times. Irving won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016.

He played one year of college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils. In 2014, he won the MVP award at the All-Star Game. In the 2016 NBA Finals, Irving made a key shot that helped the Cavaliers win the championship.

After playing for the Cavaliers, Irving joined the Boston Celtics in 2017. He then signed with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019. In 2023, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He reached his fourth NBA Finals with the Mavericks in 2024. Irving has also won gold medals with the U.S. national team. He won at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Irving has also acted in and directed advertisements as a character called "Uncle Drew." This character later became a movie in 2018.

Early Life and Basketball Dreams
High School Basketball Journey
College Basketball at Duke
Professional Career Highlights
National Team Career
Career Statistics
- NBA
  - Regular season
  - Playoffs
- College
Awards and Honors
Acting Roles
Business Ventures
Personal Life
Activism
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Basketball Dreams

Kyrie Irving was born in Melbourne, Australia, on March 23, 1992. His parents, Drederick and Elizabeth Irving, were Americans living there. He has an older sister, Asia, and a younger half-sister, London. His father, Drederick, played college basketball at Boston University. After college, his dad played professionally in Australia.

Kyrie and his family lived in Melbourne until he was two years old. Then, they moved to the United States. Kyrie has dual American and Australian citizenship. He is also ambidextrous, meaning he can use both hands well.

Kyrie's mother passed away when he was four years old. His father and aunts helped raise him. Later, his father remarried Shetellia Riley, who is now Kyrie's agent.

Kyrie grew up in West Orange, New Jersey. He often watched his father play in adult basketball games. His dream to play in the NBA started in fourth grade. After playing at an arena during a school trip, he promised, "I will play in the NBA." He spent time in Boston at his father's old college, Boston University. As a teenager, Kyrie played for the Road Runners, an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team.

High School Basketball Journey

Irving with his high school teammate, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Kyrie Irving played for Montclair Kimberley Academy during his first two years of high school. He was a great player, scoring 26.5 points and making 10.3 assists per game. He became only the second player in his school's history to score over 1,000 points. In his second year, he led his team to win their first state title.

After that, he moved to St. Patrick High School. He had to wait 30 days before playing due to the transfer rules. At St. Patrick, he played with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, another top player.

In his first season at St. Patrick, Kyrie averaged 17.0 points and 6.0 assists. He helped his team win their third state championship in four years. In 2009, he was named MVP of the Nike Global Challenge tournament. In his senior year, he averaged 24.0 points and 7.0 assists.

Kyrie was chosen for the 2010 Junior National Select Team. He also played in the McDonald's All-American Game and the 2010 Jordan Brand Classic. He was named co-MVP in the Jordan Brand Classic. In June 2010, Kyrie won a gold medal with the U.S. team at the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship.

College Basketball at Duke

Kyrie Irving decided to play college basketball for Duke University. He announced his decision on television in October 2009. He played for the Duke Blue Devils during the 2010–2011 season. Their coach was the famous Mike Krzyzewski.

In his first eight games, Kyrie averaged 17.4 points per game. He was a top contender for NCAA Freshman of the Year. However, he injured his right big toe in his ninth game. He returned to play on March 17, just before Duke's first NCAA tournament game.

Duke made it to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament. They lost to Arizona. Kyrie scored 28 points in that game, which was his last for Duke.

Professional Career Highlights

Cleveland Cavaliers (2011–2017)

Becoming Rookie of the Year

Irving (with ball) at the 2011 NBA draft with other draftees

Kyrie Irving decided to leave college early and enter the 2011 NBA draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers picked him as the very first player. He was chosen for the 2012 Rising Stars Challenge. In that game, he scored 34 points and was named MVP.

He also won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2012. He was the only player chosen for the NBA All-Rookie First Team by everyone. In his first season, he averaged 18.5 points and 5.4 assists per game.

First All-Star Appearances

Irving during warm-ups in 2012

In July 2012, Kyrie broke his right hand during practice. He needed surgery for the injury. Later, he injured his index finger. He even played with a protective face mask after breaking a bone in his face.

In one game, he scored 41 points against the New York Knicks. He was the youngest player to score 40 points in Madison Square Garden. Coaches selected Kyrie for his first All-Star game. He also won the Three-Point Contest. He finished his second season averaging 22.5 points and 5.9 assists.

Irving at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards in January 2013

All-Star Game MVP and Big Scoring Games

Irving in October 2013

Fans voted Kyrie to start for the Eastern Conference in the 2014 NBA All-Star game. He was named the All-Star game MVP. He scored 31 points and had 14 assists as the East won.

On February 28, 2014, Kyrie achieved his first career triple-double. He had 21 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. On April 5, 2014, he scored a career-high 44 points. He averaged 20.8 points and 6.1 assists for the season.

Joining the Big Three and First NBA Finals

Irving shoots a jump shot against the Dallas Mavericks in 2014

In July 2014, Kyrie signed a new contract with the Cavaliers. LeBron James returned to Cleveland, and Kevin Love joined the team. They formed a new "Big Three." The team had a tough start but then went on a winning streak.

Kyrie scored a career-high 55 points on January 28, 2015. He made 11 three-pointers in that game, a team record. On March 12, 2015, he scored an amazing 57 points. This included a shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

Irving against Russell Westbrook in 2015

Kyrie helped the Cavaliers reach the 2015 NBA Finals. However, he got a knee injury in Game 1 and missed the rest of the series. The Cavaliers lost the Finals in six games.

Winning the NBA Championship

Irving during warm-ups before Game 4 of the 2016 NBA Finals in Cleveland

Kyrie returned to play in December 2015 after his knee injury. He scored a season-high 32 points in January 2016. The Cavaliers finished as the top team in their conference.

In the playoffs, Kyrie scored 31 points in Game 1 against the Detroit Pistons. The Cavaliers swept the Pistons. They reached the 2016 NBA Finals again, facing the Golden State Warriors. The Cavaliers were down 3–1 in the series.

In Game 5, Kyrie and LeBron James each scored 41 points. This helped the Cavaliers win and force a Game 6. In Game 7, Kyrie made a crucial three-pointer with 53 seconds left. This shot gave the Cavaliers the lead and helped them win the championship 93–89. They became the first team to come back from a 3–1 Finals deficit. This ended a 52-year championship drought for Cleveland sports.

Chasing Another Title

In the 2016–2017 season, Kyrie continued to play well. He scored 29 points in the first game after receiving his championship ring. He had a career-high 13 assists in December. On January 23, 2017, he scored a season-high 49 points.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, Kyrie scored a playoff career-high 42 points. This helped the Cavaliers reach their third straight NBA Finals. They faced the Golden State Warriors again in the 2017 NBA Finals. Kyrie scored 40 points in Game 4 to avoid a sweep. However, the Cavaliers lost the series 4–1.

Boston Celtics (2017–2019)

Joining the Celtics and Injury

Irving in his debut for the Celtics against his former team, the Cavaliers

In July 2017, Kyrie asked to be traded from the Cavaliers. He wanted to be the main player on his own team. In August, he was traded to the Boston Celtics.

In his first game for the Celtics, he scored 22 points and had 10 assists. On November 20, 2017, Kyrie scored 47 points, including 10 in overtime. This helped the Celtics win their 16th straight game.

On March 24, 2018, Kyrie had surgery on his left knee. He was ruled out for the rest of the season and the playoffs. Without him, the Celtics still made it to the Conference Finals. They lost to his former team, the Cavaliers.

Irving guarding former teammate LeBron James in October 2017

All-NBA Second Team Selection

In the 2018–2019 season, Kyrie played his first game since March. On November 16, he scored a season-high 43 points and had 11 assists. This was his first time scoring 40 points with 10 or more assists.

On December 25, he scored 40 points and had 10 rebounds in an overtime win. On January 16, 2019, Kyrie had a career-high 18 assists. On March 14, he recorded his second career triple-double. He had 31 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds.

In his first playoff game as a Celtic, Kyrie played very well. In Game 2 of the first round, he scored 37 points. In Game 1 of the second round, he had 26 points and 11 assists. The Celtics lost the series to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Brooklyn Nets (2019–2023)

Debut and Injury

On July 7, 2019, Kyrie signed with the Brooklyn Nets. In his first game for the Nets on October 23, 2019, he scored 50 points. He also had eight rebounds and seven assists. He was the first player in NBA history to score 50 points or more in a team debut.

Kyrie missed 26 games due to a right shoulder injury. He returned on January 12, 2020. On January 31, he scored a season-high 54 points. On February 20, it was announced he would need surgery on his shoulder, ending his season.

Amazing Shooting Season

In the Nets' first game of the 2020–2021 season, Kyrie scored 25 points. On February 18, 2021, he was named an Eastern Conference starter for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. On May 6, he scored a season-high 45 points.

At the end of the season, he became the ninth player in NBA history to join the 50–40–90 club. This means he shot over 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% from the free-throw line. He was only the fourth player to average over 25 points while achieving this.

Kyrie sprained his right ankle during the playoffs. He missed Game 5 of the Conference Semifinals. The Nets lost the series in seven games.

Playing Through Challenges

Irving in 2022

In October 2021, the Nets announced Kyrie could not play or practice with the team. This was due to New York City's rules about health. In December, he returned as a part-time player for games outside New York. On January 5, 2022, he made his season debut.

Many people thought Kyrie should have been on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. This team honored the 75 greatest players in NBA history. Former teammates and fans criticized his exclusion.

On March 8, Kyrie scored a season-high 50 points. A week later, he scored a career-high and Nets franchise-record 60 points. On March 23, the rules changed, allowing Kyrie to play at the Barclays Center. On March 27, he played his first home game of the season.

In the playoffs, Kyrie scored 34 points and had 12 assists in a play-in game. In Game 1 of the first round, he scored 39 points. He was fined for some actions during that game. Brooklyn lost to Boston in four games.

Trade Request and Move to Dallas

After the 2021–2022 season, there was talk about Kyrie leaving the Nets. He decided to stay for the 2022–23 NBA season. On November 3, 2022, the Nets suspended Kyrie for some games.

On December 16, Kyrie scored 32 points and made a game-winning three-pointer. In the next game, he scored 38 points. On January 20, 2023, he scored a season-high 48 points. On January 26, he was named an Eastern Conference starter for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. On February 4, Kyrie asked to be traded.

Dallas Mavericks (2023–Present)

Joining Luka Dončić

On February 6, 2023, the Nets traded Kyrie to the Dallas Mavericks. He joined the Mavericks along with Markieff Morris. On February 8, Kyrie made his Mavericks debut. He scored 24 points in a win.

On March 2, Kyrie scored 40 points. His teammate Luka Dončić scored 42 points in the same game. This was the first time two Mavericks players scored 40 points in one game. Kyrie signed a new contract with the Mavericks on July 7, 2023.

Strong Performances and Fourth Finals Appearance

On January 11, 2024, Kyrie scored 44 points and had 10 assists. On March 17, he made a game-winning shot against the defending champion Denver Nuggets. This shot was a record for the longest game-winning hook shot ever. On April 7, Kyrie scored a season-high 48 points.

He nearly achieved another 50–40–90 season in 2024. He shot 49.7% from the field, 41.1% from three-point range, and 90.5% from the free-throw line.

On May 30, in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, Kyrie scored 36 points. This helped Dallas win the series and advance to the 2024 NBA Finals. They faced Kyrie's former team, the Boston Celtics. The Mavericks lost the Finals in five games.

Many sports writers said this season was a "renaissance" for Kyrie's career. He showed top-level performances and statistics again.

Recent Season and Injury

On February 1, 2025, his teammate Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. On February 10, Kyrie was named an injury replacement for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game. This was his ninth All-Star selection. On March 3, Kyrie tore his ACL in a game against the Sacramento Kings. This injury ended his season.

On July 6, 2025, Kyrie re-signed with the Mavericks for three more years.

National Team Career

Irving with Team USA at the 2014 World Basketball Festival

In 2012, Kyrie could have played for the Australian team in the Olympics. But he chose to try for the United States national team instead.

Kyrie was part of the U.S. national team that played in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He helped Team USA win the gold medal. He was named the tournament's MVP. He started all nine games, averaging 12.1 points and 3.6 assists. He scored 26 points in the gold-medal game. He was also named the 2014 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year.

In 2016, Kyrie helped Team USA win the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. With this win, he became one of only four Team USA players to win an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal in the same year. The others are LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2011–12	Cleveland	51	51	30.5	.469	.399	.872	3.7	5.4	1.1	.4	18.5
2012–13	Cleveland	59	59	34.7	.452	.391	.855	3.7	5.9	1.5	.4	22.5
2013–14	Cleveland	71	71	35.2	.430	.358	.861	3.6	6.1	1.5	.3	20.8
2014–15	Cleveland	75	75	36.4	.468	.415	.863	3.2	5.2	1.5	.3	21.7
2015–16	Cleveland	53	53	31.5	.448	.321	.885	3.0	4.7	1.1	.3	19.6
2016–17	Cleveland	72	72	35.1	.473	.401	.905	3.2	5.8	1.2	.3	25.2
2017–18	Boston	60	60	32.2	.491	.408	.889	3.8	5.1	1.1	.3	24.4
2018–19	Boston	67	67	33.0	.487	.401	.873	5.0	6.9	1.5	.5	23.8
2019–20	Brooklyn	20	20	32.9	.478	.394	.922	5.2	6.4	1.4	.5	27.4
2020–21	Brooklyn	54	54	34.9	.506	.402	.922	4.8	6.0	1.4	.7	26.9
2021–22	Brooklyn	29	29	37.6	.469	.418	.915	4.4	5.8	1.4	.6	27.4
2022–23	Brooklyn	40	40	36.9	.486	.374	.883	5.1	5.3	1.0	.8	27.1
2022–23	Dallas	20	20	38.1	.510	.392	.947	5.0	6.0	1.3	.6	27.0
2023–24	Dallas	58	58	35.0	.497	.411	.905	5.0	5.2	1.3	.5	25.6
2024–25	Dallas	50	50	36.1	.473	.401	.916	4.8	4.6	1.3	.5	24.7
Career		779	779	34.5	.474	.394	.888	4.1	5.6	1.3	.4	23.7
All-Star		9	6	25.3	.598	.460	.750	6.0	9.2	1.2	.1	19.1

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015	Cleveland	13	13	35.7	.438	.450	.841	3.6	3.8	1.3	.8	19.0
2016	Cleveland	21	21	36.8	.475	.440	.875	3.0	4.7	1.7	.6	25.2
2017	Cleveland	18	18	36.3	.468	.373	.905	2.8	5.3	1.3	.4	25.9
2019	Boston	9	9	36.7	.385	.310	.900	4.4	7.0	1.3	.4	21.3
2021	Brooklyn	9	9	36.1	.472	.369	.929	5.8	3.4	1.0	.6	22.7
2022	Brooklyn	4	4	42.6	.444	.381	1.000	5.3	5.3	1.8	1.3	21.3
2024	Dallas	22*	22*	40.0	.467	.390	.849	3.7	5.1	1.0	.3	22.1
Career		96	96	37.5	.458	.392	.883	3.7	4.9	1.3	.6	23.0

College

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2010–11	Duke	11	8	27.5	.529	.462	.901	3.4	4.3	1.5	.5	17.5

Awards and Honors

NBA

NBA champion: 2016
9-time NBA All-Star: 2013–2015, 2017–2019, 2021, 2023, 2025
NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2014
All-NBA Second Team: 2019
All-NBA Third Team: 2015, 2021
NBA Rookie of the Year: 2012
NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2012
NBA Three-Point Contest champion: 2013
Rising Stars Challenge MVP: 2012

USA Basketball

Summer Olympics gold medal winner: 2016
FIBA Basketball World Cup gold medal winner: 2014
FIBA Basketball World Cup MVP: 2014
USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year: 2014

High school

McDonald's All-American: 2010
Nike Hoop Summit All-American: 2010
Jordan Brand High School All-American: 2010
First-team Parade All-American: 2010

Media

Best Team ESPY Award (with the Cavaliers): 2016

Acting Roles

In 2012, Kyrie Irving played a character named Uncle Drew in Pepsi Max advertisements. He also wrote and directed some of these ads. He starred alongside famous players like Bill Russell and Kevin Love. In 2018, the Uncle Drew ads became a feature film. Other former NBA stars were in the movie too.

Kyrie also appeared on the Disney XD show Kickin' It in 2012. He did voice work for an episode of Family Guy in 2018.

Business Ventures

Kyrie Irving has a shoe deal with Nike. His signature sneakers were very popular. He also had special sneaker collections based on TV shows like Friends and SpongeBob SquarePants. These collections sold out quickly.

In September 2023, Kyrie announced a new partnership with the Chinese sports brand Anta Sports. He became the Chief Creative Officer of Anta Basketball. They plan to launch basketball camps for kids around the world.

In December 2023, Kyrie invested in a sneaker platform called Kicks Crew. He also joined the company as Chief Community Officer. He will work on projects that combine art and basketball.

Personal Life

Kyrie Irving has said that he is a Muslim. He has publicly fasted for Ramadan. He enjoys reading and keeping a journal. He also likes to sing, dance, and play the baritone sax. His godfather is former NBA player Rod Strickland. Kyrie has a daughter with his ex-girlfriend.

Former NBA player Isaiah Briscoe is Kyrie's third cousin.

Kyrie has been with Marlene Wilkerson since 2018. They have two sons together.

In August 2018, Kyrie and his older sister were honored at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. This was to recognize their family ties to the community. His mother had connections to the tribe. Since then, Kyrie has supported the tribe with donations. He also designed Nike shoes dedicated to the Lakota people. In 2021, Kyrie became an official member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

Kyrie has adopted a plant-based diet.

Activism

In November 2016, Kyrie Irving showed support for the water protectors at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.

Kyrie has given money to many social causes through his K.A.I. Family Foundation. In 2020, he donated a home to the family of George Floyd. He also paid off student debt for students at Lincoln University. He gave $1.5 million to help WNBA players who chose not to play during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kyrie has also donated over $300,000 to food banks. He gave 17 pallets of food to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

On July 29, 2021, Kyrie built a solar water center in Pakistan. He did this with the Paani Project through his foundation.