Kyrie Irving facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kyrie Irving

Irving with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022
No. 11 – Dallas Mavericks
Shooting guard / point guard
Personal information
Born	(1992-03-23) 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	Cleveland Cavaliers
2017–2019	Boston Celtics
2019–2023	Brooklyn Nets
2023–present	Dallas Mavericks
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2016) 8× NBA All-Star (2013–2015, 2017–2019, 2021, 2023) NBA All-Star Game MVP (2014) All-NBA Second Team (2019) 2× All-NBA Third Team (2015, 2021) 50–40–90 club (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). Many people think he is one of the best ball handlers ever.

Kyrie was chosen as the 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 All-Star eight times. He has also been named to the All-NBA Team three times.

In 2016, Irving won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers. He made the winning three-pointer in the 2016 NBA Finals. This helped the Cavaliers make a huge comeback against the Golden State Warriors. After playing for the Cavaliers, he joined the Boston Celtics in 2017. Later, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019. In 2023, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks.

Kyrie has also played for the U.S. national team. He won gold medals at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

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 two sisters, Asia and London. When Kyrie was two years old, his family moved to the United States. He has citizenship in both America and Australia.

His mother passed away when he was four. His father, Drederick, who played college basketball, raised him. Kyrie grew up in West Orange, New Jersey. He often watched his dad play in adult basketball games.

Kyrie decided he wanted to play in the NBA after a school trip. In fourth grade, he played at Continental Airlines Arena. He promised himself, "I will play in the NBA." As a teenager, he played for the Road Runners, an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team.

High School Basketball Journey

Irving with his high school teammate and future NBA player Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Kyrie started his high school career at Montclair Kimberley Academy. In his first two years, he was amazing. He scored over 1,000 points for the school. He led his team to their first state title in New Jersey.

After two years, he moved to St. Patrick High School. He wanted to challenge himself more. At St. Patrick, he played with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Michael was also a top player.

In his first year at St. Patrick, Kyrie helped his team win a state title. In 2009, he was named MVP of the Nike Global Challenge. He also played in important games like the 2010 McDonald's All-American Boys Game. In June 2010, he won a gold medal with the U.S. team at the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship.

College Career at Duke

Kyrie decided to play college basketball for Duke. He joined the team in 2010. He played under famous coach Mike Krzyzewski.

He played very well in his first eight games. He was a top contender for Freshman of the Year. But then, he hurt his right big toe. This injury kept him out for most of the season.

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

Professional Basketball Career

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

After one year at Duke, Kyrie decided to join the NBA. He was picked first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2011–2017)

Becoming Rookie of the Year

Kyrie quickly showed how good he was. He played in the 2012 Rising Stars Challenge. He scored 34 points and won MVP honors. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. He was the only player to be picked by everyone for the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In his first season, he averaged 18.5 points and 5.4 assists per game.

First All-Star Game and Awards

In July 2012, Kyrie broke his right hand during practice. He needed surgery. He came back to play, even with a broken bone in his face. He wore a protective mask. 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 picked 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.

All-Star Game MVP

Fans voted Kyrie to start in the 2014 NBA All-Star game. He was named the All-Star Game MVP. He scored 31 points and had 14 assists. On February 28, 2014, Kyrie got his first triple-double. This means he had double-digits in points, assists, and rebounds in one game. He scored a career-high 44 points on April 5, 2014.

Joining the Big Three and First NBA Finals

On July 10, 2014, Kyrie signed a big contract with the Cavaliers. LeBron James returned to Cleveland, and Kevin Love joined the team. They formed a "Big Three." The team had some ups and downs at first.

On January 28, 2015, Kyrie scored a career-high 55 points against Portland. He made 11 three-pointers, a team record. On March 12, 2015, he scored an even higher career-high of 57 points. He made a buzzer-beating three-pointer to send the game into overtime.

The Cavaliers made it to the NBA Finals. Kyrie got injured in Game 1 and missed the rest of the series. The Cavaliers lost the series to the Golden State Warriors.

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. The Cavaliers finished first in their conference. In the playoffs, Kyrie played very well. He scored 31 points in Game 1 of the first round.

The Cavaliers reached the 2016 NBA Finals again. They faced the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors were leading 3-1 in the series. This meant they only needed one more win to be champions. But Kyrie and LeBron James played incredibly well. In Game 5, they both scored 41 points. This was the first time two teammates scored 40 points each in an NBA Finals game.

In Game 7, Kyrie made a huge three-pointer with 53 seconds left. This shot gave the Cavaliers the lead. They won the game 93-89. The Cavaliers won the series 4-3. They became the first team to win the Finals after being down 3-1. This ended a 52-year championship drought for Cleveland sports.

Chasing Another Title

On October 25, 2016, Kyrie received his first championship ring. He scored 29 points in the first game of the season. He had many great games that season. On January 23, 2017, he scored a season-high 49 points. On March 15, he had a career-high 14 assists.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, Kyrie scored 42 points in Game 4. This helped the Cavaliers win the series. They reached the 2017 NBA Finals for the third year in a row. They played the Golden State Warriors again. Kyrie scored 40 points in Game 4. But the Cavaliers lost the series 4-1.

Boston Celtics (2017–2019)

Moving to Boston

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.

Irving in his first game for the Celtics against his old team, the Cavaliers

In his first game for the Celtics, he scored 22 points and had 10 assists. On November 20, 2017, he scored 47 points in overtime against the Dallas Mavericks. This helped the Celtics win their 16th game in a row. This was their longest winning streak in seven years.

In March 2018, Kyrie had surgery on his left knee. This meant he missed the rest of the season and the playoffs.

All-NBA Second Team

Kyrie returned for the 2018-2019 season. On November 16, he scored 43 points and had 11 assists. This was his first game with at least 40 points and 10 assists. On January 16, 2019, he had a career-high 18 assists.

On March 14, he got his second career triple-double. He had 31 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team for his great play. In the playoffs, he helped the Celtics win their first-round series.

Brooklyn Nets (2019–2023)

Joining the Nets

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

He missed 26 games due to a shoulder injury. He returned in January 2020. On January 31, he scored a season-high 54 points. In February 2020, he had surgery on his shoulder. This ended his season.

The 50–40–90 Season

In the 2020-2021 season, Kyrie played very well. 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, Kyrie joined the exclusive 50–40–90 club. This means he shot at least 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% from the free-throw line. Only a few players in NBA history have achieved this.

In the playoffs, Kyrie sprained his right ankle. He missed some games. The Nets lost in seven games.

Playing in Brooklyn

Irving with the Nets in 2022

On March 8, 2022, Kyrie scored a season-high 50 points. He shot very well, making 15 of 19 shots. On March 15, he set a new career-high and Nets franchise record. He scored 60 points in a game! He made 41 of those points in the first half.

On April 12, Kyrie scored 34 points and had 12 assists in a play-in game. This helped the Nets get into the playoffs. In Game 1 of the first round, he scored 39 points. However, the Nets lost the series in four games.

Dallas Mavericks (2023–present)

New Team, New Start

On February 6, 2023, Kyrie was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He joined star player Luka Dončić. On February 8, he made his Mavericks debut. He scored 24 points in a win.

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

Fourth NBA 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 Denver Nuggets. It was a record-breaking 21-foot floater. On April 7, he scored a season-high 48 points.

Kyrie had another great season, almost reaching the 50-40-90 club again. On May 30, he scored 36 points in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. This helped the Mavericks win the series. They advanced to the 2024 NBA Finals for the first time since 2011. They faced Kyrie's former team, the Boston Celtics. The Mavericks lost the Finals in five games. Many people called this season a "renaissance" for Kyrie's career.

National Team Career

Irving with Team USA at the 2014 World Basketball Festival

Kyrie could have played for the Australian team in the 2012 Olympics. But he chose to play for the United States national team.

In 2014, he helped Team USA win the gold medal at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He was named the tournament's MVP. He started all nine games and averaged 12.1 points. 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. He became only the fourth player to win both an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal in the same year.

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
	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
Career		729	729	34.4	.474	.393	.886	4.0	5.7	1.3	.4	23.6
All-Star		8	6	26.6	.602	.449	.750	6.0	9.9	.9	.1	20.1

Play-in

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

Awards and Honors

NBA

• NBA champion: 2016
• 8-time NBA All-Star: 2013–2015, 2017–2019, 2021, 2023
• 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 and Fun Facts

In 2012, Kyrie started playing a character called "Uncle Drew" in Pepsi Max commercials. He even wrote and directed some of these ads! In 2018, "Uncle Drew" became a full-length movie.

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

Kyrie 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.

Business Ventures

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

In 2023, Kyrie started a new partnership with a Chinese sports brand called Anta Sports. He also became their Chief Creative Officer for Anta Basketball. They plan to open youth basketball camps around the world. In December 2023, Kyrie also invested in a sneaker platform called Kicks Crew.

Personal Life and Community Work

Kyrie has a daughter with his ex-girlfriend. He also has two sons with Marlene Wilkerson, whom he has been with since 2018.

In August 2018, Kyrie and his older sister were honored by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. This was because of their family ties to the community. Kyrie has also supported the water protectors at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. He has donated to the tribe and designed Nike shoes inspired by the Lakota people. In 2021, he officially became a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

Since the 2016-2017 season, Kyrie has followed a mostly plant-based diet. He later switched to a 100% plant-based diet. Kyrie has also stated that he is a Muslim and has publicly fasted for Ramadan.

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 committed $1.5 million to help WNBA players who chose not to play during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also donated food to food banks and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. In 2021, he helped build a solar water center in Pakistan.

Images for kids

• 

  Irving during warm-ups in 2012

• 

  Irving with the Cleveland Cavaliers in October 2013

• 

  Irving shoots a jump shot vs the Dallas Mavericks in 2014

• 

  Irving against Russell Westbrook in 2015

• 

  Irving guarding former teammate LeBron James in October 2017

• 

  Irving with the Nets in 2022

See also

In Spanish: Kyrie Irving para niños

• List of NBA career 3-point scoring leaders
• List of NBA career free throw percentage leaders
• List of NBA career playoff 3-point scoring leaders
• List of NBA single-game scoring leaders
• List of NBA single-game 3-point field goal leaders
• List of NBA players born outside the United States