Kyrie Irving walked into Dallas Mavericks media day with a clean bill of health, 19 months removed from the torn ACL in his left knee that ended his 2025 season. The 34-year-old guard said he has no restrictions as training camp opens and feels ready to resume a central role for a franchise entering a new season under new leadership.
Irving had not spoken publicly since suffering the injury on March 3, 2025. On Friday, he described the setback as a turning point rather than simply lost time, calling it perhaps the best development of his career. He said he expects questions about his level after such a long absence, but carries the confidence of a champion into his 16th NBA season.
“I’m ready to get out there and kick some butt,” Irving said. “People are going to have doubts and questions about where I’ll be, and that comes with it. But I want to put my shoes back on, get on the floor with my teammates and show what I can do again. It feels like riding a bike.”
New Mavericks president Masai Ujiri said Irving is essentially back physically, while noting that the next step is seeing him handle a regular game load. “Health-wise, he’s right there,” Ujiri said. “You hope he plays games and gets back into the rhythm of it.”
The rehabilitation period also gave Irving room to consider what he wants his voice to look like inside a locker room. He said he has focused on becoming a more effective leader and communicator, with greater emotional openness, while accepting the responsibilities that come with being a 34-year-old veteran.
“I’ve been thinking about where I want to be as a player, but more importantly as a man,” Irving said. “How can people see me as a better leader and communicator, more emotional and vulnerable? It is time to act my age. I’ve been through plenty of highs and lows, but nobody should ever question whether I’ll give my best as a competitor.”
A new Dallas framework around Irving
Irving returns to a much different operation after Dallas finished 26-56 last season, its poorest record in eight years and a lottery finish. Ujiri arrived as president in early May, then selected Dusty May as head coach in late June to replace Jason Kidd.
May comes to Dallas after leading Michigan to the NCAA championship last season. He is the first coach to move directly from college basketball into an NBA head-coaching job since John Beilein left Michigan for Cleveland in 2019.
The new coach will begin his NBA tenure with one of the league’s most accomplished guards. Irving is a nine-time All-Star, and May said his approach will be to offer direction where it can genuinely help rather than overcoach a player with Irving’s résumé.
“Kyrie has experienced and accomplished as much as almost anybody in the league,” May said. “I expect to coach him when I can bring something of value.”
For the first time, Irving will share a full season with Cooper Flagg, the unanimous Kia Rookie of the Year last season. Irving sees the pairing as an opportunity for both players to develop together, arguing that elite players can find winning basketball regardless of their age difference.
Flagg said the pair has already spent useful time together on the court during the summer. “Having a player like him with you all the time is going to be amazing,” Flagg said. “Our summer work has helped us start building that connection. I’m really excited to play alongside him.”
Ujiri said the possible Irving-Flagg partnership is one of the roster’s most intriguing early questions, particularly with May installing his system. Dallas also announced Friday that it had re-signed Dwight Powell, the longest-tenured current Maverick. Powell joined the club as a rookie in December 2014 after a trade from Boston.
The Mavericks will open preseason play with two games against the Houston Rockets in Macao, China, beginning Oct. 9. Dallas then starts the regular season in Houston on Oct. 21 before hosting the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs in its home opener Oct. 24.
