Kyrie Irving is back, healthy, and ready to absolutely kick some butt, telling reporters on Sept. 26, “I’m ready to go out there and kick some butt.” That’s the word directly from the now 34-year-old guard, who has been itching to get back on the court after missing the entire 2025-26 season. After a maddening punt of a season, Irving is ready to silence the doubters and show everyone what he’s got again.
A Long Road Back From Disaster
Remember when the “sunshine pumpers” were swearing Kyrie would be back by New Year 2025? Well, that turned out to be pure fantasy. He originally tore his left ACL way back on March 3, 2025, during a game against the Sacramento Kings. A full year recovery window meant it was always going to be closer to March 2026 for his return. But then, when March rolled around, the Mavericks were in such rough shape with a terrible 26-56 record in Cooper Flagg’s rookie campaign, it made zero sense to risk re-aggravating his knee. The team even missed out on a top-five draft pick despite their terrible season. So, that was it: Irving had no age-33 season at all. The entire 2025-26 season was a frustrating wash.
“It’s Just Like Riding a Bike”
But now, things are different. The Mavs have a new look, sans Nico Harrison, sans Jason Kidd, and sans Anthony Davis, with a young roster surrounding a healthy Kyrie. He confirmed at media day that he’s moving, working out, and playing with no restriction of movement. “I know that naysayers or some of the questions around where I’m going to be are going to be inevitable,” Irving said, but he’s not letting that get to him. “I have the confidence of a champion. This is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately type of league, and everybody wants to see it up close. So I’m looking forward to being able to lace up my shoes and being on the court with my teammates and show everybody what I’ve got again. It’s just like riding a bike.” Even Coach Dusty May gave a positive update on Sept. 26, saying he “can’t imagine that this is as close to 100% as he can be. He played well. He was engaged.” Fans are hyped by every workout video this offseason, dreaming of him torching young whipper-snappers for 25 a night.
The biggest, most glaring question hanging over the 2026-27 season is this: Can Old Man River truly return to form? We’ll start to get our answer when the Mavericks tip off their season against the Houston Rockets on Oct. 21 at 7:30 CST. Get ready to see if that champion’s confidence is for real.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mavs Moneyball.
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