Kyrie Irving's Honest Quote About Boston Celtics Before NBA Finals

Kyrie Irving did an interview with ESPN's Malika Andrews before the NBA Finals.

Nov 8, 2018; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving (11) handles the ball against the Phoenix Suns in the first half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Boston Celtics won 116-109 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports / Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

On Thursday evening, Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks will play the Boston Celtics in Massachusetts for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Irving spent two seasons with Boston, but the tenure didn't go as expected.

The team never got out of the second round of the playoffs, and he left for the Brooklyn Nets (via free agency) in the summer of 2019.

Before Game 1, Irving did an interview with ESPN's Malika Andrews and was asked about Boston.

Andrews: "We're sitting here in TD Garden, a building that you are certainly familiar with. You've had plenty of ups and downs here in Boston. How do you reflect on that time now?"

Irving: "I would not be here without Boston, literally and figuratively just because without me going through what I went through here, I would not be who I am today. And then without my mom and my dad meeting at Boston University, I literally wouldn't be here. I'm grateful that I have history here. Some of it is up and down, but I've accepted it."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NBA on ESPN (@nbaonespn)

Irving is in his second year with Dallas after getting traded (via the Nets) during the middle of the 2022-23 season.

Through the first 17 games of the 2024 playoffs, the former Duke star is averaging 22.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.2 steals per contest while shooting 48.5% from the field and 42.1% from the three-point range.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NBA (@nba)

In addition to the Mavs, Nets and Celtics, the 2016 NBA Champion has also spent time with the Cleveland Cavaliers over his 13 seasons in the league.

"I would not be here without Boston, literally and figuratively just because without me going through what I went through here, I would not be who I am today... I'm grateful that I have history here."

Kyrie Irving on his time with the Celtics.pic.twitter.com/nMYOsyZFl1

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 6, 2024