LeBron James: Mavs Kyrie Irving Best Ball Handler 'Ever!'

LeBron James took to social media to praise Dallas Mavericks' Kyrie Irving's ball handling skills.
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Though LeBron James has attempted to reunite with Kyrie Irving on the Los Angeles Lakers over the last two years, nothing has materialized yet. The two have a rich history together, as they made a 3-1 series comeback during their shared time together with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Of course, any kind of reunion will be put on hold even longer now that Irving has re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks, securing his stay in Dallas for at least the next two seasons, with a player option to return for a third.

James is one to praise the Mavericks guard continually, often showing support in press conferences or on social media. The most recent case of this is James claiming Irving is the best ballhandler in the history of basketball:

Again, this comes as no surprise. James will have to compete with Irving this season as both the Lakers and Mavericks are in pursuit of a title. With both playing in the Western Conference, the two will have plenty of opportunities to see each other. 

The 31-year-old point guard played 20 games with the Mavericks after being traded last season, averaging 27 points per game in that span. He shot 39 percent from beyond the arc, too. 

Across his career, Irving has played with some elite, all-time teammates, beginning with the trio of James and Kevin Love, which, as mentioned, won a championship in 2016. Then, he was teammates with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown before teaming up with Kevin Durant. Eventually, James Harden was also added into the mix.

Now, the 6-2 point guard plays alongside Luka Doncic, another great ballhandler and shot maker. The two, with an offseason and playing experience under their belt, will be looking to make a title run together next season. 

The Mavericks had a chance to reload their roster this offseason, and they have potentially equipped Doncic and Irving with the players needed to compete at the highest level. ... and that's surely something James is keeping track of himself if he can't reunite with Irving in L.A.


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Kade Kimble
KADE KIMBLE

Kade has been covering a wide variety of teams ranging from the NFL to the NBA and college athletics since joining Sports Illustrated's FanNation in 2022.