Kyrie Irving's strong statement before returning to play after 19 months

Kyrie Irving is ready to return to the court after being away from competition for 19 months due to a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee. The 34-year-old veteran point guard for the Dallas Mavericks stated during the preseason media day that he has no physical restrictions stemming from the injury he suffered on March 3, 2025.

Irving himself believes that the long period away from the court has also allowed him to reflect on his career and the person he wants to be during the next stage. His return comes at a time of deep renewal for the Mavericks, who finished last season with a record of 26-56 and face the new season with Masai Ujiri as president, Dusty May as coach, and Cooper Flagg as one of their major additions.

Irving claims he is ready to compete again

Irving's first appearance before the media since the injury was marked by a strong message. The point guard asserted that he is prepared to compete without physical limitations and acknowledged that he knows he will have to respond to questions about his condition after such a lengthy absence.

"I’m ready to get out there and dominate," said Irving, 34, on Friday during the Mavericks' preseason media day, marking the first time he spoke to the press since suffering the injury on March 3, 2025. "I know that the criticism or doubts about my current level will be inevitable. But I have the confidence of a champion.

"... This is a league where what you’ve done lately is all that matters, and everyone wants to see it up close. So I'm excited to lace up my shoes, jump on the court with my teammates, and show everyone what I'm capable of again. It’s like riding a bike."

The message comes after 19 months without playing an official game. Irving, a nine-time All-Star, will not only have to regain competitive feelings but will also return to a team that has changed significantly during his absence.

Masai Ujiri sees Irving at the "ideal point"

The new president of the Mavericks, Masai Ujiri, also expressed satisfaction with the point guard's physical condition. Ujiri stated that Irving is at the right moment in his recovery and pointed out that now he needs to regain game rhythm.

The executive was asked about the player's health status and replied that Irving is "in the ideal point."

"You expect him to play games and get back into the rhythm right away," Ujiri said.

Ujiri’s assessment makes it clear that the next step for Irving will be to translate all the work done during these 19 months into games. The player, for his part, maintains that there are no physical restrictions limiting his return.

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The injury also changed Irving's perspective

Beyond the physical recovery, Irving explained that the long period without competing allowed him to take time to reflect on various aspects of his life and career. The point guard believes that he arrives at this new stage with a different perspective on leadership and communication.

"About where I want to be as a player and, more importantly, where I want to be as a man," he stated. "How can people see me as a better leader, a better communicator, someone more emotional and vulnerable? And also adopting the attitude of finally acting my age. I’m 34 years old and heading into my sixteenth season. I’ve been through a lot; I’ve experienced many ups and downs as a person." "But I believe that, as a competitor, you will never have to worry about me not giving my best on the court."

For this reason, Irving even described the injury as "probably the best thing that happened to me." The time away from basketball allowed him to pause and reflect on where he wanted to be both as a player and personally.

Now he intends to translate that experience into his return to the court, maintaining the competitive intensity that has characterized his career.

Dallas faces a complete renewal

Irving's return comes as the Mavericks undergo a deep transformation. Dallas finished last season with a record of 26-56, a tally that took the team to the draft lottery and marked their worst season in eight years.

The franchise hired Masai Ujiri as the new president in early May. Later, at the end of June, Ujiri chose Dusty May as head coach to replace Jason Kidd.

May joins the NBA after leading Michigan to the NCAA title last season. His hiring makes him the first coach to move directly from college basketball to a head coaching position in the NBA since John Beilein left Michigan to join the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019.

May himself acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge that comes with coaching a player of Irving's experience.

"Kyrie has seen and accomplished as much as almost anyone else in the league. I hope to coach him only when I can add value," May commented.

Irving and Cooper Flagg are already thinking about what they can build together

One of the main novelties for Irving will be teaming up with Cooper Flagg, who was unanimously selected Rookie of the Year last season.

The point guard expressed particular excitement about the opportunity to grow alongside the young player and believes that the combination of both could become one of the central points of Dallas's new project.

"I look forward to the opportunity to grow alongside him," Irving said. "High-level basketball players, no matter their age... if you put us on the court, we’re going to win games."

Flagg also positively assessed the opportunity to share the court with Irving and explained that they have already been able to work together over the summer.

"Having someone like that on the court with you at all times will be amazing. The time we’ve been able to spend together on the court over the summer has been beneficial for both in forging that connection. I’m very excited." "I think it’s going to be a lot of fun sharing the court."

The relationship between the two will be one of the main developments for a Mavericks team that needs to recover from a season in which they finished with only 26 wins.

Dwight Powell also continues in Dallas

In parallel to the news about Irving, the Mavericks announced on Friday the renewal of Dwight Powell, who will continue with a franchise he initially joined in December 2014.

Powell joined Dallas during his rookie season after being traded by the Boston Celtics. His continuity represents another link to a previous era of the franchise as the team undergoes a reconstruction of its sports project.

Dallas now faces a preseason in which it can start to see how the new core formed around Irving and Flagg functions.

The Mavericks will debut in preseason in Macau

The preparation schedule will take the Mavericks to Macau, China, where they will play two preseason games against the Houston Rockets on October 9 and 11.

The regular season will begin on October 21, also against Houston, but this time as visitors. Dallas's first game in front of its fans will come on October 24, when they host the San Antonio Spurs, champions of the Western Conference.

By then, all eyes will be on Irving. After 19 months out due to a serious knee injury, the point guard assures that he has no physical restrictions and is ready to demonstrate his level again.

The combination of his return, the arrival of Dusty May to the bench, the new structure led by Ujiri, and the presence of Cooper Flagg marks the start of a new era for Dallas. Irving, for his part, arrives with a clear idea: to compete again and prove that the time away from the court has not changed his ability to perform at the highest level.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La contundente declaración de Kyrie Irving antes de volver a jugar tras 19 meses