Brendan Haywood Explains How Kyrie Irving Sent Him Into Retirement In Cleveland

• Brendan Haywood was teammates with Kyrie Irving on the 2014-15 Cleveland Cavaliers

• He narrated a story about how Kyrie made him fall out of bounds on a fastbreak by pulling out a move he couldn't keep up with

• Haywood retired after the 2015 Playoffs

The pure basketball ability that Kyrie Irving brings to the court often mystifies players that have seen him play. His ability to dribble and crafty ways of finishing has made his NBA highlight reels must-watch.

Brendan Haywood played alongside Kyrie in his final NBA season on the 2014-15 Cleveland Cavaliers. It was Kyrie's incredible dribbling and finishing abilities that ultimately led to Haywood retiring.  

(Starts at 53:09)

"Kyrie, it's just so simple for him... Guys like that, there's no scouting report to make him pass because he's so offensive gifted. My last year in Cleveland, back when I was really blocking shots, on fast breaks, I'd let you get ahead of me and time you up. We on a fast break, I'm about to time Kyrie up." 

Haywood then described Kyrie euro-stepping past him and causing him to fall out of bounds, telling him it was time to hang it up.

"Man, when I tell you, I took off to go get this block and he just did something, put the ball over the top and Euro the other way. But I kept going, I ran out of bounds into Mike Miller's arms. He's like, 'He got you, didn't he?' I'm like, 'I don't need the sarcasm right now I'm trying to find my knees. That moment I was like, 'Man, these young guys are coming and I don't have any more knees.' So, that's my Kyrie moment."

Haywood was barely in the rotation for the Cavs that season, serving as a locker-room veteran. He averaged 1.6 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks in just 22 played games where he averaged 5.4 minutes per game. 

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Kyrie Irving Looking To Add More Accolades To His Name

Irving is well-regarded for his handles and finishing ability, with many even calling him the greatest dribbler the game has ever seen. But titles like that don't translate into tangible accomplishments that a talent like that should have.

Kyrie has entertained millions of fans with his play style but it hasn't led to playoff success ever since he parted ways with LeBron James. LeBron has been to multiple Finals and won three rings without Kyrie, with Kyrie still chasing a Conference Finals appearance without James.

Hopefully, his time with the Dallas Mavericks leads to postseason success. He averaged 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in 20 games with the Mavs last season. Luka Doncic has already proven to be a playoff killer in the limited games he's played, so he and Irving could shock the world in 2023-24. 

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