Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Kyrie Irving

Discover the career path of Kyrie Irving, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Kyrie Irving is a professional basketball player currently playing for the Dallas Mavericks. Drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011, he was named Rookie of the Year and subsequently won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016. Irving is a nine-time All-Star and a three-time All-NBA Team member, solidifying his status as one of the league's premier players.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

January 14, 1962: Previous Regular-Season High

On March 12, 2015, Irving scored a career-high 57 points, the most points for a player in a regular-season game against the defending champion since January 14, 1962, when Wilt Chamberlain scored 62 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a loss to the Boston Celtics.

1985: Jordan Scored 40 Points

Kyrie was a year younger than Michael Jordan, who scored 40 points in 1985.

March 3, 2005: James's Franchise High

On March 12, 2015, Irving scored a career-high 57 points, including a buzzer-beating three-point shot, surpassing LeBron James's franchise single-game scoring mark of 56 points against the Toronto Raptors on March 3, 2005.

August 2009: Led USA East to Nike Global Challenge Title

In August 2009, Kyrie Irving led the USA East to the tournament title in the Nike Global Challenge, earning MVP honors with 21.3 points and 4.3 assists per game.

January 19, 2010: Selected to Junior National Select Team

On January 19, 2010, Kyrie Irving was selected to the 2010 Junior National Select Team, which played at the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit.

March 16, 2010: Cavaliers First Triple-Double

On February 28, 2014, Kyrie Irving recorded his first career triple-double with 21 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds in a 99–79 victory over the Utah Jazz. This was also the Cavaliers' first triple-double since March 16, 2010.

June 2010: Won Gold at FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship

In June 2010, Kyrie Irving was part of the United States gold medal-winning team at the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship.

2011: Entered the NBA Draft

In 2011, Kyrie Irving announced that he would forgo his final three seasons of eligibility and enter the NBA draft, where he was selected with the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

2011: Joins Cleveland Cavaliers

In 2011, Kyrie Irving joined the Cleveland Cavaliers after playing college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils.

2011: Drafted into the NBA

In 2011, Kyrie Irving was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the NBA draft.

2012: Appeared on Disney XD's Kickin' It

In 2012, Kyrie Irving appeared on an episode of the Disney XD series Kickin' It.

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2012: Starred in Pepsi Max advertisements as Uncle Drew

In 2012, Kyrie Irving played the role of Uncle Drew in a series of Pepsi Max advertisements.

2012: Starred in Kickin' It

In 2012, Kyrie Irving starred as himself in "Kickin' It".

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2012: Consideration for Australian Olympic Team

In 2012, Kyrie Irving was considered for a position on the Australian team for the 2012 Olympics but chose to focus on being selected for the United States national team for the 2016 Olympic Games.

2012: Rising Stars Challenge MVP and Rookie of the Year

In 2012, Kyrie Irving was named to the Rising Stars Challenge, earning MVP honors. He also won the 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year Award.

2013: Career High 41 Points

In 2013, Kyrie Irving scored his then-career-high 41 points against the New York Knicks while wearing a black protective face mask, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to score 40 points in Madison Square Garden.

February 28, 2014: First Career Triple-Double

On February 28, 2014, Kyrie Irving recorded his first career triple-double with 21 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds in a 99–79 victory over the Utah Jazz.

April 5, 2014: Career High 44 Points

On April 5, 2014, Kyrie Irving recorded a then career-high 44 points in a 96–94 overtime loss to the Charlotte Bobcats.

July 10, 2014: Signed Contract Extension with Cavaliers

On July 10, 2014, Kyrie Irving signed a five-year, $90 million contract extension with the Cavaliers.

2014: NBA All-Star Game MVP

In 2014, Kyrie Irving was the All-Star game MVP, recording 31 points and 14 assists as the East beat the West 163–155.

March 12, 2015: Career High 57 Points

On March 12, 2015, Kyrie Irving scored a career-high 57 points, including a buzzer-beating three-point shot, in a 128–125 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, surpassing LeBron James's franchise single-game scoring mark.

November 2015: Release of 'Uncle Drew' Episode 4

In November 2015, Kyrie Irving wrote and directed episode 4 of "Uncle Drew", starring alongside Baron Davis, J. B. Smoove, and Ray Allen.

2015: Launched PSD Underwear collection

In 2015, Irving launched his PSD Underwear collection.

October 25, 2016: Championship Ring and Game-High 29 Points

On October 25, 2016, after receiving his first championship ring prior to the season opener, Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 29 points in a 117–88 victory over the New York Knicks.

November 2016: Support for Standing Rock Water Protectors

In November 2016, Kyrie Irving tweeted his support for the water protectors at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation who were demonstrating against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota.

2016: Focus on US National Team

In 2012, Kyrie Irving chose not to represent his nation of birth in the olympics, instead focusing on selection for the United States national team for the 2016 Olympic Games.

2016: NBA Finals Victory with Cavaliers

In 2016, Kyrie Irving and LeBron James each scored 41 points in Game 5, leading the Cavaliers to victory. In Game 7, Irving hit a three-pointer, propelling the Cavaliers to a 93–89 victory and the NBA championship, ending a 52-year championship drought in Cleveland.

2016: Voicework in We Bare Bears

In 2016, Kyrie Irving did voicework in "We Bare Bears".

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2016: NBA Championship with the Cavaliers

In 2016, Kyrie Irving won an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

2016: NBA Finals Championship-Winning Shot

In the 2016 NBA Finals, Kyrie Irving made the championship-winning three-pointer to complete the Cavaliers' historic comeback over the Golden State Warriors.

January 23, 2017: Scored 35 of Season-High 49 Points in Second Half

On January 23, 2017, Kyrie Irving scored 35 of his season-high 49 points in the second half of the Cavaliers' narrow 124–122 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

July 2017: Trade request from Cavaliers

In July 2017, Kyrie Irving requested a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers, seeking to be the primary focus of his own team.

October 17, 2017: Celtics debut

On October 17, 2017, Kyrie Irving debuted for the Celtics, scoring 22 points and providing 10 assists in a 102–99 loss against the Cavaliers.

November 6, 2017: First 30-point game as a Celtic

On November 6, 2017, Kyrie Irving scored 35 points in a 110–107 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, marking his first 30-point game as a Celtic and setting a new points record for his first 11 games with Boston.

November 20, 2017: Season-high 47 points against Mavericks

On November 20, 2017, Kyrie Irving scored a season-high 47 points, including 10 in overtime, to lead the Celtics to a 110–102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, extending their winning streak to 16 games.

2017: Trade Request to Boston Celtics

After another Finals appearance in 2017, Kyrie Irving requested a trade and was dealt to the Boston Celtics.

2017: NBA Finals and Eastern Conference Finals performance

In 2017, Kyrie Irving had a strong showing in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics, highlighted by scoring a playoff career-high of 42 points in Game 4. He also scored 40 points in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, helping the Cavaliers avoid a sweep, though the Cavaliers ultimately lost the series.

2017: Second Best-Selling Signature Sneakers

In 2017, Kyrie Irving's signature sneakers were the second best-selling line, behind LeBron James.

2017: Uncle Drew skit featuring Pepsi

In 2017, the Uncle Drew advertisement series became a skit inside an old school diner featuring Pepsi in its current design, stored in a fridge with its original logo.

January 21, 2018: 40 points in loss to Magic

On January 21, 2018, Kyrie Irving scored 40 points in a 103–95 loss to the Orlando Magic, during a season-worst three-game losing streak for the Celtics.

June 2018: Release of 'Uncle Drew' Feature Film

In June 2018, the feature film 'Uncle Drew', starring Kyrie Irving and featuring former NBA stars, was released.

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August 2018: "Welcome Home" Ceremony at Standing Rock

In August 2018, Kyrie Irving and his older sister were honored with a "welcome home" ceremony at Standing Rock Indian Reservation, acknowledging their family ties to the community, and in gratitude for Irving's activism on behalf of the water protectors at the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.

2018: Guest Starred on Family Guy

In 2018, Kyrie Irving guest starred on Family Guy, lending his voice for the season 17 episode "Big Trouble in Little Quahog".

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2018: Trade to the Boston Celtics

In 2018, Kyrie Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Žižić, and the Brooklyn Nets' 2018 first-round draft pick.

2018: Trend continued into 2018

In 2018, The NPD Group projected that Irving's signature sneakers trend continued.

2018: "Uncle Drew" Feature Film

In 2018, the "Uncle Drew" advertisements, where Irving acted, became a feature film.

January 16, 2019: Career-high 18 assists against Raptors

On January 16, 2019, Kyrie Irving recorded 27 points and a career-high 18 assists in a 117–108 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

July 7, 2019: Signing with the Brooklyn Nets

On July 7, 2019, Kyrie Irving signed a four-year, $136.5 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent.

October 23, 2019: Nets debut with 50 points

On October 23, 2019, Kyrie Irving debuted for the Nets with 50 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in a 127–126 overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, setting a record for the most points in a team debut in NBA history.

2019: Nike Shoe Deal Worth

As of 2019, Kyrie Irving's shoe deal with Nike was worth US$11 million.

2019: Signs with Brooklyn Nets

In 2019, Kyrie Irving signed with the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent after playing with the Celtics for two seasons.

January 12, 2020: Return from shoulder injury

On January 12, 2020, Kyrie Irving returned from a right shoulder injury, scoring 21 points in a 108–86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

February 2020: Elected Vice-President of NBPA

In February 2020, Kyrie Irving was elected as one of the seven vice-presidents of the National Basketball Players Association, replacing Pau Gasol.

2020: Second-round draft pick compensation

In 2020, the Celtics sent a 2020 second-round draft pick to the Cavaliers to complete the trade, compensating for Thomas' failed physical.

2020: Donations to Social Causes

In 2020, through his K.A.I. Family Foundation, Kyrie Irving donated a home to the family of George Floyd, paid off student debt for students from Lincoln University, committed $1.5 million to help pay WNBA players who opted out of playing during the COVID-19 pandemic, donated over $300,000 to food banks, and donated 17 pallets of food to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

July 29, 2021: Built Solar Water Center in Pakistan

On July 29, 2021, Kyrie Irving, through his K.A.I. Family Foundation, built a solar water center in Pakistan with Paani Project.

2021: Declined player option speculation

Following the end of the 2021–22 season, there was speculation that Irving would decline his player option and pursue a sign-and-trade deal with another team. Irving ultimately opted into his $37 million player option, returning to the Nets for the 2022–23 NBA season.

January 5, 2022: Season debut as a part-time player

On January 5, 2022, Kyrie Irving made his season debut, scoring 22 points in a 129–121 victory over the Indiana Pacers, as a part-time player due to his vaccination status.

February 26, 2022: Season-high 38 points against Bucks

On February 26, 2022, Kyrie Irving scored a then season-high 38 points in a 126–123 victory over the reigning champions Milwaukee Bucks.

January 20, 2023: Season-high 48 points against Jazz

On January 20, 2023, Kyrie Irving scored a season-high 48 points, including a season-high eight 3-pointers, along with 11 rebounds, six assists, and four steals in a 117–106 victory over the Utah Jazz.

February 6, 2023: Trade to the Dallas Mavericks

On February 6, 2023, Kyrie Irving, along with Markieff Morris, was traded from the Nets to the Dallas Mavericks. The Nets received Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, and second-round picks in 2027 and 2029 in exchange.

July 7, 2023: Re-signing with the Mavericks

On July 7, 2023, Kyrie Irving re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks, securing a three-year contract worth $126 million.

September 2023: Partnership with Anta Sports

In September 2023, Kyrie Irving announced a new partnership with Chinese sports brand Anta Sports. He joined the company as Chief Creative Officer of Anta Basketball and will launch a series of Anta x Kyrie Youth Basketball Camps.

December 2023: Joined Kicks Crew as Chief Community Officer

In December 2023, Kyrie Irving invested in sneaker platform Kicks Crew and joined the company as Chief Community Officer. His role focuses on cause-driven projects blending art and basketball to extend globally.

2023: Trade to Dallas Mavericks

In 2023, after four seasons with the Nets, Kyrie Irving requested a trade and was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks.

2024: Reaches NBA Finals with Mavericks

In 2024, Kyrie Irving reached his fourth NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks.

2024: Namesake sneaker release

In September 2023, Irving announced a new partnership with Chinese sports brand Anta Sports with a namesake sneaker announced for the 2023–2024 NBA season

February 1, 2025: Luka Dončić Traded to the Lakers

On February 1, 2025, Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis.

July 6, 2025: Re-signing with the Mavericks

On July 6, 2025, Kyrie Irving re-signed with the Mavericks on a three-year contract.

2027: Future Draft Pick

In February 2023, as part of the trade that sent Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, the Nets received an unprotected 2029 first-round pick from the Mavericks. In addition, the Nets received a second-round pick in 2027, and 2029 as part of the trade.