Kyrie Irving: It Was 'Really Tough' to Play with LeBron James, Title Expectation

Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving said learning to play alongside former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate LeBron James is a "testament of greatness" because of the never-ending spotlight.

Irving discussed his time playing alongside the four-time NBA MVP during an interview on Friday's Bill Simmons Podcast (via HoopsHype):

"I went from being in Cleveland to having half the fans show up to now 'Bron shows up and now every night is packed, every road game is like a home game for us. You think of the media attention that comes with all of that and the elevated pressure of, 'Now it's championship or you fail.' And then you gotta figure out how you fit within the system. Basketball is a systemic game. How do you build that strategy and how do you fit in with that? And it was tough."

The Cavs selected Irving as their new franchise building block with the first overall pick in the 2011 draft. He was their reward for a miserable 19-63 season after James left to join the Miami Heat in 2010.

He played three seasons with James, who returned to Cleveland in 2014 after capturing a pair of NBA titles with the Heat. The duo enjoyed plenty of success together, advancing to the Finals three straight years and winning the organization's first title in 2016.

Last July, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reported Irving requested a trade from the Cavaliers so he could emerge from LeBron's shadow and become more of a "focal point."

The 26-year-old Duke product shined during his first year in Boston, ranking ninth in player efficiency rating, per ESPN.com. His season came to a premature end in March because of a knee injury, however, forcing him to miss the Celtics' loss to the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Interestingly, it's possible they could end up being teammates again. The C's are tied for the fifth-best odds to land James, whose future is uncertain because of a player option in his contract, according to OddsShark.

It's unclear whether Irving would embrace a reunion after his experience in Cleveland, though.