Nets' Kyrie Irving Releases Statement to Ensure Message Is 'Conveyed Properly'

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving released a statement Friday ahead of the start of the 2020-21 NBA season later this month. 

Irving said he released the statement rather than speaking to the media to "ensure that my message is conveyed properly."

Kyrie, who will team up with Kevin Durant during the upcoming season on a Nets team that is expected to vie for a spot in the NBA Finals, wrote that he is "truly excited" for the season to start and to "compete, perform and win championships."

Kyrie has been one of the NBA's biggest stars since entering the league the No. 1 overall pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011, and with that stardom has come no shortage of scrutiny.

Irving faced criticism for the manner in which he forced a trade from the Cavs to the Boston Celtics in 2017, and it was later reported by ESPN's Jackie MacMullan that his Celtics teammates were "treading lightly" during the 2018-19 season due to his "mood swings."

During that same season, Irving called out some of his younger teammates and questioned whether they knew what it took to play championship-caliber basketball.

Because of the narrative that has been born from Irving's comments and decisions over the years, he hasn't always had the best relationship with the media.

By declining to speak and instead releasing a statement, it appears as though Irving is doing all he can to focus solely on getting ready to perform at a high level during the 2020-21 season.

The Nets signed Irving last offseason, but he appeared in just 20 games last season due to injury. Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season as well while recovering from a torn Achilles.

Even without their two best players, the Nets qualified for the playoffs, which bodes well for their chances of a deep run in 2020-21.

Assuming Kyrie and KD are healthy and able to perform at a high level, they have to be viewed as being in the mix with the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks and Celtics as teams with a chance to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.

Irving won a championship in Cleveland alongside LeBron James, and if the six-time All-Star can do the same with Durant in Brooklyn, it would go a long way toward cementing him as one of the top players of his generation.