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Dallas Mavericks: Kendrick Perkins Wants The Entire World to Apologize to Kyrie Irving

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Rex Villas | Last updated May 29, 2024 9:03 AM ET

It was not that long ago when Kyrie Irving became a basketball villain in the eyes of many fans and pundits. A lot of them thought that the current Dallas Mavericks star point guard was a problem, someone who ruins the chemistry and stunts the growth of a team. But no one’s singing that same tune these days, with Irving playing a huge role in the success the Mavericks are having, especially in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Allow former NBA big man Kendrick Perkins to be the first one to apologize for his Kyrie Irving disrespect in the past, which he did during a recent episode of ESPN’s First Take. He also urged the Irving haters to follow his lead and apologize for all the bad things they said about Uncle Drew.

Kendrick Perkins apologizes to Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving

When asked if the 2023-24 NBA season has “transformed” Irving’s career, Perkins responded by taking back whatever he said in the past about the one-time NBA champion.

“Oh, absolutely. And Molly, before we start, hold on, let me say this. Before we start pulling and applauding for Kyrie Irving, we need to start getting these apologies out there, okay? They need to be as loud as everybody were when they were criticizing Kyrie, and not one of them. Let me start off by apologizing, because I had a lot of disrespectful things to say about Kyrie. I thought Kyrie didn’t give a damn about the game of basketball, but a different situation, a different coach, a team that’s gonna embrace him, a team that’s gonna actually be on his side. “

.@KendrickPerkins says this season has transformed Kyrie's basketball career

"We're seeing the best version of Kyrie Irving right now." pic.twitter.com/56xr7nwW8b

— First Take (@FirstTake) May 28, 2024

When the Mavs acquired Irving via a trade with the Brooklyn Nets in 2023, not a few people thought that Dallas made a huge mistake. Irving carried with him the reputation of a locker room cancer based on his disappointing stops with the Nets and the Boston Celtics. That’s not to mention how things ended between Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

That allegation isn’t holding up well this time around, with the Mavericks just a win away from advancing to the 2024 NBA Finals where Irving’s former team, the Celtics, is waiting for an opponent.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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