Former NBA Champion claims 6-foot-6 Kyrie Irving would top Michael Jordan with ‘no weakness’ image
Jan 8, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) watches play against the Utah Jazz in street clothes during the first half of the game at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Kyrie Irving is finally healthy again, and that is apparently all it takes for former NBA champion Jeff Teague to put the nine-time All-Star in Michael Jordan's territory.
Irving missed the entire 2025–26 season recovering from the torn ACL he suffered in March 2025, sitting out while Cooper Flagg carried the Dallas Mavericks through a rebuilding year. Dallas confirmed this offseason that Irving is fully recovered and ready to pair with Flagg for the first time in a Mavericks uniform. His return has everyone in the NBA community excited.
Amid this buzz, Teague -- who won an NBA title with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 -- argued that a 6-foot-6 version of Irving would be better than Jordan. That is four inches taller than his actual 6-foot-2 height.
"It's nothing he can't do. Bro, what could he not do? What can he not do, bro?" Teague said on the Club 520 podcast. "Name me something he can't do. He's not scared of the moment, if he was 6'6" it's no weakness in his game."
Teague’s argument is all about offense. He is looking at the handles, the footwork, and the incredible scoring touch that makes Kyrie impossible to guard when he’s healthy. But he’s ignoring Kyrie's real size.
At 6-foot-2, Kyrie has never been a great defender or a big rebounder. Those are just normal limitations for a smaller guard, no matter how good his dribbling is. If you add five inches to his height, it changes everything. A taller Kyrie would wipe out the only true weakness in his game.
MJ's resume needs no introduction. He won six championships, six Finals MVPs, and five regular-season MVPs as the greatest two-way player basketball has ever seen.
On the other hand, Irving won only one title in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. His career averages are 23.7 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.1 rebounds.
However, Teague hasn't made any career comparisons. It's a hypothetical about what Irving's skill set could look like on a bigger frame, which is why the clip is generating buzz across NBA circles.
More NBA news: