The Dallas Mavericks appointed their new head coach Dusty May in June, replacing Jason Kidd in the role.
The former University of Michigan coach arrived at Dallas after an NCAA title run this year and is set to build a winning team around Cooper Flagg.
In a Dallas radio interview, May praised Mavericks' veteran guard Kyrie Irving, who is set to return to the court after long absence due to an injury.
"I couldn't be more excited to be on his team. I've been blown away," May expressed himself after seeing Kyrie's workouts.
"We all know how talented Kyrie is with the ball in his hands, when the ball is not in his hands. His level of preparation, attention to detail, and IQ, it's something that I've never seen at the level he works at and I can't wait for him to share that with the rest of our group."
Irving to return after long absence
Irving has not appeared in an NBA game since March 3, 2025, when he tore the ACL in his left knee against the Sacramento Kings. He played just over nine minutes before suffering the injury and finished with seven points.
The injury ultimately kept Irving out for the entire 2025-26 season. Dallas officially announced in February that he would not return that year, allowing him to focus fully on his recovery from ACL reconstruction surgery.
Before the injury, Irving was still performing at an All-Star level. He averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists during the 2024-25 season.