Dallas Mavericks president Masai Ujiri praised Kyrie Irving, emphasizing his belief in the veteran's fit and offensive impact. After missing the entire season due to a torn ACL, Irving recently returned during Dallas' preseason trip to China, scoring 17 points against the Houston Rockets.
Dallas Mavericks president Masai Ujiri says he honestly believes Kyrie Irving is a good fit for the team and organization.
On The Hoop Collective podcast, Ujiri praised Irving, naming the main reasons he believes in the 34-year-old.
"I think it was Kevin Durant who said it: there's only one Kyrie walking around in the world, right? You know, like, it's crazy that you see him and his talent.
"And that's kind of what we see, even if it's to ease up the game, you know, like, but also Kyrie as a player, you know, like, we truly believe in him, you know, like, we truly believe that he can succeed on our team, you know, like, this is not a game," Ujiri said.
Ujiri on what Kyrie Irving brings to the Mavericks
Ujiri also believes that with Irving on the team, the other players will also be able to perform better.
"I truly believe that if we have the right players, we can really grow as a team in a new system with Dusty and the new culture we're trying to build," Ujiri said. "Yeah, I truly believe that."
"And I think basketball-wise, Kyrie causes havoc. He causes spacing. He's one of those guys who can still do it himself. And I think that will ease up a lot of stuff for a couple of you guys on our team. I think it was," Ujiri added.
Kyrie Irving makes comeback in China
Irving missed the entire last season due to an ACL injury he suffered at the beginning of 2025. Now, he has returned to the court during Dallas' trip to China, where they faced the Houston Rockets as part of the preseason.
Kyrie missed the first game, which the Rockets won, but returned in the second matchup to lead the Mavs to a victory.
He played 22 minutes, scoring a team-high 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting, grabbed 2 rebounds, and dished out three assists.
Kyrie Irving misses whole 2025-26 season amid ACL, calf issues
Kyrie Irving notably suffered a torn ACL in March last year, which kept him out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
His absence for the whole 2025-26 season sent the Mavericks into a 26-win losing campaign, as Dallas sacked general manager Nico Harrison, traded Anthony Davis, and fully committed to Cooper Flagg in one of the most roller-coaster seasons ever.
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