"You get motivation from failure, and you get inspired" - Kyrie Irving on what prompted him to become Dallas' leader

Kyrie Irving continues to earn praise as he leads by example for the Dallas Mavericks . Shortly after their Game 1 victory in the 2024 Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kai talked about what motivated him to perform at his best and embrace that leadership role in this dream season with the Mavs.

"Last summer, when we got exited from the playoff contention, and I'm watching my peers go for a chance to win the golden trophy. That big thing, you get motivation from failure, and you get inspired," he said during his Inside the NBA postgame interview. "I was watching the playoffs at home, and I was taking little notes on some of the greatest leaders in our league. We got guys that are really the backbone of their team, and they do the little things that don't show up in the stat sheet for their teams to win."

"So for me this year, I really just focused on doing the little things, and if my points came, they came. I wanted to make sure we felt good as a team," Irving added.

A remarkable turnaround for Kai

Considering last season's individual and collective challenges, this is a dramatic turnaround for Kyrie as he continues to reverse his damaged legacy.

Irving has frequently been at the center of controversy in recent years due to his off-court shenanigans. As a result, the Brooklyn Nets traded him to Dallas last February. Despite Texas not being his preferred destination, Irving embraced the organization and hoped he'd turn the Mavericks into a contender right away. However, they didn't even make the postseason, finishing with a 38-44 record, good for the 11th seed in the West.

Kai used last year as a stepping stone to bounce back. His commitment to the Mavs paid off, as they are now only seven wins away from the title, with Irving being the last man standing from his generation still competing for a championship.

Embracing leadership role

Kai has already come a long way with the Mavs, and he truly welcomed the task of being the locker room leader. More than just his numbers—he averages 21.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on a career-best 48.6 percent shooting this postseason—Irving's championship pedigree and experience continue to be a huge asset for Dallas.

"It's just the sky's the limit," he said. "Once I saw we had a chance, I was like, 'I'm not going to take this for granted.' So every single day, I'll remind those guys to know what it's like to fail, to know what it's like to get to that mountaintop, be very close, and then fail. … For me, I use that as a motivation."

Irving had 30 points, five rebounds, and four assists in a 108-105 Game 1 victory against the T-Wolves. If he continues to play at that level, Dallas might be the favorite to win it all.

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