Right now, the vibes are good for Irving.
As he stands inside the Brooklyn Nets locker room following Wednesday night's preseason win against the Milwaukee Bucks, Irving lights up some wisdom from the side of the room and discusses his team and what he feels is the positive direction it is headed after a drama-filled summer.
Irving said that it goes all the way up. All the way to the 16th guy on the team." All of us have a part in our success. When we fail, we all have something in common. We're going to continue to hold each other accountable and I think the results will speak for themselves.
Irving talked about how much he wants to keep playing, how he feels about the Nets now, and why his love for the game won't go away.
The answers have been edited for clarity and length.
You said on media day that you could have signed a four-year extension. Do you think that if you play the way you can, that contract will still be there at the end of the season, whether it's from the Nets or someone else?
Irving is letting those things play out. Building sustainable relationships and being there for people that go on the court and off the court are the best things I can do. This year is going to be a unique one. I don't want to be in a situation where I'm thinking about things that are either in the future or not. I just want to be present, live every day and have fun with my job. It's a great business.
You have to go out and play at a high level to make sure another offer like that will be on the table in the future, how do you block out the fact that you could have already had the extension done, but now you have to go out and play at a high level to
I'm only as good as my team and people around me. In terms of what my goals are, what our goals are, and we focus on those, they keep me very grounded.
I can't control what people think about me, but I can control how I show up to my job and make sure that I'm in a good position to lead. It's not just be someone who just says a bunch of words and doesn't follow through.
I want to leave a legacy in this league, but I also want to build with people in this industry and win together. I want this to be a dream for all of us. We are going to be going against a lot of people. It will be enjoyable. The ride is going to be enjoyable. I'm looking forward to that more than anything.
Are there any regrets you have about last year?
If I said I did not, I would be lying to you. Sometimes we wish we could have done things differently and other times we think we could have done better. I don't want to put too much pressure on myself or the people that I'm with.
I get to do this on a daily basis. We just let the play handle it, enjoy the season, and then after that, we'll look at some of this reflection time and talk about these things in deeper detail.
Is it possible that you still love the game?
Irving says always have. It was taken away from me a long time ago.
It's a full-time job now, what is it like?
Irving never leaves it. There's a funny thing going on. I always stay at it. I carry it all the time.
Did it leave you?
I think the love is there. Being in a relationship includes that. You are that internal clock with other people. All we have is time. I am having children. I have three wonderful children. My wife is mine. Life has changed for me.
My priorities have changed, but the love is still worth the climb. It's important to enjoy the process of building towards a championship. It's great whenever that year arrives. It would be great if that is this year. I'm praying for it, I'm going after it, but I just want a fresh start. I can start from the first day of training camp, with everyone, and see if I can go after this thing. There were no big dramas or injuries. There's nothing.
There is a fantasy basketball league for the NBA season.
You can sign up for nothing.
What is the most important point of advice you've given to Ben about how to handle criticism?
When technology hit the boom, we didn't expect that social media would take over the entire platform, Irving said. It is a one-place shop where you can take your eyes off the computer screen and focus on what's in front of you. The nerds can appreciate how much that changes us all.
I don't know if there's a space where there's a melting pot full of diversity and races coming together talking about issues as he has grown up in Australia. It's just one world where you can speak your mind. Not every country has the same freedom so I told him to be able to deal with it. You need to be able to see it.
It's an emotional time in our world. People attack other people for their beliefs. What is justified is how you respond to the criticism. How do you handle it? The moment he woke up, he realized that he wasn't his life. I have a loving, supportive system of people that care about me, and these are people that I can go to for honest answers.
If you go to social media for honest answers, I don't know if you'll come back smarter than before. I'm one of those people who want to help others and reach out to them.
How do you make sure that Simmons gets the support he needs?
Humanizing each other's lives is one of the greatest strengths of our community. He's going to respond in a way that's right for him. We have to honor and respect what he does. People with integrity do that. As a leader, I feel like it's my responsibility to protect him, but I also know he has to deal with his own issues. Be there for him when he needs help.
I don't want to say I have all the answers figured out because it's an ongoing battle that I have to deal with. I don't want him to end up in the same situation.
Do you want to continue playing?
Irving is going to play on. Are you aware of me? I am going to play on. This is not a discussion. It's not something to consider.
You think about a lot of different things.
Irving is certain that it's for sure. I want to get to know people on this level. To be on other levels. I can show people what it's like to play at this level and what it's like to be a professional. I was doing it more than I was going to school when I was younger. I was doing it more often than I was spending time with my friends and family.
I also chose to be passionate. Coming into the league at 19 years old, no one gives you a guideline or game plan of what the league requires of you, so that's what I'm saying. The NBA and I have a great partnership. There are goals that I have outside of the NBA, but I am focused on this right now.
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