Kyrie Irving took long, complicated route back to NBA Finals with Dallas Mavericks

BOSTON — Kyrie Irving is the tree of NBA Finals storylines.

The branches have branches, and the extensive roots come from all directions.

Where to start?

With Irving and the Dallas Mavericks playing for the championship against the Boston Celtics, Irving’s former team for two seasons?

With his rebound from turbulent seasons for the Brooklyn Nets where his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine sidelined him for multiple games and his dissemination of anti-Semitic media earned him an eight-game suspension?

With him turning out to be the right star to play alongside MVP candidate Luka Doncic?

With LeBron James’ extraordinary praise?

Wherever we start, Irving remains among the best players in the league − an elite shotmaker who has elevated the Mavericks.

"I would call Kyrie the wizard all the time," NBA star LeBron James said Tuesday on an Instagram post. "There was nothing on the basketball floor that Kyrie couldn’t do, and sitting here watching it, I’m so (expletive) happy and so proud. And to watch his growth, and at the same time, I’m so (expletive) mad that I’m not his running mate anymore."

Then James added: "He’s the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen."

Irving is in his fourth NBA Finals, which starts Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC). "So grateful to be here with my teammates," Irving said.

He played in his first three with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2015, 2016 and 2017), and his game-winning 3-pointer against Golden State in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals is one of the biggest made shots in Finals history.

He has played a major role in Dallas’ season and the Mavs' Western Conference championship. He has rekindled his career and reshaped his story this season. And if Dallas wins the title, Irving will have played a major role.

MORE: Jason Kidd won NBA title as a Mavericks player; now he tries to win as coach

Irving brings thoughtfulness to the matchup against Boston.

"Definitely don't take this moment for granted because of how hard we had to work to get here and we had to earn our spot into the NBA Finals," Irving said, adding, "And as a kid that's what you dream of getting to − the Finals and being able to play against the best of the best with the whole world watching."

When the series starts, Irving is not welcomed in Boston, at least by Celtics fans. Following Cleveland’s 2017 Finals appearance, Irving wanted a trade, and he ended up in Boston. He was supposed to be the missing piece that helped the Celtics, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown win a title.

Irving was injured for the 2018 playoffs, and the Celtics lost to Cleveland in the conference finals, and Milwaukee eliminated Boston in the 2019 conference semifinals.

Instead of re-signing with Boston − as he once indicated he wanted to do − he left for Brooklyn and a partnership with Kevin Durant. Irving said he enjoyed his time with the Celtics but "I wasn't my best self during that time."

Irving revealed that the death of his grandfather at the start of the 2018-19 season made him reconsider priorities and he wanted to be closer to family and friends in New Jersey.

"After he passed, basketball was the last thing on my mind," Irving said nearly five years ago. "There was a facial expression that I carried around with me throughout the year. Didn’t allow anyone to get close to me in that instance, and it really bothered me. I didn’t take the necessary steps to get counseling or get therapy or anything to deal with someone that close to me dying. I’ve never dealt with that anything like that."

He also on Monday hinted at other reasons. "I know in due time a lot of that full story will come out and when it's appropriate," Irving said.

It wasn't his only cryptic comment: "When I was a little bit younger, I wanted to strive to be one of the best in the world, and that's all I thought about every single day. And that's why I had all my eggs in the basket. So there was no normal life outside the game of basketball other than doing what young NBA players do, which is getting into some stuff they shouldn't be getting into and being around people that don't necessarily reflect the moral values that you want to have embodying as a person."

The Nets' situation never worked out as expected on the court. It almost did. They were close to beating eventual champion Milwaukee in the East semis, but lost in seven games in 2021. Because of New York’s vaccine mandate, Irving played in just 29 games in 2021-22, and at the beginning of the 2022-23 season, Irving publicized on social media an anti-Semitic "documentary" and initially declined to say he was anti-Semitic. The Nets and the league were furious.

The Nets called him "unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets." NBA commissioner Adam Silver said, "I am deeply disappointed that he has not offered an unqualified apology and more specifically denounced the vile and harmful content contained in the film he publicized."

Irving eventually apologized, but by the trade deadline last season, Irving wanted out, and the Nets, not unhappily, obliged, trading him to Dallas. The Mavs took a low-grade risk. They gave up two players, a 2029 first-round draft picks and two second-round picks.

The Mavs missed the playoffs last season, but in 2023-24 Irving had an unappreciated season and just missed a spot in the respected 50-40-90 club. He shot 49.7% from the field, 41.1% on 3s and 90.5% on free throws and averaged 25.6 points, 5.2 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals. It was the fifth time in his career he averaged at least 25-5-5, and by the end of the regular season, the Mavs were among the best teams. Irving and Doncic excelled in the postseason, becoming the only backcourt pair to score 30 more points in the same game in a single playoffs.

He has the support of the Mavs' locker room, too. Doncic understands Irving’s value to him and the team. Irving’s ability alleviates pressure on Doncic making Doncic even more difficult to defend. The celebratory hug they shared after beating Minnesota in the conference finals revealed the appreciation.

"He brought that calmness to our team, to me, the maturity, and it’s been unbelievable to have him on our team," Doncic said. "Learning from him every day, positive energy always, just a blessing having him on our team."

Humans are complicated, imperfect and conflicted. It is possible − and reasonable − to have criticized Irving previously and compliment him today. If Irving grew as a person, shouldn’t that be acknowledged? Also, his contributions on the court can’t be ignored.

"What I'm looking forward to as I continue to grow in the league is talking about this refreshing start I've had in Dallas because it's giving me a chance to grow as a person and a man and as a father and as a brother," he said.

"And then the added bonus is me getting better as a basketball player."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kyrie Irving takes circuitous route back to NBA Finals with Mavericks