Former Nets star Kyrie Irving said he felt disrespected by the way he was treated in Brooklyn, which is ultimately why he requested the trade that sent him to the Dallas Mavericks days ahead of Thursday’s 3 p.m. NBA trade deadline.
Irving addressed reporters in Dallas on Tuesday for the first time since the completion of the deal that paired him with Mavericks’ superstar guard Luka Doncic.
“I just know I want to be places where I’m celebrated and not just tolerated, or kind of dealt with in a way that doesn’t make me feel respected,” he said, fresh in Mavericks blue. “There were times throughout this process when I was in Brooklyn where I felt very disrespected. And my talent, I work extremely hard at what I do. No one ever talks about my work ethic, though. Everyone talks about what I’m doing off the floor.
