Kyrie Irving's newfound brotherhood with Mavs legend could lead team to NBA title

Since being traded to the Dallas Mavericks at the trade deadline last season, Kyrie Irving has been a fan favorite in Dallas.

He has silenced any critics who said he and Luka Doncic wouldn't fit together or doubted the trade, and he has been nothing but positive for this organization on and off the floor. There hasn't been anything negative to say about Irving during his one-and-a-half seasons spent in Dallas, and his availability combined with his elite level of play and bond with Doncic have made this Mavs team look unstoppable.

While Irving's bond with Doncic is something that seemingly everyone knows about now, he has also been bonding with a different Mavericks legend and he had high praise for him after the Mavs' victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night.

Kyrie Irving's brotherhood with Dirk Nowitzki could lead team to NBA title

As Irving was heading to the locker room after the win over the Hawks, he stopped by to say hi to Dirk Nowitzki who was attending the game courtside, and what Irving had to say about Nowitzki will make every Mavs fan smile.

"He created a culture of championship-winning, MVP-like performances, a lot of game-winners, and playing with a lot of legends in the league," Irving said about Nowitzki's legacy in Dallas. "I look at Dirk as someone I can always go to if I need some resources and advice...The respect and the love that I have for him is unconditional."

Irving also called himself a "little brother" to Nowitzki, and this may come as a shock to some Mavs fans as it hasn't been publicized that Irving and Nowitzki have a relationship at all. Many of the NBA's best are friends off the floor, but from what Irving said, it sounds like he has built a special bond with Nowitzki. Irving said he goes to Nowitzki for advice, and there is no one better to go to advice for when it comes to being a winner on and off the floor than him.

Irving also said that Nowitzki "set the standard here and he’s built a large legacy that other guys want to follow." Nowitzki is widely known as the greatest Maverick of all time, and this legacy that he created could help inspire Doncic and Irving to bring the Mavs their second-ever NBA Championship this season.

Irving and Doncic's next game is tomorrow afternoon against the Houston Rockets.

Stay tuned for all the latest buzz on Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, and the Dallas Mavericks as the 2024 NBA Playoffs are rapidly approaching.