DHJ Quick Take: Kyrie Irving’s Recovery Reaches a Public Milestone
Kyrie Irving‘s first major basketball activity since his ACL tear came at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, where he faced top high school prospects one-on-one. The appearance follows Dallas Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz‘s praise for the guard’s offseason approach.
- What did Kyrie Irving do at the camp? He mentored the nation’s top 100 high school players and faced some of them one-on-one in the “Can You Guard Kyrie Challenge.”
- What has Mike Schmitz said about his recovery? The GM said Irving has been “doing everything humanly possible” and pointed to his daily buy-in inside the facility.
- Why does it matter? It is the clearest on-court sign yet that Irving is ready for a dynamic return after missing all of 2025-26 with a torn ACL.
- What’s next? Irving’s eventual pairing with Cooper Flagg awaits, with the two yet to share the floor ahead of the 2026-27 season.
DALLAS — Kyrie Irving took another step in his recovery from a torn ACL on Tuesday, taking the court at the NBPA Top 100 Camp in Rock Hill, South Carolina, in his first major basketball activity since the injury that ended his 2025-26 season.
The Dallas Mavericks guard offered advice and motivation to the top 100 high school players in the United States, then gave some of them a chance to face him one-on-one in the “Can You Guard Kyrie Challenge.”
Irving said recently on a Twitch livestream that he is close to being fully recovered, telling viewers he is nearly 100% past his ACL rehabilitation.
Irving tore his ACL during the 2024-25 season after appearing in 50 games. He averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists before the injury and missed the entire 2025-26 season.
“This mission is bigger than just the basketball court,” Irving said. “I pray that you guys understand that you have a chance to change your life with the game of basketball, to utilize it as a vehicle to take you around the world, to meet different people, gain insight, gain knowledge. Last year, I had a very traumatic injury, tore my ACL. And just to be back out here in front of you guys, it’s just an honor. I don’t take for granted, man; it’s been a long year, mentally, emotionally, something – when something that you love gets taken away from you for a temporary moment, that really defines you.”
A Body of Work That Speaks for Itself
The camp appearance came after Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz said he has seen Irving doing everything possible to return at full strength, citing the 34-year-old guard’s presence and approach inside the team’s practice facility this offseason. Schmitz made the comments on May 29 during a roundtable with reporters at American Airlines Center.
“I can say he’s been doing everything humanly possible to maximize his talent and to do that,” Schmitz said. “Just to see his approach and how he’s attacking things every day has been incredibly impressive. To see his leadership, to see the way he carries himself, to see the way he pours into Cooper and pours into the rest of the guys. It’s May 29, and there’s a level of buy-in that is really impressive.”
Schmitz, who joined the Mavericks in May after serving as assistant general manager in Portland, said his confidence in Irving’s return is rooted in both the guard’s career history and what he has observed firsthand.
“He has a body of work that I think speaks for itself,” Schmitz said. “He’s won at the highest level. He’s done it in a variety of roles where he’s played. He can be the primary guy. He can play alongside another star.”
Schmitz specifically pointed to Irving’s daily approach within the facility.
“I think it’s the body of work. I think it’s his approach to the game. Seeing him almost daily around the facility, completely locked in to everything we’re doing, it’s been really impressive to see,” Schmitz said. “Being around that every day combined with everything he’s done to get to this point gives us a ton of optimism alongside his fit with Cooper.”
Looking Ahead to the Pairing With Cooper Flagg
Irving’s recovery sets up the eventual pairing with Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The 19-year-old averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 70 games as a rookie.
The two have yet to play together. Schmitz pointed to Irving’s leadership inside the building as a sign of what is to come.
“Really, really looking forward to seeing those two playing together and really excited about what it looks like,” Schmitz said.
The age disparity between Irving and Flagg has drawn external scrutiny. Rival executives have wondered how long the two can co-exist given their differing career timelines. Schmitz has pushed back on those concerns, saying he has “no concern” about the pairing.
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