With a rare combination of coordination, speed< and fluidity, there could not be a better ball-handler than Dallas Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving. Still, when NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady was asked about who is a better ball-handler, not only did he pick Jamaal Tinsley over Irving, but also degraded the Mavs guard. “Man, I don’t think nobody had better handles than Jamaal Tinsley, even Kyrie. I think Jamaal Tinsley’s handles was probably the best I’ve seen,” McGrady said.

Despite this harsh comparison, Irving was unfazed and even responded to Houston legend’s strong take. “When I see an OG like T-Mac come out and say… it doesn’t bother me because I’m a mix of all the great players that came before me,” Irving responded while admitting how the NBA greats highly inspire his NBA journey.

“I wouldn’t be who I am without watching the guys that came before me, right? I just took it to a whole different place,” Irving added, and ended the debate last month. Now, just when it seemed everything was called down, former Bucks’ star Damian Lillard has stepped in with his own take.

Dame didn’t post a notes app statement. No long thread. Just a clean jab on who is better between Tinsley and Irving. Sharing Tinsley’s throwback video, The Dame Time captioned his IG story, “Tinsley was nice but KAI is in his own league man lol,” and ended the debate once and for all. Lillard wasn’t just standing up for Kyrie. He was shutting the door on nostalgia.

The context cuts deep. McGrady had elevated Tinsley in debates, possibly suggesting he rivaled modern stars. Dame’s rebuttal sliced through nostalgia: Irving’s handles, creativity, and rings put him in rarefied air. Their stats tell the tale- Lillard (25.1 PPG career) and McGrady (19.6 PPG) both know elite when they see it. But comparing Tinsley to Kyrie? That’s where Dame drew the line. This, of course, wasn’t beef. This was basketball.

McGrady’s nostalgia versus Dame’s here-and-now. And somewhere in between, Kyrie — the player everyone’s arguing about — quietly asserting his own artistry. “I’m a mix of all the great players that came before me… I just took it to a whole different place,” Irving had said. There’s truth in that. Kyrie didn’t invent the crossover, but he weaponized it. And while McGrady’s memories are real, Dame’s reminder cuts sharper: the game’s evolved. Respect the past, but don’t ignore the present.

So yeah — Tinsley was nice. But KAI? He’s something else entirely. But Damian Lillard’s post didn’t just land because of the take. It hit because of the timing.

The farewell verse: Achilles and acrostics

Just weeks ago, the Bucks waived him to chase Myles Turner (4 years, $107M), stretching Dame’s $112M owed across five seasons. It’s cold math: Giannis needs spacing, Brook Lopez faded, and Dame’s Achilles rehab didn’t fit their timeline. Even Vasilije Micić got cut- heading back to EuroLeague glory. Milwaukee’s parting words? Corporate. “A leader as resilient and clutch as they come.” 

Lillard’s goodbye? Pure poetry. “34 a torn Achilles … History etch it in … a Mona Lisa Typa sketch within…” 

The contrast stung. For Dame, the injury lingers. That “torn Achilles” line wasn’t a metaphor —it’s the battle he’s fighting while McGrady debates Tinsley. Kyrie might be in his own league, but Dame’s walking his own path now: rehab, free agency, and verses waiting to be written. The Bucks’ gamble? Turner’s pick-and-pops over Dame’s daggers.

For a guy who bled “loyalty” in Portland, this exit cuts differently. And that line — “torn Achilles” — now lives in the same Instagram breath as his swipe at McGrady. Because while some folks are debating handle hierarchies, Dame is fighting for his own next chapter.