Kyrie Irving is certainly one of the most polarizing players in the NBA. Like his idol Kobe Bryant, he is one of the most talented players on the court, but has had multiple detractors over the years for his off-court antics.

This season with the Nets, Kyrie is arguably having his best season in the NBA. In the 29 games he has played, he is averaging a career high  27.6 points, 5.8 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game.

The 28-year-old might be at the top of his game this season, but was under heavy scrutiny initially. ‘Uncle Drew‘ missed seven games in January due to personal reasons.

Many pundits called out the 7-time All-Star and some even went on to say that he should probably retire. Irving certainly didn’t hold back and has answered his critics with his on-court brilliance.

WNBA star says Kyrie Irving is following footsteps of idol Kobe Bryant

WNBA star Natasha Cloud recently appeared on WBB on ClubHouse. There, she spoke about the Nets’ superstar and how the media treats him unfairly.

Cloud said, “I think far too often, especially in the media, and we bully Kyrie for him being different.” She added, “If y’all are doing stories on KAI or know people that are doing stories on KAI. Y’all gotta give my man a break because far too often. We make him into a villain.”

When Cloud was asked whether Kyrie was following Kobe’s footsteps, she said, “absolutely, he is.” The 29-year-old also opened up about the bond Kyrie and Kobe Bryant shared. “Kobe was his mentor, and when you hear him talk about Kobe, you can hear the love and the passion that he has for him.

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“And the hurt that he has for losing him. So, he understands what he was trying to do. So, he is trying to carry that torch for him, and I think that is an amazing way to carry on his legacy.”

Kobe certainly left his mark on a lot of players in the NBA, and Kyrie is no exception. Be it his impeccable competitiveness or his leadership on the court, the impact he had on current NBA stars is remarkable.

Kyrie Irving is also trying to follow his idol’s path to greatness. He will hope that he can channel his inner Mamba mentality for his second championship with the Nets.