For Paige Bueckers, Kyrie Irving has never been just another NBA star. Long before her name lit up draft boards, she was a teenager glued to his games, dissecting every crossover, floater, and clutch shot. In 2016, she joined Twitter for one reason: to stan Kyrie. Her timeline is filled with posts like, “People so sleep on Kyrie… what a shame” and declarations that he was “the best point guard in the league point blank period.” It’s a two-way relationship, though.

When Bueckers was drafted, Kyrie posted a heartfelt video message that began, “I just wanted to take the time out to congratulate you on being drafted, especially to the Dallas Wings. I’m so excited for your journey ahead… So happy and proud of you…”. And their connection only deepened as life threw them a shared test.

Both Bueckers and Irving found themselves facing the same cruel opponent: a torn ACL. First Paige, and then Kyrie in March against Sacramento. Their paths, already aligned by admiration, now ran parallel through rehab and recovery. Naturally, when she was asked in a WFAA interview for a Kyrie Irving update– whether that long-awaited meeting was finally happening or if she needed help in making it happen, Paige spoke with the kind of honesty only a true fan could.

She opened with “He’s a busy, busy man.” Then continued, “I saw him, he was in LA. I think it was the Clippers or Lakers game. So I know he’s rehabbing his ACL as well.” The Duke product tore the ACL in his left knee on March 3 against the Sacramento Kings, and he is not expected to return before 2026. Responding to the kind offer that the interviewer made about facilitating a meeting, Paige got honest. “I think it’ll happen organically, but I really hope to meet him at some point.”

When the interviewer asked what it is about the way he goes about his business that inspired her to emulate some of the things he does, Bueckers responded in a rush of pure admiration. “A lot of things, I mean, just his skill level you can tell how dedicated and how much time he puts into his craft by the way that he plays in the different skill sets that he has. He’s an undersized guard in the NBA, and he’s a 50, 40, 90 player, extremely efficient, can finish like he’s 7 ft tall. It’s just amazing the way he plays and then the way he carries himself.”

This isn’t a generic observation; it’s a reflection of the hard data that underscores Kyrie’s ability to outperform bigger, taller players through pure skill and creativity. His 50-40-90 season — 50% from the field, 40% from 3, and 90% from the free-throw line, put him in an elite class alongside legends like Larry Bird and Steve Nash. His finishing, often described as acrobatic and unconventional, shows that size isn’t a limitation when you have elite ball control and a deep understanding of angles.

But Paige’s admiration of Irving goes beyond stats and performance still. “He’s unapologetically himself. He doesn’t care about the opinions of other, and he just has a way about himself that speaks confidence and that he doesn’t regret anything — he doesn’t live in a state of regret and it’s all a part of his journey and he has faith about him that he believes everything happens for a reason as well. And so just and everybody talks about him and says he’s a great teammate and a great person to be around. He’s reached out to me and been very supportive of me through my journey and he’s welcomed me here when I got drafted, so he’s just an overall nice guy, but an amazing basketball player and amazing human.”, she finished. 

Her words don’t just tell a story of a remarkable athlete, but of a person staying true to who he is, regardless of the pressures around him. And that’s the journey she wants to emulate in her own career. But, he might be in a situation where he needs some support for himself. Unlike Paige Bueckers, who returned from a significant ACL injury to lead UConn to a national title, Kyrie Irving is facing some skepticism from franchises. 

 Kyrie’s $19 million question

For Kyrie, this offseason isn’t just about rehab; it’s about figuring out where his future lies in Dallas. The 33-year-old guard has a $44 million player option for next season, a huge number on its face. But many insiders say the Mavericks are thinking more long term. According to Marc Stein, there were already “rumbles of a new three-year deal for Irving … before the [Luka] Dončić trade.” That signals the Mavs want Kyrie back, not just for a single season but for a sustained run alongside their superstar. 

To make it happen, Kyrie might opt out and re-sign at a lower number, possibly a two-year deal at $25M each or a multiyear agreement starting lower, freeing up nearly $19M in cap space.

General Manager Nico Harrison has a clear view on this: retaining Kyrie is key, but it must be done in a way that lets the team stay flexible under the luxury-tax apron. A deal starting at a lower base, with incentives or a player option, would cut nearly $19M from their annual number and allow the Mavs to pursue additional depth to maximize their title window. It’s a delicate balance — honoring a veteran’s worth while making sure the team isn’t stranded by a restrictive cap.