Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving is setting his sights on another Olympic gold medal but isn’t ruling out a switch to represent Australia if Team USA doesn’t select him for future games. In a recent interview with The Athletic, Irving expressed his surprise at the lack of tryouts for the 2024 Paris Olympics, unlike previous Olympic cycles. While disappointed by the snub, he remains eager to represent his country on the global stage.
Irving, who was born in Australia and holds dual citizenship, floated the possibility of representing Australia in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if his path with Team USA doesn’t materialize. The move would require approval from both USA Basketball and FIBA, as he has only represented the United States internationally. Acknowledging that he’ll be 36 by then, Irving is determined to keep his skills sharp, posting 25.6 points, 5.2 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game last season, helping the Mavericks reach the NBA Finals alongside teammates Luka Doncic and Klay Thompson.
Beyond his on-court achievements, Irving has faced significant off-court controversies in recent years, from his COVID-19 vaccine stance to social media posts that led to his suspension by the Brooklyn Nets. Reflecting on the toll of the backlash, he shared that it’s even led to death threats. Yet, he’s now focusing on his game, ready for a new season and another potential Olympic journey—wherever it may lead.
Aside from his dexterity on the court, Kyrie Irving has faced numerous off-court controversies in recent years. In an interview with Sam Amick, he revealed that the ongoing drama had a significant impact on his life. This led to death threats and required him to increase his security. Nevertheless, Irving also hoped for more conversation rather than inappropriate death threats.
It would be recalled that much of this turmoil occurred during his time with the Brooklyn Nets. One major controversy was his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine, which limited him to playing only road games due to local mandates.
That wasn’t all, as another significant incident involved caused a frenzy when he posted and defended a link to a movie with antisemitic undertones on social media. The backlash from this post led to his suspension by the Nets and a meeting with NBA commissioner Adam Silver. Since then, Irving has remained further away from controversies, focusing solely on his game.
