To some people jersey numbers mean a lot, to others they're just some inconsequential formality you have to get out of the way before you can set foot on a court/field/rink/or whatever. Kyrie Irving would appear to be in the latter category. Or at least closer to it than the former.
We say that because, when the ex-Cavs No. 2 was asked about first round pick Collin Sexton during an Uncle DrewQ&A, he didn't seem to give a damn about him snatching his old jersey digit.
"Go ahead, do what you do. He wanted to wear the number, let him wear the number. It doesn't matter," Kyrie said. "The story is probably going to be the number. But I'm more excited about who [Sexton] is as a player in the league. The number thing is like, just chalk that up to the game. It's cool. It's no hard feelings from my end. He just has to start at the chopping block just like everyone else did. So I'm excited for him."
For some added context, Sexton was selected by the Cavs with the eighth overall pick in the draft last week. That pick was acquired as a part of the deal from summer 2017, which sent Irving to the Celtics after months of publicly built up drama. Over the past few days Sexton said he doesn't feel the need to live up to Kyrie's legacy in Cleveland. Additionally, Irving stated that he appreciated the opinions expressed by overly sentimental Cavs fans about his number being off limits (he didn't say "overly sentimental," but let's be honest here) but said that it's fine to move on.
"The history, it's already captured, man. I was on one of the best teams in NBA history, in my opinion, just accomplishing something that was that much bigger than ourselves," he said of the 2016 championship team he starred on. "A feat that's — we're one of no other teams. We're one of one, in history [to rebound from a 3-1 NBA Finals deficit]. So for me, I think the biggest thing is giving that jersey [he wore in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals] to my dad. If that's where the No. 2 legacy ends, then cool. Then I'm starting up a new one. No pressure for anyone else."
Case closed.
