Time flies so fast! Irving has become the oldest No. 1 pick in active service except James. Which period do you like Irving?

It is indeed a bit dazed to see that the US media listed Irving as the second-year active No. 1 pick, just behind LeBron James. The talented boy who shook the defender in Cleveland in 2011 was already a "veteran" who had played for 15 seasons in a blink of an eye. Time never lie in the NBA, but Irving’s story, especially in recent years, seems to be different from our stereotype of “aging” stars.

says he is "old" and is not very tenable in data. Last season in the Mavericks, he played 50 regular season games, averaging 24.7 points, shooting 47.3% from the field and 40.1% from three-point shooting. This makes him the only point guard selected for the "180 Club" since the 2020s. Over the past 14 years of his career, his average figure is 23.7 points, 5.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and his shooting percentage is 47% of the shooting, 39% of the three-pointers, and 89% of the free throws, which is very close to the threshold of the 180 club. James commented that he was "the most talented player in the NBA ever." Lillard said he has "the most elegant way of playing in NBA history", while Durant pointed out that "his game has no shortcomings in both physical and psychological aspects." These words are indeed not polite. Irving's offensive skills, especially his ball-handling rhythm, finishing touch and shooting ability, seem not to be significantly eroded by time. When the No. 1 picks from 2004 to 2010 - Howard, Bogut, Bagnani, Oden, Rose, Griffin, Wall - had all left the league, Irving's technical comprehensiveness and efficiency became his hard currency to resist age.

But what really distinguishes Irving from the past may not be technology, but mentality. He himself said on the show "The Tylil Show Live": "In the past, the 40-point game was my highlight moment, and being with beautiful women was my highlight moment, various lifestyle choices, nightclubs, and being liked by everyone. At that time, Irving was a genius on the court, but off the court, it was a mess. Trading applications, conspiracy theories, controversies, etc. are accompanied by various headlines every season. But now, brother, I wake up every day and can breathe... I will no longer take such moments for granted." This change in mentality is fundamental. It is directly reflected in his career choice. He rejected the 2025-26 season's player option, signed a new three-year, $119 million contract with the Mavericks, and chose to cut salary in order to allow the Mavericks to unlock 5.7 million mini middle class special case for reinforcement. This is almost unimaginable in Owen at his peak. Doncic once said: "He helped me become much more mature, and also allowed me to look at the game from a different perspective." Dream-Chasing Green pointed out directly: "Kyrie Irving has completely seen through the sport of basketball." From the Cavaliers and Celtics to the center of the controversial vortex during the Nets, to the current stable leadership, humility and peace in Dallas, without drama and interference, Irving has indeed completed the key transformation as a professional player and a member of the team.

So, why can a point guard who is 32 years old, enters the 15th season of his career, and suffers a torn ACL last season, be regarded as the top combat power, and even make the Mavericks willing to renew their contract with a billion yuan contract? The answer is that he successfully avoided the trap of traditional point guard aging. In the past, point guards like Wall, who relied heavily on speed and explosive power, fell extremely quickly once their bodies slid. Ross had to completely change his playing style due to serious injury. Irving is different. First of all, as Durant said, he has "no shortcomings in his body and mind." His offense has no blind spots and does not need to rely entirely on physical talent. Now, he has developed his top off-ball ability. The proportion of a large number of ball-holding and single-handed matches in his early career is declining. He uses more screens to make mid-range and three-point shooting, which makes his playing style more efficient and his physical fitness allocation more reasonable. Secondly, his role is extremely compatible. He can be the core of the ball, and he can also be the second-in-command or even the end point without the ball when needed. His average assists per game last season was 4.6, which doesn't seem to be high, but his assists and turnovers reached a career-best 2.8:1, indicating that his decisions are more cautious and effective. Although injuries are hidden dangers, in recent years, he has actually done better than in his early years in overcoming minor injuries and maintaining attendance, and has shown a certain degree of resilience.

So, when we talk about "old Irving" in the offseason, it needs to be very clear that what he grows up is his age and qualifications, his NBA "long-term work", but far from his game influence and court value. Through his comprehensiveness in technology and continuous improvement, his mentality maturity, and his adjustment to his own playing style, he effectively delayed and even partially reversed the decline curve of the "veteran" in the traditional sense. Edwards said "To me, Kyrie Irving is the greatest point guard", and Tatum also said "on the court, he is one of the most talented players I have ever seen" - these evaluations still hold true to Irving today. His talent translates into a longer-lasting, smarter way of playing.

The new season, with an unknown recovery from knee injury and a salary cut contract, Irving's role in the Mavericks is crucial. He no longer needs to score 40 points a night to prove himself, but he needs to use his still top-notch technology, improved ball quotient and stable mentality to become the most reliable partner around Davis and Flag, helping the Mavericks go further in the fiercely competitive West. Irving's "oldness" is not the end, but a new stage of knowing how to use his talents better. He proved that the top technical flow point guard can continue to dominate the game in different ways after the age of 30.