Boston Celtics: The other side of Kyrie Irving exposed

When it comes to leadership, Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart says Kyrie Irving had the necessary traits to be a leader in 2019.

The 2018-19 version of the Boston Celtics led by Kyrie Irving was a dysfunctional group of talented guys.  There is no denying it, which is what Marcus Smart didn’t do in an appearance on ESPN’s “The Jump” on Monday.

With a showmanship of maturity and honesty, the All-NBA defensive guard didn’t mimic former Celtics guard Terry Rozier by airing all the team’s dirty laundry. Instead, Smart didn’t point the finger solely at Irving and took accountability on part of his teammates for the team’s underachievement in 2018-19.

As one of the players who visible bonded with Kyrie on and off the court, Marcus Smart didn’t deny his former teammates faults, but definitely took an opportunity to defend him as a misunderstood person during the appearance.  Highlighting his personal relationship with Irving, Smart talked about how the All-Star point guard was there for him during his mother’s death.

"“For me personally, I can’t speak for the other guys, but for me personally, Kyrie is a great teammate,” Smart said.  “I’ve had sit-downs with Kyrie where the things for me probably wasn’t going so well where he was pulling me to the side – and it wasn’t even about basketball.  Everybody knows what I went through with my mom, losing her and everything.  Kyrie, one of the first guys to text me, call me.  When I got back to Boston, pulled me to the side and we’d sit down and we’d talk.”More from Boston Celtics3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 SeasonBlake Griffin Angling Hard to Re-Sign With CelticsGame-by-Game Predictions for the Celtics’ 2023-24 In-Season Tournament ScheduleKristaps Porzingis’ Foot Injury is a Problem Despite Celtics’ OptimismMarcus Smart, Grant Williams and Ime Udoka all Returning to Boston on 2023-24 Schedule"

Those are the stories and leadership traits that aren’t talked about when it comes to Kyrie Irving and his time in Boston.  While that guidance didn’t seem to translate throughout the team, it is good to hear a passionate player like Marcus Smart speak the truth he did about Kyrie the player and Kyrie the individual, which also extended on the court.

The other side of Kyrie

While admitting Irving didn’t live up to his superstar standards, Smart lauded his former teammate with helping him slow the game down on the court and become more of the veteran vocal leader he is today.  However, that doesn’t mean Marcus Smart wasn’t conscious of the way Kyrie Irving called out some of his younger teammates during moments of frustration.

"“When you going in, especially when you’re trying to build that camaraderie, when you start singling those guys out, it makes it really hard,” Smart said.  “And we (saw) it ourselves inside the locker room with guys calling guys out and it just wasn’t working for us.  So, for me, I just wanted to let people know that, yes, we understand Kyrie wasn’t up to Kyrie’s standards, but there’s four other guys and a whole roster full of coaches.”"

It’s on to 2019-20 now for the Boston Celtics.  Now led by Kemba Walker, the team’s main focus will be turning last season’s dysfunction back into that team-oriented ball they have become known for in the Brad Stevens era.

The first step is recognizing what went wrong and taking personal responsibility.  That is what Marcus Smart has done and is doing.  The next step is finding a way to share the court together.  From Jayson Tatum to Gordon Hayward to Jaylen Brown, the Boston Celtics still have the talent to be something special.

Though Kyrie Irving is now sporting a Brooklyn Nets uniform, it appears that he has left a positive mark on players like Marcus Smart.

Will it be enough to transcend back into the team that reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2018-19?

Leadership and who steps up to claim it will tell the story.