'I'm taking my time' – Kyrie Irving casts doubt on return with concerning injury update
In the first half of the March 3 game against the Sacramento Kings,
Kyrie Irving
, the star guard for the Dallas Mavericks, tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). On March 26, he had a successful surgery.
Now, he recently addressed his recovery, tempering expectations about returning during the playoffs.
He further said that he is currently solely focusing on getting recovered from the injury.
Kyrie Irving opens up on ACL recovery and dismisses return timetable
Despite early reports that
Kyrie Irving
might return by January 2026, the Dallas Mavericks have been growing more optimistic about his development in recent weeks. Kyrie Irving, however, clarified that he is more concerned with his complete recovery than with any timetable.
Kyrie Irving is an amazing player (Image via Getty Images)
ESPN's Shams Charania estimated that the icon might return somewhere in between December and after the
NBA's 2026
All-Star break in late February or early March. The general estimate for most returns from ACL tears is around a year from the initial injury, hence the March estimation.
However, it wasn't until Kyrie Irving himself recently answered questions about it during a live stream. When asked about when he would return, he gave a straightforward response saying:
'Don't hold your breath on that… it doesn't mean that I won't be back, it's that I don't want to make any predictions on when I'm going to be back.
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I just want to be back 150,000% better. So I'm taking my time right now to really get healthy. I'm taking my time to really get my body right, get other portions of my body right, and really just enjoy the is recovery process. It's not pretty. Yes, it's a beautiful struggle but I go through the mental roller coaster ride every day, just wanting to be back out there.
'
The 33-year-old further highlighted the mental and physical difficulties associated with recovery. He also referred to the process as a "beautiful struggle' as he acknowledged the challenges of being sidelined while his teammates continue their playoff drive. On the other hand, the
Dallas Mavericks
think that their core is still competitive enough to compete in the Western Conference.
Kyrie Irving, on the other hand, is only concerned with getting better for the time being. He was shooting more than 40 percent from three-point range and averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game before the injury. However, now he is just focusing on his healing journey.
Also read:
Kyrie Irving lands $119 million deal to stay with Dallas Mavericks after ditching player option
For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the
India vs England Test match
here.
Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
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