Kyrie Irving
Born 1992 · Age 34
American professional basketball player (point guard) — 2011 No.1 overall pick, 2016 NBA champion with Cleveland, multi-time All-Star, played for Cavaliers, Celtics, Nets, and Mavericks; also a U.S. international and cultural figure (Uncle Drew).
Compare Your Trajectory
See how your career milestones stack up against Kyrie Irving and other industry leaders.
Life & Career Timeline
Born in Melbourne, Australia
Kyrie Andrew Irving born in Melbourne to American expatriates Drederick and Elizabeth Irving; holds dual American and Australian citizenship.
Mother died
Irving's mother, Elizabeth (Larson) Irving, died when Kyrie was four; he was raised by his father and aunts.
Family returned to United States
Irving's family relocated from Melbourne to the United States when Kyrie was about two years old (relocation finalized around this period); he grew up in West Orange, New Jersey.
Father remarried; new agent relationship begins later
Drederick Irving remarried Shetellia Riley in 2004; Riley later became Kyrie Irving's agent.
Inspired to play in the NBA
As a fourth-grader visiting Continental Airlines Arena, Irving declared he would play in the NBA — a formative early-life aspiration.
High school standout at Montclair Kimberley Academy
Played freshman and sophomore seasons at MKA; averaged ~26.5 PPG as sophomore and became second 1,000-point scorer in school history and led MKA to New Jersey Prep 'B' title.
Transferred to St. Patrick High School
Transferred from Montclair Kimberley Academy to the storied St. Patrick program (sat out first 30 days due to transfer rules).
Nike Global Challenge MVP (USA East)
Led USA East to tournament title at Nike Global Challenge; MVP with 21.3 PPG and 4.3 APG.
Committed to Duke University
Announced commitment to Duke on ESPNU on Oct 22, 2009; enrolled for the 2010–11 season.
High-school All-American honors
Selected to 2010 McDonald's All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic; named co-MVP of Jordan Brand Classic with Harrison Barnes.
Played freshman year at Duke (2010–11)
Averaged strong numbers early (17.4 PPG in first 8 games); toe injury in 9th game limited season; returned March 17 before NCAA tournament; Duke reached Sweet Sixteen.
Selected to 2010 Junior National Select Team
Named to Junior National Select Team which played at the Nike Hoop Summit on April 10, 2010.
FIBA Americas U18 gold medal
Part of USA team that won gold at the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship (San Antonio).
Declared for 2011 NBA draft
Forgoing final three years of college eligibility, Irving entered the 2011 NBA draft.
Named NBA All-Rookie First Team (2012 season)
Unanimous selection to NBA All-Rookie First Team for the 2011–12 season.
Drafted No. 1 overall by Cleveland Cavaliers
Selected first overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Cavs.
NBA Rookie of the Year (2012)
Won 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year with 117 of 120 first-place votes; unanimous All-Rookie First Team.
Rising Stars Challenge MVP (2012)
Scored 34 points and went 8-for-8 from three-point range in the Rising Stars Challenge; earned MVP honors.
Ambidexterity noted
Public notes indicate Kyrie Irving is ambidextrous — part of his distinctive skill set.
Sustained broken right hand in Summer League
Broke right hand reportedly by slapping a padded wall during a turnover; required hand surgery announced four days later.
First NBA All-Star selection (2013)
Selected to his first NBA All-Star Game (Eastern Conference).
Won NBA Three-Point Contest (2013)
Participated in All-Star weekend three-point contest and won the event.
Career-high scoring and young Madison Square Garden record (2012–13 season)
Scored then-career-high 41 points at Madison Square Garden; became the youngest player to score 40 at MSG (younger than Michael Jordan was when he did it).
Eastern All-Star starter & All-Star Game MVP (2014)
Selected as the starting point guard for the East and earned All-Star Game MVP with 31 points and 14 assists.
FIBA World Cup champion and MVP (2014)
Helped USA win gold at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and was named tournament MVP; averaged 12.1 PPG during the event and scored 26 in the final.
USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (2014)
Named USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year following World Cup performance.
Signed 5-year, $90 million extension with Cavaliers
Five-year contract extension worth approximately $90M following LeBron James' return and formation of Cavaliers 'Big Three'.
Scored career-high 57 points (Mar 12, 2015)
Recorded 57 points (including a buzzer-beating three to force OT) in a 128–125 win vs. the Spurs; set franchise records for single-game scoring (at the time).
Scored 55 points vs Portland (Jan 28, 2015)
Scored a then-career-high 55 points with 11 three-pointers on Jan 28, 2015, setting a Cavaliers single-game three-pointer record.
Fractured left kneecap in 2015 NBA Finals (Game 1)
Suffered fractured left kneecap in Game 1 of 2015 NBA Finals against Golden State; required surgery and was sidelined 3–4 months.
Season debut after kneecap surgery (2015–16)
Returned from injury and made season debut Dec 20, 2015 against the Philadelphia 76ers.
NBA champion (2016)
Won first NBA championship with Cleveland Cavaliers (2016).
Won Olympic gold with USA (2016)
Member of Team USA that won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics; became one of few players to win NBA title and Olympic gold in same year.
Received championship ring and season opener impact (Oct 25, 2016)
Received first championship ring prior to 2016–17 season opener and scored 29 points that game.
Hit championship-winning three in Game 7 of 2016 NBA Finals
With 53 seconds left, Irving hit the decisive three-pointer over Stephen Curry to give Cavaliers a 92–89 lead; Cleveland won series 4–3 after historic comeback from 3–1 down.
Scored 40 in Game 4 of 2017 NBA Finals
Scored 40 points in Game 4 to stave off sweep in 2017 Finals vs Warriors.
Named to All-NBA Third Team (2015) and later All-NBA honors
Multiple All-NBA team honors across career (All-NBA Third Team 2015, 2021; All-NBA Second Team 2019).
Contributed to Cavaliers reaching three straight Finals (2015–2017)
Part of Cavaliers' consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2015, 2016 (champions), and 2017 (runner-up).
Promoted flat Earth theory (recanted later)
At one time publicly promoted a flat Earth theory; later recanted the position (dates not precisely specified in source text).
Requested trade from Cleveland
Publicly requested trade, reportedly wanting to be focal point of his own team rather than second to LeBron James.
Traded to Boston Celtics
Traded to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Žižić, and Brooklyn's 2018 first-round pick rights (later Collin Sexton); additional pick compensation later moved.
Celtics debut (22 pts, 10 ast)
Debuted as a Celtic vs. Cavaliers, recording 22 points and 10 assists in a 102–99 loss on Oct 17, 2017.
Underwent knee procedures and missed 2018 postseason
Underwent minimally invasive procedure to remove a tension wire (Mar 24) and later scheduled removal of screws from 2015 patella repair; ruled out for rest of postseason (Apr 2018).
Uncle Drew feature film released (2018)
Irving had created/portrayed Uncle Drew in advertisements and the concept became a feature film released in 2018; Irving credited as writer/director/actor in ad content and starred in the film.
Controversial tweet linking antisemitic film (2018)
Tweeted a link to the film 'Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America' (2018), which drew criticism and was characterized by some as antisemitic; later controversies followed.
Acting and voice cameo credits
Appeared as himself in TV (Kickin' It, 2012) and did voice work for We Bare Bears (2016) and Family Guy (2018).
Career-high scoring season with Nets (2019–20 partial)
Averaged 27.4 PPG in the 2019–20 season (truncated by injury and pandemic), a career-high scoring average at the time.
Signed with Brooklyn Nets — four-year, $136.5M
Joined Nets as a free agent on a reported four-year, $136.5 million contract.
Nets debut — 50 points
Debuted for Brooklyn with 50 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 127–126 OT loss to Timberwolves — first player in NBA history with 50+ in a team debut.
Season-high 54 points (Jan 31, 2020)
Scored a season-high 54 points on 19-of-23 shooting in a 133–118 win over the Chicago Bulls.
Elected vice-president of NBPA (Feb 2020)
Elected one of seven vice-presidents of the National Basketball Players Association, replacing Pau Gasol.
Announced season-ending shoulder surgery (Feb 20, 2020)
Underwent season-ending surgery for a right shoulder injury.
Named Eastern Conference All-Star starter (2021)
Named an All-Star starter for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game — seventh selection.
Joined 50–40–90 club (2021)
Finished 2020–21 season with .506 FG%, .402 3P%, .922 FT% — became ninth player in NBA history to join the 50–40–90 club.
Ineligible to play/practice due to NYC COVID-19 vaccine mandate
Nets GM announced Irving would be ineligible under NYC's vaccine mandate until vaccinated; impacted availability for 2021–22 season.
Return as part-time player for away games (Dec 17, 2021)
Nets announced Irving would return as a part-time player for non-New York home games due to continued vaccine mandates.
Swept in 2022 playoffs by Boston
Brooklyn Nets lost to Boston Celtics in first round 0–4; Irving experienced his first career playoff sweep.
Season debut for 2021–22 (Jan 5, 2022)
Made season debut after vaccine-related restrictions, recording 22 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists vs. Indiana.
Scored 50 points (Mar 8, 2022)
Scored 50 points on 15-of-19 shooting with six assists in 132–121 win over Charlotte — one of rare high-efficiency 50-point games by a guard.
Scored franchise-record 60 points (first half 41) vs. Orlando
Scored a career-high and Nets franchise-record 60 points (41 in first half), with 8 three-pointers, in a 150–108 victory over the Magic.
NYC vaccine mandate relaxed, allowed to play at Barclays (Mar 23, 2022)
New York City announced relaxation of vaccine requirements for indoor activities, facilitating Irving's Brooklyn home appearances.
Play-in clincher — 34 points & 12 assists (Apr 12, 2022)
Recorded 34 points and 12 assists in Nets' play-in victory over Cavaliers to secure #7 seed.
Fined $50,000 for gestures and profanity toward fans
Fined $50,000 on Apr 19 for middle-finger gestures and profane language to Boston fans during Game 1 of the playoffs.
Opted into $37M player option for 2022–23
Opted into his $37 million player option with the Nets, signaling return for 2022–23 season.
Suspended by Nets amid antisemitism controversy (Nov 3, 2022)
Suspended for at least five games for failing to 'unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs' after posting a link to a documentary; Nets called him 'currently unfit to be associated' with team.
Season-high 48 points and expanded statline (Jan 20, 2023)
Scored 48 points, eight 3-pointers, 11 rebounds, six assists and four steals in a 117–106 win over Utah.
Named Eastern Conference All-Star starter (2023)
Named an Eastern Conference starter for 2023 NBA All-Star Game — his eighth selection and sixth as starter.
Reported trade request (Feb 4, 2023)
Reported to have requested a trade after contract talks with the Nets did not progress to his liking.
Traded to Dallas Mavericks (Feb 6, 2023)
Traded with Markieff Morris to Dallas for Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, unprotected 2029 first-round pick, and 2027 & 2029 second-round picks.
Mavericks debut — 24 points (Feb 8, 2023)
Debuted for Dallas with 24 points, five rebounds and four assists in 110–104 victory over LA Clippers.
Scored 40 while Luka scored 42 — franchise first (Mar 2, 2023)
Scored 40 points as teammate Luka Dončić scored 42 — first time in Dallas franchise history two players scored 40 in same game.
Re-signed with Mavericks — 3-year, $126M (July 7, 2023)
Signed a three-year contract with Dallas reportedly worth $126 million.
Reached 4th NBA Finals (2024) — lost to Boston
Mavericks faced Boston in the 2024 NBA Finals and lost the series in five games; Irving averaged 16 PPG across most games (with one 35-pt outlier).
44 points & 10 assists vs Knicks (Jan 11, 2024)
Scored 44 points and dished 10 assists in a 128–124 victory over New York.
Record 21-foot game-winning floater (Mar 17, 2024)
Hit a left-handed, 21-foot game-winning floater vs Denver — longest game-winning hook shot recorded.
Season-high 48 points (Apr 7, 2024)
Scored a season-high 48 points in 147–136 OT win over Houston.
Helped Mavericks reach NBA Finals — Game 5 Western Conf Closeout
Scored 36 points in Game 5 of Western Conference Finals to help Dallas defeat Minnesota and reach NBA Finals (first Dallas Finals since 2011).
Luka Dončić trade to Lakers (Feb 1, 2025)
Franchise-altering trade: Luka Dončić traded to Los Angeles Lakers (in text: for Anthony Davis); major roster change that affected Irving's role (reported in provided sources).
Named injury replacement for 2025 All-Star Game
Named an injury replacement for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game — marking his ninth All-Star selection.
Tore ACL — season-ending injury (Mar 3, 2025)
Sustained a torn ACL in left knee in first quarter vs Sacramento Kings, ending his season and putting 2025–26 availability in question.
Re-signed with Mavericks on 3-year deal (July 6, 2025)
Reportedly re-signed with Dallas on a three-year contract (details in source text); contract value varies by reporting.
Key Achievement Ages
Explore what Kyrie Irving and others achieved at these notable ages:
Similar Trajectories
Jake Paul
Born 1997 · Age 29
American social-media influencer, actor and professional boxer who rose to fame on Vine and YouTube, founded multiple businesses (Team 10, TeamDom/Team 10 media, Anti Fund, Most Valuable Promotions, Betr, W) and transitioned into high-profile boxing.
Pedro Franceschi
Born 1997 · Age 29
Brazilian software engineer and entrepreneur; co-founder of Pagar.me and Brex; Stanford admittee who dropped out to build Brex; recognized on Forbes 30 Under 30 and involved in fintech innovation.
Alexandr Wang
Born 1997 · Age 29
American entrepreneur; co-founder and former CEO of Scale AI; Meta's chief AI officer since 2025. In 2021 he was the world's youngest self-made billionaire.
Malala Yousafzai
Born 1997 · Age 29
Pakistani education activist, co‑founder and executive chair of the Malala Fund, author and Nobel Peace Prize laureate (born 1997).
Kylie Jenner
Born 1997 · Age 29
American media personality, socialite and entrepreneur; founder of Kylie Cosmetics; prominent reality TV figure (Keeping Up with the Kardashians, The Kardashians).
Becky G
Born 1997 · Age 29
American singer, songwriter, actress and entrepreneur known as Becky G; rose from YouTube covers to mainstream pop and Latin music success, actor in feature films, and founder of Treslúce Beauty.