Kyrie Irving: Return of the Baller Jedi (2015-2016)

Kyrie went down in game 1 of the 2015 NBA finals with a chipped kneecap. Damn, can you imagine how bad that would hurt?

Lebron was the only big 3’er left on the court. Even then, Lebron took the Cavs to 6 games. Thus, the 2016 season immediately became an amazing fantasy for fans in Ohio. If Lebron took them to 6, what would happen with a healthy Kyrie and Kevin Love?

We all know how that story ends. Needless to say, it was dramatic when Kyrie ultimately returned in the 2015-2016 season. After much speculation, he sent out a simple, but effective Tweet:

“I’m Back”

The day before announcing, another rippling return happened. After a ten year, morose gap, Star Wars returned to the big screen.

I immediately envisioned Kyrie as a basketball Jedi. He is one of the greatest ballhandlers of all time. It’s not difficult to think of him as some sort of master basketball magician.

I always loved the arrival of Luke Skywalker to Jabba’s palace: the giant metal gate, the vast entryway, dramatic light beams with gurgling 80s synth, and the woeful pig guards (parking attendants). Kyrie has a dramatic soul. He’d fit in perfectly.

What we don’t see here is Kyrie’s ultimate victory against the monstrous Rancor, a.k.a. the Golden State Warriors.