Kyrie Irving isn’t a prototypical point guard, and that’s what makes him great

Wrote about Kyrie Irving, who I learned to enjoy by ignoring the imperfections and focusing on the things he does so well. An excerpt:

There are very few NBA players who can score better, or in more varied ways, than Irving. Let’s check the numbers:

Irving is one of just seven players this season making at least 40 percent of his threes on at least five attempts a night, while also getting to the free-throw line at least four times per game.

Of that group of seven, he’s one of just three that is also shooting at least 50 percent on at least five drives to the basket per game.

Of the 151 players taking at least 2.5 catch-and-shoot jumpers a game, only seven are shooting a better percentage on those shots than Irving.

Of the 120 players taking a similar number of pull-up jumpers per game, Irving ranks №18 in field goal percentage.

Of the 41 players averaging at least 20 minutes a night and using at least a quarter of their team’s possessions, he ranks №12 in true shooting percentage.

While all of those numbers are pretty incredible, none of them do justice to the experience of actually watching Irving score. The handle he has on the ball is so tight that at times it’s almost mesmerizing. There are few players outside of the Harlem Globetrotters who have ever had the ball on so much of a string, and are able to yo-yo it back and forth, between the legs, around the back, always with a purpose. (My pet theory is that each of Irving’s fancy dribbles works as a test of how a defender will react, and that he stores that information to use against said defender later in the possession, game, or season.)

Read the full story at VICE Sports.