In the NBA, it has always been common to see familial connections between prominent players. From second- and third-generation players to cousins and sibling pairings, the family ties know no bounds.
With that in mind, Mavericks star Kyrie Irving has often been linked with Basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving, who electrified the league as one of its biggest superstars in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Irving, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, has earned the respect of his peers and fans alike by dazzling on a nightly basis with one-of-a-kind moves and finishes, drawing a strong parallel to Erving.
Are Irving and Erving related? Here is what to know about the connection between two stars.
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Is Kyrie Irving related to Julius Erving?
There is no known relation between Kyrie Irving and Julius Erving.
It is worth noting the difference in the spelling of their respective surnames. While the names are homophones, Kyrie’s last name begins with an I while Julius’ last name begins with an E.
While they are not related, there are some parallels between their backgrounds.
Julius Erving was born in East Meadow, N.Y. on Long Island and raised in New York before attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He enjoyed a 16-year professional career in the ABA and NBA, starring for the Virginia Squires, New York Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.
Kyrie Irving’s father, Drederick, hails from the Bronx, N.Y. where he starred as a prep basketball player before attending Boston University. Kyrie Irving was born in Australia and raised in New Jersey and grew up a fan of the Nets franchise.
After starring at Duke, Irving was selected first overall by the Cavs in 2011 and traded to the Celtics in 2017. He spent two seasons in Boston before joining the Nets franchise for three and a half seasons.
In 2017, Erving spoke glowingly of Irving.
I think it’s the way he carries himself on and off the court. He’s very humble, yet very determined and focused and very talented.
You know, talent — the cream comes to the top in every scenario. The challenge is whether you can stay there or not so I think he has proven in a short period of time that he’s smart, he’s articulate and he’s the type of leader who’s worthy of having followers.
He’s the type of inspirational talent who is worthy of having fans. He’s proven himself in that regard and I think he will continue to do so.
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Kyrie Irving NBA family
Irving is not related to Erving but he does have family ties in the NBA.
Irving’s father is childhood friends with retired 17-year NBA veteran and current Long Island University head coach Rod Strickland. Strickland is Kyrie Irving’s godfather.
In addition to his connection to Strickland, Irving’s cousin is Isaiah Briscoe, who starred at Kentucky and spent 39 games with the Orlando Magic in 2018-19 after going undrafted in 2017.