In a bold and contentious statement, former NBA star Kenyon Martin expressed his belief that Kyrie Irving surpasses Luka Doncic in skill and impact, asserting Irving’s prowess as the primary force for the Dallas Mavericks, contrary to popular opinions.
During a discussion on Gil’s Arena he suggested that Irving would overshadow Doncic in a head-to-head matchup due to Luka’s weak defense.
“In my opinion, I don’t think he’s the best player on this basketball team…,” Martin said. “Guarantee you line them up, let them play once… you line him up against Kyrie, [Doncic] might not touch the ball. If you give Kyrie the ball first, Luka won’t touch the ball. Luka can’t guard this damn camera stand…”
While acknowledging Doncic’s talents, Martin emphasized the significance of tangible contributions beyond statistical figures.
“Is Luka good? Absolutely. Real basketball people know this. If you numbers don’t equate to something, it’s just numbers,” he concluded
It’s worth noting that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, in discussing Irving’s role, has affirmed that Kyrie understands his place as the second option behind Doncic on the team.
