Duke Blue Devils legend Kyrie Irving has received a major update as he recovers from his torn ACL.
Duke Blue Devils legend Kyrie Irving tore his ACL last March, placing his 2025-26 NBA campaign with the Dallas Mavericks in jeopardy.
There has been very little discussion about Irving's timeline, which has had some wondering if the nine-time All-Star would return this season at all.
But some positive news has surfaced on that front.
Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal has reported that Irving may be nearing his return to the hardwood, and it could happen late next month.
"While the Mavericks have not publicly communicated a return timetable for Irving, sources tell DallasHoopsJournal.com there has been no indication he will be shut down for the season," Afseth wrote. "Instead, the prevailing expectation is that Irving’s return would more realistically come after the NBA All-Star break as it stands, rather than before it."
The Mavericks' first game after the All-Star break is Feb. 20, so it stands to reason that Irving could make his first appearance of the season in late February.
Injuries have been an issue for Irving ever since his days at Duke.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving. Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images.The 33-year-old spent just one year with the Blue Devils in 2010-11, playing in just 11 games and averaging 17.5 points and 4.3 assists per game.
Irving's lack of playing time at Durham did not stop the Cleveland Cavaliers from selecting him with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, but durability has unfortunately remained a consistent problem for the guard ever since.
The Australian native hasn't played 70 games in a single season since the 2016-17 campaign and has only appeared in 60 contests once over the last seven years.
Irving won a championship with the Cavaliers in 2016 and also spent time with the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets before being traded to Dallas midway through the 2022-23 campaign.
The Duke product owns career averages of 23.7 points, 5.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game on 47.4/39.4/88.8 shooting splits.
It should be noted that the Mavericks are 15-25 and are certainly not playoff contenders in the Western Conference, so there really is no reason for them to rush Irving.
That's especially considering that Dallas signed Irving to a three-year, $119 million contract extension last summer.