Sometimes the best reunions happen when you least expect them. When Phil Handy walked into the Dallas Mavericks’ facility as their newest coaching addition, Kyrie Irving’s reaction said everything about their bond. One simple greeting captured years of shared history and mutual respect that helped shape a championship.
How Did Phil Handy Help Shape Kyrie Irving’s Championship Success?
Veteran NBA player development specialist Phil Handy is back in the league, this time joining the staff of Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd. One person who was excited about the development was Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Irving can be seen greeting Handy with a warm hug and a quick message. “Sup, Dallas Mav?!!” he exclaimed with laughter.
Kyrie to Phil Handy:
“Sup Dallas Mav!” 😂💙
(via deucebrand/IG) pic.twitter.com/4xQaji3rRg
— MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) July 15, 2025
Handy and Irving are quite familiar with each other, as Handy was on the coaching staff of Mike Brown and the Cleveland Cavaliers when they won the NBA championship in 2016Â after LeBron James’ return to the franchise. The foundation of their relationship was built on Handy’s belief in Irving’s potential and his ability to push the star guard to new heights.
“Ky is an unbelievable talent. That dude is probably the most naturally talented dude I’ve ever been around…” Handy once said of Irving while describing their work in Cleveland, as reported on Basketball News back in 2021.
“He’s tremendously gifted and the challenge for me [while coaching him] was to help Kyrie just understand how important the work was…helping Kyrie understand that if you’re willing to put in the work and really focus on some things to help you with your ball-handling, your footwork, and your balance, you’re going to take your game to a whole other area that you don’t even think is possible.”
Irving’s game benefited greatly from Handy’s guidance, seeing him be steady in that championship season with the Cavaliers, where he averaged 19.6 points a game to go with 4.7 assists and three rebounds. The work they put in together paid off when it mattered most.
Handy continued, “Once he bought into that, it was easy. It was easy because it wasn’t anything I was influencing; it was really that he just bought in to getting the work in. And that’s one of the hardest battles: getting guys to understand if you put the work in, you have a chance. Especially with a skill set like that? If you’re willing to work, it’s over. He bought into that and understood that.”
What Made Irving’s 2016 Finals Performance So Special?
The 2016 NBA Finals saw Irving surge against the Golden State Warriors after the Cavaliers cruised through the Eastern Conference. Despite a stumble in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Irving would set a record with James to be the first teammates to each score 40+ points in a game, as the Cavaliers would beat Golden State coming back from a 3-1 deficit.
The transformation in Irving’s approach became clear during that historic championship run. Handy’s influence had helped turn natural talent into championship-level performance when the stakes were highest.
“[I asked] Ky, ‘Do you just want to be a good player on a losing team or do you want to really prove to people that you can be one of the best point guards in this game and play at a high level and help your team win?’,” Handy said as a guest on The James Posey Podcast.
“Obviously, Bron coming back to Cleveland was a big caveat to that but before Bron came, Kyrie set himself on that path once he understood what it meant to work, did a better job of taking care of his body, changed his diet a little bit, and just committed himself to the game on a full-time basis.”
Handy was last on the Los Angeles Lakers’ coaching staff before taking time off. He also recently coached the Mist team in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 women’s league that launched earlier this year.
In his Instagram account, he spoke about joining Kidd’s staff. “The last year off was needed on many levels,” Handy wrote. “Learned a lot about myself and became a better coach. Thank you to everyone for the messages and outpouring support, it’s been humbling. Honored to be part of a great organization in a great city with great coaches and players.”
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Handy joins the Mavericks staff along with Frank Vogel, Mike Penberthy, Jay Triano, Popeye Jones, and Jordan Sears. Notably, Kidd, Handy, Penberthy, and Vogel were part of the Lakers’ staff that won the NBA championship back in 2020. This reunion brings together experienced coaches who understand what it takes to win at the highest level.
