Kyrie Irving’s decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers in the summer of 2017 remains one of the most debated moments in recent NBA history. Former Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert, who played alongside both Irving and LeBron James in Cleveland, has now offered his most candid take on why it happened.
Iman Shumpert Explains Why Kyrie Irving Left LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers
Shumpert was asked on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast whether he was surprised Irving wanted out of Cleveland. A clip of his response was posted on NBA Courtside’s X account on Wednesday. His answer was direct.
“Hell no. If you know Kyrie, Kyrie is a Kobe guy. Kyrie wanted to beat Bron. And that’s okay. People would be like, man, that was dumb…That’s not Kyrie. Kyrie is like the only way I could be crowned the best is to beat the best. I got to go head-to-head, which I can’t team up with you,” Shumpert said.
Shumpert then used an analogy to describe the dynamic.
“Picture you at your crib. They give you a crib. You got your mama crib, right? And then they just bring you a new brother. And then your mama like well, he the only one like you was the one that get to had the house key and do whatever you want and now they…you get to drive a car, right? We got a new brother now, but he the only one get to drive a car. What?” Shumpert said.
He pushed back on the idea that Irving should have simply buried his competitive instincts — which he claims to be on par with Kobe Bryant’s — for the sake of the team.
“For people not to understand that’s what happened, and then be like, ‘Oh, he should have put his pride to the side.’ Why? What’s wrong with that? Bron is great. Kyrie want to beat him. Kyrie want y’all to have to say I beat Bron on the biggest stage ever. He want us to be able to say that as a competitor. What’s wrong with that?” Shumpert added.
Irving was the Cavaliers’ franchise cornerstone and the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. He was the face of the team before LeBron James returned to Cleveland in July 2014, after leaving for Miami in 2010.
When James came back, the dynamic shifted. Irving was no longer the undisputed leader, and according to Shumpert, that never sat easily with him.
Shumpert was in the locker room for all of it. He played three seasons alongside Irving and James in Cleveland, from 2014-15 through 2016-17, and was part of the 2016 championship team that delivered the city its first NBA title.
Irving and James won that championship together, one of three Finals appearances they made as teammates. It was the crowning moment of their partnership. Yet Irving requested a trade just over a year later, in July 2017, shortly after losing the Finals to the Golden State Warriors. He was dealt to the Boston Celtics before the 2017-18 season.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has argued that Irving was actually the most compatible teammate James ever had. Speaking on the “Hoop Collective” podcast, Windhorst said, “In my opinion, the best, most compatible teammate LeBron has ever had is Kyrie. The guy who he played with who best fit his skill set was Kyrie, because you need a guy who can handle the ball that is also awesome off the ball.”
Irving, a nine-time NBA All-Star, is currently with the Dallas Mavericks but has missed the entire 2025-26 season after suffering a torn left ACL on March 3, 2025. James, meanwhile, continues to anchor the Los Angeles Lakers’ offense alongside Luka Dončić.
Shumpert’s point was clear. Irving did not leave because he could not handle pressure or did not want to win. He left because winning alongside James was never going to be enough. He wanted to carve his own legacy and defeat one of the greatest players in NBA history.
