Kyrie Irving rushed to the defense of his new teammate D’Angelo Russell after a prominent member of the basketball media criticized the NBA star. Although the Dallas Mavericks no longer have Luka Dončić on their team, they are still looking to contend for an NBA championship with Irving and Anthony Davis leading the team.
Bill Simmons, a popular NBA sportswriter, recently took a shot at Russell while discussing his potential impact on the Mavericks this upcoming season. Irving responded to Simmons’ statement on social media, generating more attention from the NBA world in the process.
Kyrie Irving Subtly Threatens Bill Simmons When Defending D’Angelo Russell
Since Irving sustained a torn ACL in his left knee in March 2025 and had to miss the remainder of the season, the Mavericks acquired Russell this offseason to fill the vacancy they have in the guard position.
From the perspective of stars across the league, such as Irving, the majority of the basketball media are frustrating and irritating personalities who cook up stories about them to send out the next “hot take.” Simmons certainly did his best to gain attention with his controversial comments on Russell.
“He’s your buddy that comes to visit and it’s really great when he is only there for one day and by day six you’re like, ah, I’m ready for him to leave. That’s D-Lo.”
Bill Simmons describes D’Angelo Russell’s career:
“He’s your buddy that comes to visit and it’s really great when he is only there for one day and by day six you’re like, ah, I’m ready for him to leave. That’s D-Lo,”
(Via @ringer / h/t @HoopAnalysisNet ) pic.twitter.com/1dmgf8S9kP
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 10, 2025
Since Russell has been on several teams throughout his career, Simmons attempted to claim that his playstyle or attitude eventually overstays its welcome and is no longer respected and valued.
Irving did not let this claim go unchallenged. He came to the defense of his new teammate and attacked Simmons in the process: “Oh Bill, you would never say this to Dlo in person, and we both know it.”
Oh Bill, you would never say this to Dlo in person and we both know it. https://t.co/Qb0Rj1sxP7 pic.twitter.com/krThotZ5rN
— Kyrie🤞🏾 (@KyrieIrving) October 11, 2025
Attempting to imply that Simmons is “scared” of Russell can be considered a personal shot well outside the world of basketball. Irving’s words also have a certain ominous quality. After all, Russell can attack Simmons or escalate things greatly via a physical confrontation if he hears those statements directly from the source.
While some might just dismiss Irving’s response, the Mavericks star’s response can be viewed symbolically. Perhaps it would be better if the members of the media avoided making any claim that they would hesitate to state out loud in front of the star in question.
Both Irving and Russell are likely well aware of the negative impact that the media has the potential to generate through these frequent hot takes.
Although Irving is expected to miss the majority of the upcoming season, Russell is expected to start for the Mavericks alongside Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg. Fans are left wondering what he will be able to accomplish with the team as their primary ball handler and facilitator.