Kyrie Irving hit the shot that helped deliver Cleveland its long-awaited championship.
A decade later, he was missing from the reunion.
Several members of the Cavaliers’ 2016 title team, including LeBron James, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, and J.R. Smith, have reunited in the United Kingdom for an ex-teammate getaway built around golf and sightseeing.
Irving, though, has not been part of the visible festivities.
Smith appeared to address the speculation in an Instagram comment under a post about the reunion, though he did not mention Irving by name.
“Missing none,” Smith wrote. “He was invited and ghosted us all. So stop with that bs.”
The comment quickly drew attention because of Irving’s central role in one of the most famous Finals runs in NBA history.
The Cavaliers became the first team ever to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals, stunning the 73-win Warriors in 2016 and delivering Cleveland its first major professional sports title since 1964.
Irving provided the signature moment.
With less than a minute left in Game 7, he buried the go-ahead 3-pointer over Stephen Curry — a shot that remains one of the defining plays in Cavaliers history.
Irving and James were part of three straight Finals teams together in Cleveland, winning the title in 2016 before Irving requested a trade the following year.
He was eventually sent to the Celtics in 2017 after a controversial trade request, ending his six-season run with the Cavaliers.
His relationship with Cleveland has at times appeared complicated since then, though the importance of the 2016 championship has never faded.
That is why fans quickly noticed his absence from the U.K. trip.
Smith’s comment suggested Irving had the chance to join his former teammates but did not attend.
Irving has not publicly addressed his absence.
For now, the reunion rolls on without the player who hit the shot that helped finish Cleveland’s historic comeback.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
