Mavs' Kyrie Irving, Clippers' Russell Westbrook Hoop in 'The Realistick' Videos
September 3, 2023
A few weeks away from the start of NBA training camps, Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook are putting in work together on the court.
The star guards were filmed training with the Realistick tool that coaches and trainers use to mimic the height of NBA players so that it's like they are practicing against someone without putting their body at risk of getting injured.
The upcoming season is an important one for both Westbrook and Irving. Russ had a strong finish to the 2022-23 campaign after joining the Los Angeles Clippers. He averaged 15.8 points on 48.9 percent shooting and 7.6 assists per game in 21 starts.
In their first-round playoff loss to the Phoenix Suns, Westbrook did his best to carry the Clippers without Paul George and after Kawhi Leonard got injured in Game 2. He put up 23.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.4 assists in the series that Los Angeles lost in five games.
The Clippers brought Westbrook back on a two-year, $8 million deal in free agency.
Irving had a memorable 2022-23 season, though not a lot of it was positive. He was suspended by the Brooklyn Nets after sharing images from a movie and book that feature antisemitic tropes and refusing to apologize for the situation.
The eight-time All-Star eventually issued an apology to the Jewish community, though he later deleted it after being traded from the Nets to the Dallas Mavericks.
"I delete things all the time, and it's no disrespect to anyone within the community," Irving told reporters on Feb. 7. "Just living my life."
The Mavs made multiple bets on Irving. The first one was on Feb. 6 when they traded Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and three draft picks, including an unprotected 2029 first-round selection, to the Nets for Irving.
The second one came when the Mavs signed Irving to a three-year, $120 million deal in free agency. Their hope is Irving and Luka Dončić can be an elite duo that elevates the franchise to be among the best in the Western Conference.