Kyrie Irving - Mastery & Details

Kyrie Irving is often described as a magician, a wizard, an artist and more during his career. The razzle-dazzle of his dribbling, the pageantry of his finishing can and usually does inspire shock and awe from fans, reporters and even his own peers.  Kyrie is one of the first people that comes to mind when I think of Artist. It is because the entertaining and box-office play on the court is an extension of his approach not only to basketball but to life. 

Kyrie recounts a story when he first moved to his house in New Jersey,  Where his father, Drederick instilled the lesson of “focusing on the details.”. Kyrie recounts the story about how his father got him to help put together the basketball hoop, building it from the ground up as it was important for him to learn the process of building something from scratch which allows you to appreciate the details and further enjoy the fruits of your labour.  This is mirrored in Kyrie’s game on the court, although his dribbling and finishing get the plaudits, it’s built on a foundation of great footwork, core strength and balance which allowing him to have great control to manipulate space and hold of defenders, but that's not all, his firm grasp on the fundamentals, with mid range jump shots, his ambidextrousness, which allow him to exploit and create space. Kyrie Irving's mastery comes from his repetition and hard work, he's worked way more than 10,000 hours to attain mastery, allowing him to be completely creative and expressive on the court.

We can all follow this regardless of your field or goals, you can put in the hours and focus on the details to be able to build the foundations for your dreams. Another way we can learn from Kyrie, was actually covered in our YouTube video.[Watch here] . It was the tale of writing down your dreams, like kyrie did after he visited the continental airlines arena, on a school field trip he wrote on a piece of desk “ I am going to the NBA, I promise”. Showing the power not only of writing your dreams, but also the power of “I am…” [you can read that here]

Despite the on court magic, Kyrie Irving has long been one of the most polarising figures in basketball, for things that happen off the court. He is someone who stays true to his beliefs and his messages. someone who feels strongly and cares deeply about many things. This strong sense of self and individualism is a strength he posses.  His charitable acts that constantly go unreported, as well as the way he approaches his signature shoe always first with Nike and now with Anta, it's clear the same creativity and curiosity to see what's possible that helps him innovate on the court, follow him around off the court, which is the essence of what i believe to be an artist. 

Kyrie’s life and game also resonate with Nietzsche’s idea of eternal recurrence—the notion that one should live as if they’d have to repeat their actions for eternity. Every dribble, every play, and every decision reflects Kyrie’s commitment to living authentically and fully in each moment. His unwavering focus on the details, whether in his footwork or his creative projects, embodies a life lived deliberately. By embracing this philosophy, Kyrie demonstrates how the pursuit of mastery and self-expression can transform the mundane into the extraordinary, inspiring us all to approach our daily actions with the same intentionality.

Like Kyrie, we all have the ability to craft our own artistry—not just in what we create, but in how we live. By focusing on the details, embracing our individuality, and committing to our dreams with unwavering belief, we can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. The question is: will you take the first step in building your own masterpiece?

For more check out project: ARTIST

7 minute - digital painting of Kyrie Irving with my noddy painting skills