Kyrie Irving of the Celtics remains busy with knee repair, film to promote

New York • Kyrie Irving does not have to worry about the free agency until next summer, although he has plenty to do for the moment.

There is a movie to promote and a knee to repair. He hopes that he is good at the screen, but wants to be better than ever on the court.

"Now it becomes the real ascent of Mount Everest, back to the top," Irving said Monday. "Then I take my time."

The Boston Celtics All-Star hopes that he will be able to start playing again in a few weeks. But he remains patient in his detox because of a knee infection, feeling that the extra time can only help him after he's played deep in the last two months of June. years with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He was traded to the Celtics last summer during the filming of "Uncle Drew". The film, in which he plays an old legendary basketball playground that began as a character in Pepsi commercials, is presented Tuesday in New York.

The Cavaliers gave the former Irving Jersey number to Collin Sexton, who was drafted last week with choice # 8 that Cleveland acquired from Boston in the trade. But Irving was not angry, saying that he had already given Cavs' number 2 which counts for him – the one he wore while he was hitting the biggest shot of the day. ### 39, history of the franchise.

It was Father's Day in 2016, the night Irving nailed the 3-pointer that helped the Cavaliers beat the Warriors in the seventh game of the NBA Finals for the first franchise championship .

"The story, it's already captured, guy," said Irving. "In my opinion, I was in one of the best teams in the history of the NBA, accomplishing something that was much bigger than us – a feat that was, we are the only one in the history of the NBA. One of the other teams We are like 1 out of 1, in the story So for me, I think the most important thing was to give this jersey to my dad, and if that's where the l & # 39; # 2 inheritance ends, so cool. "

Although Irving asked to be exchanged – a request that LeBron James hoped the Cavs would not honor – he fondly remembers his time in what is now Sexton's number.

"I've given a lot of commitment and sacrifice to be there from day one, so to have this six year period of doing incredible things, I'm really happy about it," she said. he said. "I've never feared that Cleveland gives me the opportunity to wear a No. 2 at age 19. Now, it's just a transition into the league.

"There are no hard feelings on my part, but now he has to start at the same time as everybody, so I'm excited for him."

And he is excited for "Uncle Drew", in which Irving rounds his former teammates to play in a tournament at Rucker Park in New York. Shaquille O 'Neal, Reggie Miller, Chris Webber and Nate Robinson are his former fellow runners. They were on the set with him when they started receiving alerts about the fact that Irving had been traded.

"Once that happened, the dance is a little better," Irving said.

Irving needed three hours of makeup a day to look like a senior before the 14 hours of filming. He believes his love of basketball is manifested through his role as a wise old sage who hangs around the courts – although Irving himself has not played on outdoor playgrounds for years. .

His game is inside now, and he plans to be back this summer before doing business with his own free agency next summer.

"Not just the same way, but a lot better," said Irving. "It's there that the focus needs to be put in. If you leave any room for doubt or uncertainty, I mean you better get out of the game."

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