In 2016, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving teamed up to bring the Cleveland Cavaliers their first-ever NBA championship. They achieved this historic victory by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, a team that had set a record with 73 regular-season wins.

At the time, it seemed like the James-Irving partnership would last for many more years. However, in 2017, Irving requested a trade and was subsequently sent to the Boston Celtics.

Fast forward to now, Irving’s current team, the Dallas Mavericks, is preparing to face the Celtics in this year’s championship series. While the Celtics are strong favorites, the Mavericks are seen as legitimate contenders for the title. On the “Mind the Game” podcast, James expressed his mixed feelings about no longer being teammates with Irving.

“I’m so [expletive] happy and so proud to watch him continue his growth,” James told his co-host, JJ Redick. “I’m so [expletive] mad at the same time that I’m not his running mate anymore.”

James’ Los Angeles Lakers made several attempts to trade for Irving in recent years to reunite him with the four-time MVP. The Lakers tried to acquire Irving in the summer of 2022 and again midway through last season. However, the asking price was too high, and the Brooklyn Nets ultimately traded Irving to Dallas instead.

Since parting ways, LeBron has thrived in Los Angeles, winning his fourth championship and Finals MVP in 2020. Despite his team’s subsequent struggles in a loaded and competitive Western Conference, he remains one of the top 10 players in the NBA, showcasing remarkable athleticism despite being the league’s oldest player.