Fans of now-Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving will have undoubtedly heard of his father Drederick. Kyrie has mentioned several times in the past, the impact his father had on his development and overall life. Fans might already know that Drederick was also a professional basketball player.
In fact, there are several links between him and the Boston Celtics. While we know with certainty that Irving played with the Celtics for a few years, fans are unaware if Drederick actually got on an NBA court. With that being said, let us take a closer look at the life of Drederick Irving and his accomplishments.
Kyrie Irving’s father Drederick Irving studied and played at Boston College
Drederick Irving never actually played in the NBA. He was born in 1966 and studied at Boston College. He led their team to win the NAC title in 1988. As a result, he was invited to the Boston Celtics training camp for a workout. However, they didn’t end up giving him a contract.
Since he wanted to continue playing basketball, Irving decided to take his talents to the South East Australian Basketball League. This would mean taking his family with him, as he met Elizabeth Irving in college and soon had two children with her.
Perhaps the NBA should have given Drederick a chance. After all, he went on to average 30 points a game with the “Bulleen Boomers.” While his career could have certainly moved upward, tragedy struck at an unfortunate time in his life.
Fans will know what we are referring to. Drederick’s wife and a very young Kyrie’s mother Elizabeth ended up tragically dying due to an illness when Kyrie was just 4 years old. This inevitably changed their family’s life and Irving’s role towards his family. Being a single father certainly isn’t something very easy for someone to do successfully.
It is safe to say he did quite a good job raising Kyrie. His skills and knowledge of the game undoubtedly helped a young Kyrie learn and grow at a rapid pace. Both of them have a loving relationship that has lasted for all of this time. While his basketball career might not have been as illustrious as his son’s, we are sure he deserves a fair share of credit for what we are seeing Irving display in the NBA world today.
