Kyrie Irving said he felt "a lot of emotions" in his first game in 565 days as the Dallas Mavericks claimed a 132-115 preseason win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday in Macao, China.
"A lot of emotions leading into it," Irving told reporters, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "Grateful that Dusty (May) called the first play for me. Had my mind made up just to attack. ... I saw that baseline open up a little bit, and it just felt good to get that out of the way.
"I was imagining how it was going to go, dreaming about how it was going to go. I'm just glad I got that out of the way."
The 34-year-old recorded a game-high 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting in 22 minutes of action. He missed all of last season after tearing the ACL in his left knee on March 3, 2025, and his recovery was then delayed by a Grade 2 calf strain he suffered in December.
"I know I won't get to everybody, but I know that when I perform on the court, they get a chance to feel a part of my journey." 🫶 Kyrie Irving takes time to thank the fans in China and the Mavericks for their support. https://t.co/YVb8UIY2vk
— NBA TV (@NBATV) October 11, 2026
"I didn't expect him to play this well after being off for so long, just (because of) the rhythm of the game," Dallas head coach May said. "It's just a testament to his work."
Irving didn't play in Dallas' preseason opener against the Rockets in Macao earlier in the week as the team eased the nine-time All-Star back into the rotation.
"Being able to perform at a high level, that felt amazing," he said. "I humbled myself while also just being aggressive and trying to look like myself again."
