Published on November 30th, 2018 | by Landon Buford
0Rod Strickland Was One Of The Most Underrated PGs’ To Ever Play Our Game, Says Kyrie Irving
17 year NBA veteran Rod Strickland is current Boston Celtics Point Guard Kyrie Irving’s godfather.
Kyrie’s father Drederick and Strickland grew up together in the Bronx, NY.
Stickland was a recent guest on the Scoop B Radio Podcast with Brandon “Scoop B“ Robinson and the two discussed the Boston point guard.
“I’ve known the Irving family since third grade,” Rod Strickland told the Scoop B Radio podcast. “So I knew Kyrie before Kyrie knew himself.”
Strickland would continue “We showed Drederick, Kyrie could ball when he was real little, and I told him that one day he’s going to make you some money, because he was handling the ball really well at a real young age.”
Strickland was taken with the 19th pick in the 1988 draft, by New York Knicks, and during his career, the 17-year veteran averaged 13 points, three rebounds, and seven assists.
The interview between the Scoop B Radio podcast and Strickland would end with Robinson asking if Kyrie Irving would be able to handle the competition in the 90s?
“Absolutely,” said Strickland.
“He would’ve been a problem. I mean just look at the game. He can shoot the ball, he finishes with the bucket in, he can take contact, he has a mid-range, he can pass the ball, get him out in an open court, so he would check all the boxes over there. And he’s physical! So that physical stuff that was going on back in the day, let’s just say, I handled it pretty well and he’s got a lot more stuff than me, as far as maneuvering and getting in the paint and getting by people. I think he would’ve been as special as he is now. I think he’s one of those guys, just because of his skill level and physicality.”
Earlier this week I had to ask Kyrie Irving about his god-father being appointed to lead the G-League’s professional path program.
“I’m happy for him. He loves the game, unbelievable player one of the most underrated point guards’ to ever play our game ( Rod Strickland). “Bad Boy“ and I am glad to have him as my godfather,“ Irving told me.
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