Dallas Mavericks Have Toughest Player in Entire NBA to Guard originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

On paper, the Dallas Mavericks should have one of the best rosters in the NBA next season.

Anthony Davis is one of the best power forwards ever, Cooper Flagg is one of the best prospects in the history of the league, and Klay Thompson is one of the greatest shooters to ever touch a basketball.

However, they will be without arguably their best player. Last season, Kyrie Irving averaged 24.7 points and 4.6 assists while making his ninth All-Star Game.

One current player, who made the NBA Finals with the Indiana Pacers, was asked who the hardest player in the league is to guard, and he did not hesitate.

“Kyrie Irving,” offered TJ McConnell. “The ball’s on a string. You’re on an island, and you just don’t know what he’s going to do. You could force him one way, but he still ends up getting the way you don’t want him.”

Hopefully, Irving will return to form in time so that the end of his, Davis’, and Thompson’s primes line up with the start of Flagg’s so fans can see one of the best rosters assembled in franchise history, and the Mavericks can make it back to the Finals.

Irving, more than anyone else on the team, has an uncanny effect on his opponents.

“It’s a tough place to be mentally when you’re when you’re guarding Kyrie,” McConnell added.

With Irving’s offensive wizardry and Flagg and Davis clamping down opponents on defense, it should be easy for the Maveicks to make the opposition feel dejected all game long.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.