Kyrie Irving is putting on a Mavericks 'masterclass' without touching the floor
Despite not playing a single game this year due to an ACL tear, Kyrie Irving is making a major impact this season through his leadership of young guard Brandon Williams. Irving is often seen at Mavs shootarounds and games despite not being cleared to play, and his voice is still loud and clear in the locker room.
Especially toward Williams, the young guard that he has quietly taken under his wing.
Williams is 25 years old and is in his second full season with the Mavericks, and Irving has been a great mentor and friend to him over the last few years. He got the job as the team's starting point guard earlier this month, and Irving has been a key component to his success thus far.
Kyrie Irving doesn't need to play to be a difference-maker
In 15 games for Dallas this season, Williams is averaging 10.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, and his improvement in all aspects of the game has been pivotal for the Mavericks thus far. It hasn't necessarily led to wins, as Dallas is 5-12 on the season, but it's obvious that Williams is morphing into a player who has the potential to have a successful career with the Mavericks and potentially turn into their long-term starter after Irving is gone.
Irving is the perfect mentor for a player like Williams, as their similarities in the way that they play the game are undeniable, and Jason Kidd spoke about how great a leader Irving has been before Dallas' win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.
"Kai’s leadership has been huge," Kidd said. "Just being able to have a voice, someone who’s done it at a very high level, and someone that you can see doing it in practice. So you get to learn on-job training, visual, and being able to hear Kai’s voice, and so I think it’s
Irving has taken Williams under his wing, and their relationship has turned into something special. During practice, you can find Irving helping Williams from the sidelines, and he has given him someone to go to for advice on and off the court.
"I call Kai literally about anything," Williams said about Irving at the end of last season. "Anything that I need, anything that I want to learn about, office is right there. Kyrie is one phone call away…I look up to Kyrie."
Having someone in his corner through the thick and thin of an NBA season has to be major. Especially this season.
Williams was arrested at the beginning of the season for having marijuana in his suitcase at DFW Airport while traveling to attend a close friend's funeral. He took accountability for his actions and apologized for being a "distraction" ahead of his first game back, and he dominated immediately.
Williams dropped a season-high 20 points after missing those two games due to personal reasons, and this helped lay a foundation for him to turn into a staple in Kidd's rotation. Some Mavericks fans thought that his tear at the end of last season was a fluke, but he has proven that he is the real deal.
Despite a rough shooting game on Friday night, Williams finished with 12 assists, two blocks, and one steal, and he has been key in unlocking Cooper Flagg's game over the last seven games. Since Williams took over as the starting point guard, Dallas' new cornerstone, Flagg, is averaging 20.5 points per game while shooting 56.8 percent from the field. This could be a promising young duo in the making, and both players continue to grow at the perfect time.
Williams' growth can be attributed to his hard work over the offseason, but Irving's role in this can't be denied. He has completely transformed his image in Dallas, and the Mavericks have their own version of Yoda and Luke Skywalker forming in their locker room.
Rhamondre Stevenson injury update: What Patriots roster move means for RB's Week 12 status
The New England Patriots once again have some uncertainty at the running back position ahead of Week 12.
That's because running back Rhamondre Stevenson is questionable to play with a toe injury that has kept him out of the team's last three games.
However, Stevenson showed a clear sign of progress in his recovery this week after he was able to log a full practice on Friday, marking the first time he has done so since he suffered his injury in Week 8.
On Saturday, the Patriots made a roster move that is a clear indication he's going to play in Week 12.
Is Rhamondre Stevenson playing this week?
On Saturday, the Patriots announced they are elevating one player from the practice squad for Week 12 and it's defensive tackle Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
Seeing as how the Patriots only have two other running backs on the 53-man roster in TreVeyon Henderson and Terrell Jennings, the team would've elevated a running back from the practice squad if there was any doubt about Stevenson's status.
Last week, when Stevenson was ruled out, the team elevated veteran running back D'Ernest Johnson from the practice squad.
New England's lack of a running back elevation wasn't the first sign that Stevenson would return, as head coach Mike Vrabel said earlier in the week that he expected Stevenson to return to the field on Sunday.
Now, this sets up an interesting situation.
In Stevenson's absence, Henderson played well, which has led many to wonder if he could get earn more work once the veteran returns.
There has been no confirmation that will be the case, so for now we have to believe things will go back to status quo, which means Stevenson will lead the backfield and Henderson will play second fiddle.
