"Isiah Thomas would be right there as 1B"- Jason Kidd's candid take on Kyrie Irving being the NBA's undisputed ball-handler
Having impressed us for years with his razzle and dazzle on the court, Kyrie Irving's wizardry with the ball makes him a nightmare for the opposition. The 6'2" guard's deep bag of moves, especially with the basketball in his hand, coupled with his clutch gene, have etched his name in history.
A perfect combination of speed, agility and creativity, "Uncle Drew" is arguably the greatest ball-handler the league has ever seen. This discussion also reached "The Dan Patrick Show," with Kyrie's Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd dishing out his take on the matter.
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When asked if anyone had a better handle than Kyrie in NBA history, J-Kidd responded, "I'm gonna say no, but I'm gonna say there's some close seconds when you talk about Detroit Isiah Thomas. Jason Williams (White Chocolate) I thought his handle and his passing is incredible. I think Isiah would be right there as 1B."
"Zeke's" dribbling prowess went unnoticed
Host Dan Patrick and Jason agreed on the Detroit Pistons legend not getting his due and being extremely underrated, even discussing the possible reasons behind it.
Widely considered the second-greatest point guard behind Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas was one of the league's most prominent names in the late '80s. At 6'1", the Pistons star built his legacy on elite scoring, sharp playmaking, leadership, and exceptional ball-handling.
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Among all his abilities, many felt "Zeke's" dribbling abilities didn't get the limelight it deserved.
"I think sometimes it's our fault. I don't know if we do a good job of storytelling for Isiah or our past players," stated the now-Mavs head coach.
Adding to the 2011 champion's take, host Patrick weighed in, saying, "I think with Isiah, the likability, the way they played, they were the bad boys, you know, they were trying to hurt Jordan. I think that maybe plays into it with Isiah."
One could assume that Thomas' feud with Michael Jordan painted him as a villain to a great extent. This rings especially true for the current generation, many of whom primarily associate the Pistons' champion with Netflix's award-winning docuseries, The Last Dance. For them, Isiah's legacy is often filtered through that narrative, overshadowing the full scope of his career and accomplishments.
The age-old conspiracy theory that the Pistons guard did not make the 1992 Olympic Dream Team remains a hot topic of debate even today. All assumptions and narratives point towards Jordan despising "Zeke," something the latter only learned about during MJ's docuseries. From how things stand today, reconciliation between the two Hall of Famers looks far from happening.
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Related: "When you get somebody with that kind of potential and they're white and you are in America, you keep that dude" - Stephen A. Smith claims Dallas must draft and keep Cooper Flagg
Other prominent ball-handlers
While J-Kidd mentioned Jason Williams (White Chocolate) apart from "Zeke" as one of his nominees, there are a couple of names that could also make the list for their knack for dribbling past opponents, including Allen Iverson, Tim Hardaway and Stephon Marbury.
Talking about current established names, the likes of Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, James Harden and Damian Lillard are popular for their ankle-breaking moves. Looking ahead, budding talents such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball and Darius Garland have displayed the potential of being top-class ball-handlers for years to come. With their shiftiness and court awareness, these rising guards are well on their way to becoming the next generation of maestros with the ball in their hands.
Related: Kidd breaks down why the Mavs are a perfect landing spot for Cooper Flagg: "This is a great situation for him to grow his game"
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