CHARLOTTE – Kyrie Irving looked like a seasoned coach Saturday night, as he paced the sidelines and shouted out advice at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, where he was serving as the honorary coach of Team USA in the Rising Stars Challenge.
The TNT broadcast took note of his active tutelage and told him when he came on the air early in the fourth quarter that he was giving off “Red Auerbach vibes.”
“Do I? Am I missing the cigar?” Irving joked, playing along with the announcers’ observation. “The legendary cigar, that’s all I’m missing.”
It was clear that Irving was enjoying his role, as he helped guide Celtics teammate Jayson Tatum and Team USA to a 161-144 win over Team World.