Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving returned to play in a game for the first time in since early March of 2025. Irving made his return for Dallas in a preseason game against the Houston Rockets in Macau, China on Sunday.

In nearly 22 minutes of action, Irving scored 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting. The veteran guard had several finishes near the rim, including a couple through contact. Overall, Irving looked back to being himself throughout the game.

Irving tore his left ACL on March 3, 2025. There was speculation that Irving could return after last season's All-Star break. However, in December of 2025, Irving suffered a Grade 2 calf strain. That delayed the star guard's rehab process and all but eliminated the opportunity to return last season.