Watching the Dallas Mavericks reach the 2024 NBA Finals is making LeBron James nostalgic for the years he spent playing with Kyrie Irving on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"I'm so f--king happy, and so proud, to watch him continue his growth and whatever the case may be. And at the same time, I'm so f--king mad at the same time that I'm not his running mate anymore," James said in a teaser for Wednesday's episode of his Mind the Game podcast with JJ Redick.

Mind the Game @mindthegamepod

.<a href="">@KingJames</a> talks about the gifts and growth of his former teammate, Kyrie Irving.<br><br>Full episode of Mind the Game with <a href="">@jj_redick</a> drops tomorrow: <a href=""> <a href="">

"To have a guy like Kyrie Irving as the ultimate wild card, that's like having a Draw 4 in your hand every time someone deals you cards in Uno," James added.

Irving has averaged 22.8 points and 5.2 assists through 17 postseason starts to help the Mavericks reach the Finals for the third time in franchise history.

James said he realized the Mavericks had a chance to win the title when he saw Irving's performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves as Dallas opened the Western Conference Finals with a 108-105 Game 1 win.

In that victory, Irving combined with fellow backcourt star Luka Dončić for 63 total points, putting up 30 of his own on 12-of-23 shooting.

"I have so many words to praise Kyrie that I end up with absolutely none," James said. "He is the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen. He has the best gifts I've ever seen of any NBA player.

"I've never seen a guy, in my NBA life, that feels better at times shooting with his off hand than he does with his primary hand. If Kyrie's off, in a game, with his right hand, he will literally go exclusively to his left hand. I've never seen nothing like that."

James then highlighted Irving's left-handed game-winning shot in the Mavericks' regular-season finale victory over the Denver Nuggets. Irving hit the off-hand buzzer-beater from more than 20 feet out.

"It's one of the most ridiculous shots I've ever seen in my life," James said. "He's just that special."

James and Irving played three seasons together in Cleveland, where they made three trips to the NBA Finals between 2014 and 2017.

Both players eventually left Cleveland, but James hasn't given up on playing with his old teammate again. He said in February 2023 that he was "disappointed" the Los Angeles Lakers were not successful in making a deal to acquire Irving after he requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets.

That failed trade feels especially disappointing now that the chemistry between Irving and Dončić has helped take the Mavericks to face the Boston Celtics in the Finals. Dallas will hope to see more big moments from Irving when Game 1 tips off Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET in Boston.