CANNON BALL, N.D. -- In an emotional naming ceremony, Boston Celtics star Kyrie Irving was given the Lakota name Little Mountain by the Standing Rock Sioux tribe Thursday.

Kyrie Irving (Standing Rock Sioux), a star point guard for the NBA Dallas Mavericks, sported a unique iteration of his Anta Kai 1 sneakers in the Mavericks’ Game 1 victory over the Minnesota ...

Kyrie Irving is playing some of the best basketball of his career. The 32-year-old guard has weathered scandals, ... The Native American connection is an important one for Kyrie.

Here's a little backstory of Irving's Native American heritage, via ESPN. Irving's mother, Elizabeth Larson, was a descendant of the Standing Rock Sioux but was adopted out as a small child.

Kyrie Pays Homage to His Roots. The walking stick that Irving has been carrying is a tribute to his Native American heritage and is in fact called a prayer stick.