Kyrie: LeBron's the type of guy I want to be with 'every single time'

Kyrie Irving knows just how lucky he is to be a teammate of LeBron James.

The All-Star point guard spoke candidly about the Cavaliers' leader following Monday's Game 5 defeat to the Golden State Warriors, expressing gratitude to LeBron for helping him elevate his own game.

"That's the type of guy that I want to be with every single time I'm going to war, because I know what to expect and you stand your ground, too, with a leader like that," Irving told reporters at his postgame press conference. "You don't want to take a step back. You move to the front line with a guy like that, and you want to bring your game up to another level."

At 25 years old and entering his prime, Irving is confident the Cavaliers will continue to be a contender for years to come with LeBron by his side.

"I know that if we continue to be with one another and keep utilizing one another, man, the sky's the limit," Irving said. "So, I've learned a lot and will continue to, and I couldn't be more proud of that guy. He left it all out there on the floor, and to average a triple-double in the freaking Finals, man, add that to the LeBron long list that everyone keeps forgetting."