Kyrie: 'It was awesome' to play with LeBron

Kyrie Irving is looking back on his time in Cleveland with fond memories.

Despite the chatter of a potential beef with LeBron James, the Boston Celtics' new point guard is appreciative of his time with the Cavaliers, saying he's thankful he had the chance to play with arguably the greatest player of his generation.

"I've had the unique opportunity to play with one of the greats and it was awesome," Irving said at his introductory press conference Friday. "At times it was all over just like it is with any other team and when you look back and you're eternally grateful for the moments you've had and you've shared, you're able to put peace with that journey and start anew."

While Irving is excited to begin a new chapter, he won't quickly forget about his time in Cleveland, where he was part of a unit that reached the Finals in three straight seasons.

Related: Irving thanks Cleveland: 'It will always be love and respect'

"This was a very, very challenging decision at first, but after a while you understand and you have that confidence in yourself to understand the magnitude of what you actually can accomplish and potentially can do with other great people," Irving said. "And now that I'm sitting here, it just echoes in terms of me just being very appreciative of not only the Cleveland fans, but all of Ohio, as well as 'Bron in incorporating me into that special team we had in Cleveland."

Irving won't have to wait long to face his former team, as the Celtics are set to face the Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on Opening Night.