Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets pleasantly surprised students at Red Cloud Indian School and Pine Ridge High School during a visit to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation on Wednesday.

 

During his time at the schools, Irving engaged with students, alumni, and faculty, taking memorable photographs together. One Twitter user, @anpojensen, shared that Irving had a conversation with her about water access and rural water systems.

 

She expressed her admiration, stating, “@KyrieIrving is Lakota! To witness a Lakota individual making such positive contributions in the world is always inspiring.”

 

According to ESPN, Irving’s late mother, Elizabeth Larson, who passed away when he was four years old, was a descendant of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. In 2018, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe bestowed upon Irving the Lakota name “Little Mountain.”

 

This revelation shocked members of the tribe when Irving first disclosed his mother’s tribal affiliation during an interview in 2016, as reported by ESPN.