Former Boston Celtics star Kyrie Irving made his first appearance in front of the media on Friday at the Brooklyn Nets’ media day, answering questions about his departure from the Celtics and why last season didn’t go well.

Irving said he failed the Celtics as a leader, adding that the death of his grandfather in October sent him into a depression that stayed with him all season.

“I didn’t give (his Celtics teammates) everything I could have," Irving said. "Bringing everyone together, I failed.”

Irving added some context to the decision, noting that the Celtics were a surprise team to trade for him.

“It was something that I couldn’t really explain at the time because personally, I don’t think I was acknowledging the things that were surrounding my life as well and how to lead this group of guys that I was traded to," Irving said. "I wasn’t drafted by Boston, I had no type of affiliation with Boston before I left Cleveland. There wasn’t any works, Boston was a surprise team with Wyc and Danny that took the chance on trading for me. And when they did, and the way our first season happened, the way the end of the season happened, and having so much youth and exuberance and goals set personally, I think that some of the actual knowledge that needed to be had in terms of being a championship team takes more than just two years.”

Of course, Irving also committed to the Celtics before the season, both publicly and (reportedly) privately.

“The Boston crowd was immense. It was crazy. They loved me in Boston, I loved the Boston fans. And then two weeks later, things just got really, really rocky for me in terms of when I left, after the Phoenix game, I went to my grandfather’s memorial. He passed on Oct. 23, and after he passed, basketball was the last thing on my mind. So a lot of basketball and the joy I had for it was sucked away for me. There was a facial expression that I carried around with me throughout the year. I didn’t allow anybody to get close to me in that instance and it really bothered me. I didn’t take the necessary steps to get counseling or get therapy or anything to deal with someone that close to me dying. I never dealt with anything like that. For me, I responded in ways that are uncharacteristic. Like I said, I had to acknowledge that fact. I had to acknowledge that fact to the organization first.”

He added that he wasn’t honest about his feelings during the season.

“Nine months ago, I was sitting in front of the Boston crowd saying I wanted to re-sign," Irving said. "After that, a lot of things happened in my personal life that really changed the landscape of how I felt about the game of basketball and actually playing it in a team environment. And that really affected me as a human being. I didn’t share it with anyone, I didn’t want to come out and say that this is bothering me or I’m in a depression at this point of dealing with the death of my grandfather, so when all this happened and the NBA and the pressures I put it in quotations from this basketball game came into free agency and what I was doing with my future, I wanted to dispel all those things, but I don’t think I did it the right way about being honest of how I feel.”

MassLive will have more on Irving’s introductory press conference soon.