As the first draft pick of the 2011 NBA draft, former Duke point guard Kyrie Irving joined the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After the season when LeBron James left Cleveland, it was obvious that the Cavs needed to make some big changes to turn the program back around. Dan Gilbert was willing to do whatever it took to get the Cavs back into the running for a championship, and he believed Irving had what it took to get the organization headed back in the right direction. “Kyrie is just what the Cavs need,” said Jack LeMaster, senior. “It is great to have such a young player who has as much potential and talent as Kyrie, especially as he continues to become a better player as the season progresses.”
There was much doubt revolving around Irving for the draft, and many critics believed it was a waste of a draft pick. Irving played just eight games before getting injured for the majority of the college season and returning for the last three games. Irving has proved many nonbelievers wrong this year for the Cavs, and continues to improve as the season continues. “Coming from Duke and being taught by Coach K, I knew Kyrie would have the skills necessary to be a great player in the NBA,” said senior Ben Furlich. “In the next season or two, he will be in the top three point guards in the league if he isn’t already.”
There is one trait that Irving has recently been shocking the community with, and that is his ability to dominate fourth quarters. In the Cavaliers’ last game against the Hornets, Irving led the team with 35 points, which greatly helped the Cavs end up with a five point lead when the final buzzer sounded. However, 35 points was not the real accomplishment. Of those 35 points, 20 were scored in the fourth quarter alone.
ESPN sports analyst Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) recently tweeted “All of you who laughed when I said Kyrie would be a special NBA player after he barely played in college – still laughing? Owns 4th qs.”
In comparison to other players in the league, the league average for points per game is only 8. Irving nearly triples that, coming to an average of 23.7 points per game. In comparison to other stars, LeBron James has an average of 27.2, and Kevin Durant leads the league with 29.0. For a young player like Irving, these numbers are definitely in reach in the coming years, and very possibly something for him to strive for.
With a player like Irving, it has been giving Cleveland fans hope, using the phrase “Believeland” whenever they talk about the Cavaliers. Senior Sebastian Diaz-Rodriguez said, “Kyrie is the second best point guard in the league behind Chris Paul. This is his coming out year.”
Will Irving revive the broken-hearted city of Cleveland? Only time will tell.