Cleveland Cavaliers select Kyrie Irving with No. 1 pick in 2011 NBA Draft, take Texas forward Tristan Thompson at No. 4

The Cavs took the player largely expected to be their target when they won the NBA draft lottery last month.

View full sizeMark J. Terrill, Associated PressDuke's dynamic -- but inexperienced -- point guard becomes the first big piece in the reconstruction of the Cleveland Cavaliers after his selection Thursday night in the NBA Draft.

The Irving file

• Birthdate: March 23, 1992, Melbourne, Australia
• Ht./wt.: 6-3 1/2, 191
• Family: Father Drederick, stepmother Shetellia Riley Irving, older sister Asia. Kyrie's mother died when he was 4.
• High school: Montclair (N.J.) Kimberly Academy (freshman and sophomore years), St. Patrick in Elizabeth, N.J. (junior and senior years).
• College: Duke.
• Key stats: Averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 11 games at Duke.
Personal: Loves to sing, dance, read. Plays the baritone sax. Godfather is former NBA player Rod Strickland.

-- Mary Schmitt Boyer

NEWARK, N.J. -- The Cavaliers ended weeks of speculation by making Duke point guard Kyrie Irving the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft on Thursday night at the Prudential Center.

Irving, 19, was widely viewed as the top player available in spite of missing all but 11 games in his one college season with twisted ligaments in his right big toe. But the Cavaliers waited until the last minute before announcing their decision.

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With their second selection, the fourth pick overall, the Cavaliers took Texas forward Tristan Thompson, the 20-year-old forward. The Cavaliers had interest in Turkish center Enes Kanter, but he was taken third by the Utah Jazz.

Irving, who grew up in West Orange about 10 minutes from the Prudential Center, had a huge crowd of supporters in attendance, including friends from Montclair Kimberly Academy and St. Patrick's High School in Elizabeth, his two high schools. He spent two seasons at each school.

"Looking forward to getting to Cleveland," Irving said. "Feels good to get (the Cavaliers) hat on."

He became just the third freshman point guard to start at Duke, following Bobby Hurley and Jason Williams. He averaged 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 52.9 percent from the floor and 46.2 percent from 3-point range.

He joins a Cavs team intent on rebounding from last season's 19-63 season. Coach Byron Scott has enjoyed his best success in the NBA with an outstanding young point guard, and Irving will likely have longtime veteran Baron Davis to help him learn the ropes.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2011/06/cleveland_cavaliers_select_kyr.html

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