Back in 2011, the Cleveland Cavaliers were looking to rebuild after losing the biggest NBA star in the world.
They found a young rookie who had a lot of skill and promise and they saw the future in him.
It was the beginning of a brand new chapter for the team, one that would take some wild and historic turns for the franchise.
On this day 11 years ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Kyrie Irving with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Irving has averaged 23.1 PTS, 3.8 TRB, and 5.7 AST over 11 seasons, 611 games, and three teams. pic.twitter.com/dQxCqgKnby
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) June 23, 2022
The Cavs decided to dedicate their number one pick in the 2011 draft to Kyrie Irving, a phenomenal guard out of Duke who looked able to carry the team back to greatness.
Since draft day all those years ago, Irving has averaged 23.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists.
He was also part of the legendary Cavaliers team that won the Finals.
Uncle Drew Arrives
Right from the beginning it was obvious that Irving was something special.
In his rookie season, he put up 18.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists.
That was more than enough for him to grab Rookie of the Year honors.
But the best was yet to come and the team reached a whole other level when LeBron James returned a few years later.
Irving and James worked very well together and they were able to take the NBA by storm.
Eventually, they would be part of the Cavs team that was able to overcome a monster 3-1 deficit to the Golden State Warriors and win the 2016 NBA Finals.
Since then, Irving has moved on to the Boston Celtics and now the Brooklyn Nets.
His antics off the court have sometimes earned more headlines than his work on the floor but that’s a shame because Irving remains one of the best guards playing and one of the best decisions Cleveland ever made.
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