11 games. That’s all that was needed for Duke superstar Kyrie Irving to be recognized as the best prospect in the world. After flashing an NBA superstar-caliber peak in college, NBA teams were lined up in hopes of landing the No. 1 overall selection a month before the draft. What made Irving a hit in the basketball world? Attending youth basketball camps? Not quite. His god-given ability? Well, there’s that — yes. Studying the game’s greats? We’re getting there. Watching highlights on YouTube? Bingo.
"When I was younger, I watched a lot more. Once I started to incorporate different things that I love from the NBA, I didn't have the time to really watch it that much. Either I was out, at an AAU tournament, in college playing games, or at practice or too tired to watch it,” Irving said in 2011, per ESPN.com.
“In college, I really just watched a lot of videos on YouTube. I'm an avid YouTube watcher, just based on watching videos of new guys doing workouts, and always like to look at the progression of people and their journeys,” he added.
The point guard was always intuitive about the game, even now. He’s a deep-thinker — a second, third-level thinker when it comes to the ins and outs of the game. Even as a teenager, Irving was bright enough to understand some things that most his age couldn’t.
“Like Chris Paul, when he first came into the league ... he's still the same person, but his game has risen to a whole new level as he got older,” the 19-year-old continued . "And that's how I kind of want it. I want to emulate those journeys. I'm a 19-year-old kid, but once I grow into my body -- kind of like Derrick Rose did. He was a little bigger than me, but now he's like a grown man in the league, and he's doing really well. That's the kind of progression I want to emulate."
A dominant rookie season
In 2012, Irving took home the Rookie of The Year award. The guard became the first Cavs player to receive the honor since LeBron James . After an unremarkable debut game, the Cleveland rookie had his breakthrough against the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 12. 2 weeks later, the point guard had his best game of the season when he registered 32 points on 12-20 shooting from the field and 2-5 from the 3-point line, albeit in a loss to the New Jersey Nets. That would go on to be the highest-scoring game of his rookie season.
Irving garnered 117 of the possible 120 first-place votes ( Kawhi Leonard , Kenneth Faried, Iman Shumpert) in the ROY voting. For anyone who doubted his ability to perform in the NBA after just 11 games in college — here was your answer.
A Cleveland icon
Although it ended much sooner than expected, Cleveland’s No. 1 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft became one of the franchise’s most decorated players. Although he didn’t compile the resume quite like his ex-teammate James, his run before No. 23 from 2011-14 was special. And when he became teammates with Bron from 2014-17, his excellence only grew.
Despite playing under 400 games, Irving is Cleveland's 8th leading scorer in franchise history (8,232) and third in points per game (James, World B. Free). Statistics aside, perhaps Cleveland wouldn’t win a title without Ky’s clutch jumper over Steph Curry in the 2016 NBA Finals. Through 7 games, No. 2 was the best point guard on Earth as he masterfully followed LeBron’s lead to end the city’s 52-year championship drought. Despite a bitter exit from the franchise in 2017, Kyrie’s name is etched in stone.
Related: "I have one father" - When Kyrie shut down a reporter who asked if LeBron is a 'father figure' to him
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