Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving all set to lift the Rookie of the Year trophy – NBA Update
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving is set to be named the Rookie of the Year according to ESPN.
Irving, who was drafted by the Cavaliers as the Number 1 pick in last year`s draft, was one of the favourites to bag the last remaining individual award offered by the NBA.
Many would have not expected him to be worthy of being drafted first as he only managed to play 11 games while he was part of the Duke Basketball program but the 20 year old took the NBA by storm. He led all
the first year players in scoring by racking up 18.5 points per game and will be the recipient of the trophy on Tuesday.
Irving however had his fair share of competition for the title and it would have been a very close race, had it not been for the season ending injury to Spanish sensation Ricky Rubio of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Even though, Irving himself was troubled with injures but there can be no denying the fact that, in his first year, he displayed prowess of a much skilled player and is all set to be one of many great point guards
in the league. He ran the Cavs offense throughout the year and was instrumental in keeping his team competitive.
To go along with his spectacular displays on court, Irving has shown signs of maturity much beyond his years and has not let the stardom get to his head. He has been very down to earth in his approach to his
career and displayed excellent desire for learning which has earned him nothing but praise from the coaching staff and the his team mates.
"From the beginning, he just wanted to be one of the guys," Antawn Jamison said while praising Irving`s desire to learn. "He didn't come in with any feelings of entitlement. He wanted to learn and to get better.
He and Tristan [Thompson] were like sponges, soaking up everything, allowing guys like myself to lead them."
Such has been his displays throughout the season that everybody in the Cavs management including the owner Dan Gilbert has also come out to praise the young man` first year in the league.
“He is just a fantastic kid," Dan Gilbert said. "He's got a great heart. He is genuine. He loves basketball. He loves people. People love being around him. He's humble. He's a great guy”
When Irving goes on to bag the honours on Tuesday, He will become the second player from the Cavaliers to be named the Rookie of the Year after LeBron James. After a promising first year in the NBA, Irving has
shown much promise and if he continues to play the way he does, he definitely is going to be considered a formidable force.
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