NBA Draft Preview (Part 1)

With the NBA Draft only being eight days away, I thought it would be a good idea to preview the eight best players in the draft.
  For the first day I'll go with the player most likely to be picked first; Kyrie Irving.

Irving is a 6'3, 190 lb point guard from West Orange, New Jersey.  He played at Duke for one year before entering the 2011 NBA Draft, averaging 18 points and 4 assists in 11 games.

Strong Points: Irving has the full point guard package. He has the point guard body physique and on the basketball court, Irving has a complete game, which is probably why he is being compared to Chris Paul. Not does Irving make smooth passes consistently, he has the basketball IQ to lead a complicated offensive game like he did at Duke under Mike Krzyzewski. Irving is also a great dribbler, who is explosive with his moves and opens up the half-court game tremendously.

  What I enjoy most about Irving's game is that when he wants to be, he can be a great scorer, whether it is driving to get inside the paint or with his jumpshot. He can hit from all over the floor; mid range or a three, Irving can flat out shoot. A good point guard who can shoot is hard to find and Irving certainly is this type of player.

Weakness: There are two weaknesses that would affect Irving's rookie year the most. For one, his lack of NCAA experience. Unlike most players who leave for the NBA after their freshman year, Irving did not even play a full season due to the turf toe injury. So some assume that Irving is not ready for the league because of his lack of competition against prime-time talent since Irving missed most of Duke's ACC Conference play. Second, basketball analysts are still concerned about the toe. Is the toe fully healed or will it be a continuing problem throughout his rookie season?

Overall Conclusion: Irving is a rare find for NBA teams. He can do it all, wheter its leading an offense, or having to pass or score. Irving is a point guard every team would love to have and if he stays healthy, he could easily be a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year and later on in his career be an all-star caliber player.

Kyrie Irving will go? The Cleveland Cavaliers will definitely pick Irving with the first pick of the draft. The Cavs are in dire need of not only a point guard (Baron Davis cannot be there forever) but more importantly a player who can be the face of the franchise and Kyrie Irving is one of the few players in this draft who could successfully do that.

Be Sure to read tomorrow for part two of eight of my NBA Draft preview!