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Kyrie Irving is an Australian-born basketball player who's had a very interesting journey. Despite being involved in many controversies over the past few years, "Uncle Drew" is still one of the best players in the NBA.
As many NBA fans remember, the point guard was the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. After LeBron James left Cleveland, the Cavaliers turned into one of the worst teams in the league. However, they got Irving as a consolation prize.
In the end, James and Irving teamed up to bring the Cavaliers their first ever NBA championship. However, long before winning it all, Kyrie Irving was a talented college player who attracted many basketball scouts.
This article will take a look at Irving's college career and reveals all you need to know about it.
Kyrie Irving spent one year playing for Duke University
As a kid, Irving was in love with basketball and wanted to become an NBA player. The seven-time All-Star achieved a lot of success in high school with Montclair Kimberley Academy in New Jersey. He averaged 26.5 points, 10.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 3.6 steals per game.
He transferred to St. Patrick's High School, teaming up with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Irving was fantastic and earned numerous accolades, which is why he received a lot of recognition.
As a five-star prospect, the point guard committed to Duke University in 2009 and was the perfect addition for the Duke Blue Devils.
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Under Mike Krzyzewski, one of the best college coaches, Irving averaged 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. He was also very efficient, converting 52.9% of his total shots, including 46.2% from long range.
Irving's toe injury and his return to basketball
Unfortunately for Irving, he suffered a toe injury early in the season, which caused him to miss an extended period of time. Krzyzewski feared that Irving's season could be over, but that wasn't the case.
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Irving returned during the first round of the NCAA tournament. He came off the bench and scored 14 points to help the Blue Devils eliminate the Hampton Pirates.
In his second game after the return, Irving scored 11 points after going 9-for-10 from the free throw line. In a nail-biter, the Blue Devils defeated the Michigan Wolverines 73-71.
Duke and Irving faced off against the Arizona Wildcats in the Regional Semifinals The Blue Devils had a six-point lead after the first half, but they collapsed in the end, losing the game 93-77.
Irving had a fantastic performance in this game, scoring 28 points on 9-for-15 shooting. He also added three assists and a steal in what turned out to be his last game for Duke.
