Probable No.1 NBA draft pick Kyrie Irving wants to play for the country of his birth, Australia

http://www.foxsports.com.au/other-sports/basketball/probable-no1-nba-draft-pick-kyrie-irving-wants-to-play-for-the-country-of-his-birth-australia/story-e6frf3f3-1226078424875

The man expected to be the No.1 pick in this week's NBA Draft says he wants to represent the Boomers at the London Olympics, despite the fact he only lived in Australia for two years.

Kyrie Irving, 19, was born in Melbourne but moved to the United States when he was two years old and has become the hottest property in the big-money world of the NBA.

On Friday, Irving is tipped to be the No. 1 pick taken by Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA draft - the second Aussie in seven years after Andrew Bogut was selected No.1 pick by Milwaukee Bucks in 2005. It will deliver Irving instant riches with a guaranteed three-year deal worth over $15 million, and possibly new hope for the Boomers' medal chances at London next year.

Irving was born in Victoria, where his father, Drederick, was recruited to Bulleen Boomers in the early 1990s by current Boomers head coach Brett Brown.

Irving's father and Brown were college teammates at Boston University and have stayed in touch.

His family moved back to New York when Irving was just two years old, but in an interview with ESPN Irving has revealed that he wants to play for his country of birth.

"You know, it would be great to play for my country, which is primarily Australia, so, I was born there and I want to represent Australia," Irving says. "I have dual citizenship with Australia and America.

"I want to be claimed by Australia."

However, if Irving wants to realise his hoop dreams of playing for the Boomers he will need clearance from USA Basketball and FIBA.

Irving is currently ineligible to play for another country after representing the US in international basketball at a junior level last year.

If he wanted to play again on the world stage, though, it would be practical to align himself to Australia. NBA stars Derrick Rose, Irving's hero Chris Paul and Rajan Rondo are just three of the massive roadblocks impeding his path to Team USA selection.

Basketball Australia has been quietly negotiating with USA Basketball in the hope of paving the way for Irving to play for the Boomers.

In Irving's only season at Duke a toe injury forced him to miss 26 games but in his 11 appearances he racked up impressive stats, scoring double figures in all matches he played, including three games of 20 or more.

"I believe 11 games is enough. If I felt like 11 games wasn't enough, I wasn't going to come out and enter my name in the NBA draft.

"I feel that I was prepared for the NBA, and I am ready to reach my full potential and the best way to do that is to test it against the best every single night," Irving said.

So he doesn't want to win Gold? Weird, thought every kid wanted Gold.

With him in our side the Bronze is ours!!!

Why would he not want Gold?

He wouldn't make the U.S team. Rose, Paul, Rondo and Westbrook are all ahead of him. We would have a Bogut-Irving combo which would be great for us.

Very True.

Also John Wall. That's at least 5 pg's ahead of him. He'd be our best player along with Bogut and Patrick Mills the 3rd option.

i saw this guy on sportsnation still trying to hype up this nonsense. The chick was pretty much clowning his persistance on acting like he's an Australian. We get it, you were born in Australia..now get drafted, bust like all Duke point guards and then piss off.

Boooooooooo, he will be great

The last time a Duke point guard was going to pan out..he got in a career ending motorcycle accident. Irving has no chance, although Blake Griffin recently did break the mold of Big 12 frontcourt busts...so maybe the Duke curse will end for point guards.

I know all about the curse as I'm a Bulls fan and Jason Williams cost us a 2 pick

Bobby Hurley cost the Kings a 7th...although that was a weak draft outside of the top 5.