USA - Award-winning Irving reflects on rookie season

CLEVELAND (NBA/Olympics) - The 2012 Olympics is likely to come too soon for Kyrie Irving but don't bet against the Cleveland Cavaliers playmaker from appearing at the Rio De Janeiro Games in four years.

The Australian-born point guard, who flirted with the notion of representing the Boomers in London this summer before deciding to remain in the USA Basketball set-up, is expected to be with the Americans’ select team that takes on the Olympic squad in the build-up to London.

This week, Irving, who played just 11 games for USA coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke University before turning professional, was named the NBA Rookie of the Year after a terrific rookie season.

The 19-year-old received 592 points and a 117 first-place votes from a panel of 120 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada.

He was first in scoring (18.5 points per game), field goal shooting (46.9%) and free throws (87.2%) among first-year players, and was second in assists (5.4 apg) and three-point field goal (39.9%).

Because of the NBA Lockout and delayed start to the campaign, Irving discovered very early the harsh reality of big-time basketball.

It's not all fun and games.

When asked at his press conference about his advice for the rookies that will arrive for the 2012-13 campaign, he said: "I would just tell them to be patient.

"They have a great opportunity to be a lot better prepared than the rookies that came in this season.

"They have the summer league.

“We have eight pre-season games, a whole month of training camp, so just be patient. It's going to be a grind.”

Irving will look back at his debut in the NBA as a huge success, but a year in which he also made some important discoveries.

"This 66-game season was a learning experience,” he said.

"You have to be ready to work every, single day.

"You have to get used to it and it becomes a business.

"You have to understand the business part.

"You have to understand the basketball part, but more importantly the business part.

“That's what the NBA is."

FIBA