The last time the Cleveland Cavaliers were in a position similar to the one they found themselves in Thursday night, Cleveland took a high school player by the name of LeBron James in the first round of the NBA draft. Now, many years later, Kyrie Irving was the name that came out of David Stern's mouth as the number one pick in the draft.
Irving was selected by the Cavaliers to become the new face of the organization. Unfortunately for Cavaliers fans, the NBA draft is not a science, and there is no guarantee that Irving will provide even a quarter of the highlights that James delivered in his seven seasons with Cleveland.
What James did when he arrived in Cleveland was change the perception of the Cavaliers franchise. Cleveland was no longer considered the bottom-feeders of the league, with odds makers even making them one of the favorites each year to win the title in James' later years with the team.
Irving will be joined on the court by forward Tristan Thompson, of Texas. The duo will be looked upon as possible saviors in the aftermath of what was one of the messiest divorces in NBA history. If Irving and Thompson can deliver on their potential, Cleveland once again could become a contender in the future in the Eastern Conference.
That is a lot of weight to put on the shoulders of two players who have played a combined two seasons of college basketball. Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert made a proclamation last summer that the Cavs would win a title before James did in Miami. He almost was proven wrong in James' first year with his new team.
Dallas gave Gilbert a reprieve, and bought the owner some time. Now, it will be up to Irving and Thompson to make good on that promise. Cleveland winning a title before Miami is still a long shot, but at least now the Cavaliers and their fans have hope, and that is more than they had when they woke up Thursday morning.
June 24, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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