Here’s something I didn’t know about Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving — he has dual citizenship in the United States and Australia. He was born down under while his father was playing professional basketball there.
Which means Irving has a choice to make in the next few weeks — does he want to play for Australia in the Olympics this summer?
Say yes and it comes with this caveat: He can never play for Team USA in the future. The way the international basketball rules are set up, once you play for a national team at a major international competition and you are committed to that country for life. (It is the same in international soccer, hockey and other sports as well.) Irving did play with Team USA in an under-18 event but can change his mind on the senior circuit.
Irving is undecided on what to do, he told the Beacon-Journal (via SLAM).
Irving is not on this year’s list of 20 finalists for Team USA. The question is could he be in four years? Could he surpass Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Eric Gordon and other guys in the back court by then and get an invite? The bird in the hand, or the two in the bush?
Irving has started to really find his footing in the NBA, averaging 17 points and 5 assists per game for the Cavaliers. He’s not an explosive athlete (ala Derrick Rose or John Wall) but he plays a smart game and reads the play well.
Australia has qualified for the games, as they always do dominating their region pretty easily. They will have Andrew Bogut and Patty Mills on the squad, plus some solid international players with experience.