Irving wants to represent the country he was born in…Oz bless ya Kyrie

Cleveland Cavaliers selected Australia’s Kyrie Irving as their No.1 pick in the NBA Draft, but doubts remain whether the 19-year-old will play for the Boomers.

Melbourne-born Kyrie Irving, who spent the first two years of his life in Australia before moving to New York, has stated his desire to represent the Boomers at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

But Irving has represented the United States at junior level, and this could prove to be a major stumbling block in his bid to represent Australia.

Irving is the second Australian taken at No.1 in the NBA Draft in seven years, after Andrew Bogut was selected at No.1 by Milwaukee Bucks in 2005.

The 19-year-old point guard is happy to be heading to the Cavaliers.

“I’m looking forward to getting to Cleveland and it feels good to get the hat on,” Irving said.

“I’m really looking forward to the NBA.”

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 they have stayed in touch.

Drederick said after the draft that he was full of praise for his son, whom he had told to “be himself”.

“This is all about Kyrie, I think Kyrie brings a lot to the table and I’m excited for him,” Drederick said.

Irving’s family moved back to New York when he was just two years old, but he said recently in an interview that he wanted 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,” Kyrie Irving said.

“I have dual citizenship with Australia and America.

“I want to be claimed by Australia.”

If Irving is to realise his hoop dreams of playing for the Boomers, he needs clearance from USA Basketball and FIBA after representing the US in international basketball at a junior level in 2010.

Buford Balony says: Another aussie No1 draft pick. Soon the dreamteam will mean the Aussie Boomers.

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