NEWARK, New Jersey: The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Kyrie Irving with the first overall pick Thursday in the National Basketball Association entry draft. The draft was also noteworthy because of the high number of international players chosen early as three of the first six players taken were from Europe. Irving was cheered on by family and friends as he walked up the stairs to shake hands with NBA commissioner David Stern at the Prudential Center arena. “I am looking forward to getting to Cleveland,” Irving said. “It feels good to put the hat on. I am looking forward to the NBA.” Irving played just 11 games in his only college season last year because of a toe injury. He is the Cavaliers first No. 1 pick since 2003 when they took LeBron James, who left the team for Miami less than a year ago. The Minnesota Timberwolves took Arizona forward Derrick Williams with the No. 2 pick. The Utah Jazz then took Enes Kanter, of Turkey, third with their first of two lottery selections. Kanter hasn't played competitively in a year after being ruled ineligible for receiving money to play in Turkey. Irving becomes the third point guard taken first in the last four years, following John Wall in 2010 and Derrick Rose (2008) who was the NBA's MVP this season. Lithuania's Jonas Valanciunas went fifth to Toronto and Jan Vesely of the Czech Republic was taken sixth by Washington. Bismack Biyombo of Congo went seventh to Sacramento. The 18-year-old forward ended up in Charlotte as part of an eight-player three-way deal agreed to earlier that also included Milwaukee. Hanging over the draft is the NBA's labour woes. Potential top-10 picks such as Jared Sullinger of Ohio State decided to remain in college another year because of the uncertainty. Stern was booed as he walked to the podium at the start of the draft. He could lock out his players next week if a deal for a new collective bargaining agreement is not reached. In the biggest trade of the day, the Bobcats sent top scorer Stephen Jackson to Milwaukee in a three-way trade involving Sacramento that gave Charlotte two picks in the top nine of the NBA draft. The Bobcats also sent the 19th pick, Tobias Harris, and backup point guard Shaun Livingston to the Bucks. Milwaukee, in desperate need of added scoring, also was to receive guard Beno Udrih from the Kings.
