Cleveland Sports Forum

Kyrie Irving's toe injury packs on body fat

By Jason Lloyd

Beacon Journal sports writer

POSTED: 09:38 p.m. EDT, May 20, 2011

CHICAGO: Kyrie Irving hasn't done much of anything at the NBA combine, but one of the few numbers he produced wasn't a very good one.

Irving's body fat measured 10.2 percent, easily the highest among the guards and tied for the fifth-highest among the 54 players in attendance.

Irving was embarrassed by the rating, which would seem to be a product of the three months he spent sitting around with a right toe injury. Irving said he spent much of that time eating and unable to work out.

''It shows the amount of work I still have to put in to get my body to where it was,'' Irving said. ''I'm aware it's at a percentage where I don't want it to be, but I can't do anything about it being away from the game for that long. It was bound to happen. It shows the body work I still have to do.''

Now that he's healthy, Irving has plenty of time to get that figure down before training camp begins in the fall.

Irving is one of the more fascinating players at the combine. He plays the baritone saxophone, sings, is an avid reader and has dual citizenship with Australia because he was born while his father was a professional basketball player there.

In fact, Irving hasn't ruled out the idea of playing for Australia in the Olympics. That probably won't sit well with Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski — who coached Irving at Duke.

''I just want to be considered an international player,'' Irving said with a laugh. ''I don't think it would sit well with [Krzyzewski]. We'll talk about it before I make a decision.''

Bulls are finished. They may win Game 5 back home, but they are gone in 6, max.

Just wondering, with the possibility that Kanter may be gone by #4 or that Williams could fall to 33, would Utah take Sessions and #4 for the #3 pick. Of course, I would only do that if Cavs want one of those 2 players and simply wanted to make sure they got one. If V is their goal, I wouldn't make that trade

Oh great, now you're gonna get Rusty started on Williams again...

No way Williams lasts to 33, BTW...

I like Williams I am just not sure he fits the Cavs as well as others. Bottom line I go along with most anything Gilbert wants to do.

Williams is the only guy being talked about as going in the first 4 picks who most fans have had a chance to watch play many games.

All the others are dependent on whose hype or expertise you choose to validate.

One thing you can bet on is that someone later in the first round will be have a more productive NBA career than at least 1 of the first 6 players taken in the lottery.

Rusty2- I am sure you have read the speculation about JJ getting traded if the Cavs drafted Williams. I guess it would depend of the value of Hickson on the market. Would a #1 in 2012 be worth him?

The only certainty I can say about Williams is that he appears to be able to catch the ball, something JJ can't do too often.

My question about JJ is whether he can put up similar numbers to his second half last season when the Cavs get back to playoff caliber basketball. Or is he merely a front court version of Sessions. He certainly has some good physical skills.

Not really sure that Williams is a power forward in the NBA. He certainly will play there. No problem with the Cavs trading Hickson before extending his contract. Not sure what kind of value he actually has around the league.

I would rather see the Cavs with Kanter or "V".

I only know what I read about these college and overseas guys.

Ideally the Cavs will add 2 impact players before next season.

Windy reports the Cavs have asked the league for a 9 day extension for their TPE, AFTER the next CBA is approved.

Chad Ford's Mock Draft, Version 3.0

The NBA draft combine is now behind us, and for the first time we have credible measurements, plus medical and athletic info on every prospect in the draft.

This week a number of first-round bubble players are competing in group workouts in Minnesota. From there, NBA teams will start their individual workouts in earnest.

There is still plenty of wiggle room here, as we're still a month away from the draft. But for now, here's our most informed take, after talking to numerous NBA team sources, about how the draft might play out in June.

Cleveland (via L.A. Clippers)
Kyrie Irving
Position: PG
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 191 pounds
Age: 19
School: Duke
Analysis: How sure are we that the Cavs will be selecting Irving? While they say they're bringing in a number of other prospects for a closer look, Irving has only scheduled Cleveland at this time. Unless the Cavs are persuaded to trade the pick, I think Irving is a very safe bet at the top. Long-term, the Cavs have needs everywhere, and Irving is the safest pick in the draft.

Minnesota
Derrick Williams
Position: SF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 249
Age: Turns 20 on May 25
School: Arizona
Analysis: Owner Glen Taylor said Monday that he doesn't think the Wolves will trade their pick. That will come as a pretty big surprise to a number of GMs who claim that the Wolves are already talking to teams about the pick. The problem for the Wolves is that Williams plays the same positions as their best two players -- Kevin Love and Michael Beasley.

They could trade either player (Love especially would welcome a trade), but I'm not sure Williams is an upgrade. That leaves them with dealing this valuable asset and hoping to get back a few solid veterans to stabilize the team. So that's why I'm very confident Williams will go No. 2 -- I'm much less confident on which team will actually do the drafting.

Utah (via New Jersey)
Brandon Knight
Position: PG
Height: 6-3
Weight: 177
Age: 18
School: Kentucky
Analysis: The Jazz are looking at everything at this point. Trading up, trading down, trading out and then looking at a number of prospects at No. 3. Brandon Knight, Kemba Walker, Jan Vesely, Jonas Valanciunas and Enes Kanter are all in the mix here.

But of that group, I think Knight has the edge. The Jazz love big guards, players who can defend multiple positions, guards who can shoot the basketball and high-character players. Knight checks off most of those boxes. The rest of the group all are a bit riskier.

Cleveland
Enes Kanter
Position: PF
Height: 6-11
Weight: 260
Age: 19
Country: Turkey
Analysis: Kanter had a very good week at the Chicago combine. His measurements established him as a legit NBA center prospect. He played hard, showed he was in great shape and impressed during interviews. But there are still legitimate questions about how all those things will translate at the next level.

On one hand, he could be the best prospect in the draft. On the other, he could be yet another in a long line of international workout wonders. I do think he'll have major appeal for the Cavs. Not only does he have tremendous upside, but he is tough, can play inside and out, rebounds the basketball and has a higher basketball IQ than most kids his age. You could do a lot worse than building around Irving and Kanter.

Toronto
Jan Vesely
Position: PF
Height: 6-11
Weight: 240
Age: 21
Country: Czech Republic
Analysis: I'm still trying to get the pulse of what's happening in Toronto. Now that Bryan Colangelo has his extension, he can afford to take more risks. The question is … who does he gamble on? Last week we had Valanciunas here. He's still in the mix, but I've been told that Vesely is even higher on his list.

A terrific athlete, Vesely is ready to play right now and adds great size to Toronto's front line. Kemba Walker is also a legit option here and if for some reason Brandon Knight falls, he won't slip past the Raptors.

Washington
Kawhi Leonard
Position: SF
Height: 6-7
Weight: 228
Age: 19
School: San Diego State
Analysis: Leonard had a good week in Chicago as well. He measured with a 7-foot-3 wingspan and had the biggest hands in the camp. He also put on a brief shooting display for GMs on Friday morning, showing off a new and improved shot.

With GM Ernie Grunfeld's job hanging in the balance, he doesn't have a lot of room to take risks -- especially on international players who might not come to Washington for years. Leonard's ability to come in and provide energy, defense and length right away makes him an attractive option and a potential impact player in Year 1.

Sacramento
Kemba Walker
Position: PG
Height: 6-1
Weight: 184
Age: 21
School: UConn
Analysis: We continue to keep Walker planted here in Sacramento, though from what I can gather, Geoff Petrie is considering a number of options including trades. Petrie is in the same boat as Grunfeld. His job isn't very safe, and the past two years Petrie has opted for a "sure-thing" player who could produce in Year 1. Walker is that guy at this point in the draft and, as an added bonus, doesn't have the same character issues that Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins had.

Detroit
Jonas Valanciunas
Position: PF
Height: 6-10
Weight: 230
Age: 19
Country: Lithuania
Analysis: For the third straight week, the Pistons' player changes. This time, it's because of opportunity. In the past two mocks I've had Valanciunas going before the eighth pick. If he slides this far, I think the Pistons will grab him.

Yes, Detroit will also look at both Bismack Biyombo and Tristan Thompson here. But Valanciunas has two things the Pistons covet: size and major upside. They may have to wait on him a year, but many NBA scouts believe he's the most talented international player in the draft.

Charlotte
Bismack Biyombo
Position: PF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 243
Age: 18
Country: Congo
Analysis: The Bobcats are desperate for a big man who can defend the paint. Enter Biyombo. How much do we really know about him? Not much. But the Bobcats desperately need his length, athleticism, rebounding and toughness. Michael Jordan has never been afraid to take risks and, if he is sold on Biyombo, he won't be afraid to do it here either.


Milwaukee
Tristan Thompson
Position: PF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 228
Age: 20
School: Texas
Analysis: The Bucks are set at center and point guard, but could really use help at the 2, 3 or 4 position. If Thompson slides this far, it might be tough for them to pass on him.

Thompson would give the Bucks athleticism and toughness in the front court -- something they tried to address during free agency with Drew Gooden last year. He is still a work in progress on the offensive end of the ball, but he may be the best offensive rebounding forward in the draft.

Golden State
Marcus Morris
Position: PF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 230
Age: 21
School: Kansas
Analysis: The Warriors have a lot of front court needs, especially at the 5. But without a legit center available at this point, Morris is a serious option for them. His ability to play multiple positions and score the basketball both on the perimeter and in the post, plus his maturity level, make him a great fit in Golden State.

Utah
Chris Singleton
Position: SF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 230
Age: 21
School: Florida State
Analysis: With Andrei Kirilenko heading into free agency this summer, the Jazz are set to lose their most versatile defender. Enter Singleton. He's not the most polished offensive player in the world (sound familiar, AK-47 fans?), but his ability to guard multiple positions and his size for his position are intriguing for the Jazz. The question is, with Singleton rising on many draft boards … will he still be here at No. 12? Teams as high as the Raptors at No. 5 are looking at him.

Phoenix
Alec Burks
Position: SG
Height: 6-6
Weight: 193
Age: 19
School: Colorado
Analysis: The Suns are in that awkward spot between pushing for the playoffs and rebuilding. Burks takes them decidedly on the rebuilding track. He is one of the best athletes in the draft and should be a good long-term replacement for Vince Carter if he continues to work on his jump shot.

Houston
Jordan Hamilton
Position: SF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 229
Age: 20
School: Texas
Analysis: Hamilton was another player who really impressed in Chicago. His size and ability to shoot the basketball combined with his aggressive scoring instincts should fit well in Houston. Since trading away Shane Battier, small forward has been a need.

Hoopsworld has Kanter going #2, Williams to the Cavs at #4.

I kind of believe that may happen that way too. Kind of caused a problem with that opinion.

Here is the Windhorst interview.

http://www.stationcaster.com/player_ski ... 76&f=78141

Rooting against the Heat and LeBron means rooting for the Bulls and Boozer

No problem at all with Boozer and the Bulls.

Heat are about to go up 3-1 in the series.