CLEVELAND, OH - June 24, 2011 - The Cleveland Cavaliers selected guard Kyrie Irving with the first overall pick, forward Tristan Thompson with the fourth overall pick and forward Milan Macvan with the 54th pick of the 2011 NBA Draft. The Cavaliers also traded the draft rights of Justin Harper, the 32nd overall pick, to the Orlando Magic in exchange for two future second-round picks (2013 and 2014).
“We feel absolutely fantastic about the two guys (Irving and Thompson) we added to our team. They are both players that were at the top of our board the entire season,” said Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant. “They are both young players that have the character, integrity and the make-up that fits what we want our young men to have on this team.”
Irving, 19, played in 11 games this season with the Duke Blue Devils, averaging 17.5 points on .529 shooting, including .462 shooting from three-point range, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 27.5 minutes per game. The 6-foot-2 point guard started the first eight games of the season, scoring 16 or more points in five of the eight games, including a 31-point, six-rebound and four-assist effort versus Michigan State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Irving suffered a right toe injury that caused him to miss 26 consecutive games before returning in the NCAA Tournament. In the Sweet 16 versus Arizona, Irving scored a team-high 28 points on 9-15 shooting (.600) while adding three assists in 31 minutes.
As a senior in high school, Irving was named a McDonald’s All-American and a First Team All-American by Parade Magazine and USA Today. He also helped the U.S. under-18 (U-18) National Team earn the gold medal in the FIBA Americas U-18 Championship.
Thompson, 20, was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year after averaging 13.1 points on .546 shooting, team highs of 7.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 30.9 minutes per game in 36 games. The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward posted a season-high 26 points on 9-14 shooting (.643), 10 rebounds and three blocks in 37 minutes versus Kansas State and collected a career-best 15 rebounds and 17 points in 38 minutes versus Michigan State.
As a high school senior, he earned McDonald’s All-America honors and was selected a member of the World Select Team, representing his native Canada, at the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit.
Macvan, 21, split the 2010-11 season with Serbian club Hemofarm and Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel-Aviv. He has extensive experience overseas, playing professionally in Serbian and Adriatic leagues since the 2007-08 season. The 6-foot-9 forward was named the ULEB Eurocup Rising Star in 2008-09 and has competed for Serbia’s senior and junior national teams. He led the World Select Team to a 97-89 victory over the U.S. Junior Select Team at the 2009 Nike Hoop Summit with a game-high 23 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and one block.