FROM GREAT TO SUPERSTAR IN 2012
Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
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Kent Smith/Getty ImagesKyrie Irving was a model of efficiency during a spectacular rookie season.
You could make the argument that no NBA player has ever been this good this young. It's almost impossible to exceed expectations as a No. 1 overall pick, but Irving managed to do that as a rookie for the rebuilding Cavaliers team. Irving averaged 18.5 points, 5.4 assists and 3.7 rebounds last season while shooting incredibly efficient from deep (39.9 percent on threes) and at the free throw line (87.2 percent).
All in all, Irving registered a 21.4 player efficiency rating and dominated crunch time. These numbers are impressive on their own, but they become staggering when you consider that a) he was a teenager last season and b) he barely played 30 minutes a game.
It's the best PER we've seen from a 19-year-old in NBA history -- better than the likes of LeBron James, Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant when they entered the league. Irving's minute count is especially important to note because there's little chance that Irving will have a governor on his playing time like he did in his rookie season. Because the Cavs were ultraconservative with his minutes on the floor, Irving's numbers may come off as a little lower than those of a bona fide star. However, this is a guy who averaged 21.8 points, 6.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds when we translate his stat line to a per-36 minute level.
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