Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 players Darius Garland should study

2. Kyrie Irving

The former Cleveland Cavaliers superstar, Kyrie Irving, is a perfect player off whom Darius Garland can base his game.

During his time in Cleveland, Irving reached four All-Star games and won a championship. He averaged 23.9 points and 4.7 assists per game across three playoff appearances and was the perfect sidekick to LeBron James.

Irving created a majority of his shots off of the dribble. It was no problem for him to move across the court, displaying one of the tightest handles the NBA had ever seen. Pulling up for an in-rhythym 3-pointer or mid-range shot is easy for Irving.

Thus far, Darius Garland has shown similar scoring abilities. A deadly handle and hesitation move has made Garland a versatile scorer. Though he only played in five college games, Garland already seems to be a better shooter than Irving was during his rookie season.

However, Irving holds a strong advantage in terms of finishing around the rim. Kyrie is special with his ability to score with each hand and absorb contact when attacking bigger opponents. He utilizes every inch of the backboard to spin the ball into the hoop and convert seemingly impossible layups.

Garland needs to be studying Irving’s body control around the basket. It’s a talent to draw contact and still finish the shot. DG will be destined for greatness if he can replicate Irving’s versatility as a finisher.