Cleveland Cavaliers: Ranking the last 10 first-round picks

1. Kyrie Irving

The point guard only played six seasons in Cleveland. Things ended rather poorly. Nevertheless, it’s hard not to put Kyrie Irving in the pantheon of greatest Cavaliers of all-time.

Irving was the first overall pick in the 2011 Draft, three picks ahead of Thompson. The point guard immediately validated that selection, averaging 18.5 points and 5.4 assists per game during a Rookie of the Year campaign. A year later, he made his first of four All-Star trips with the team.

Irving was an All-NBA Third Team player during the 2014-15 season when he averaged 21.7 points per game and shot a career-high 41.5 percent from three.

His best memories in a Cleveland uniform came the following year, however, when he scored 41 points along with James in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, then hit the series-clinching 3-pointer in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to knock off the Golden State Warriors.

The point guard played just one more season before forcing a trade from Cleveland, ending up with the Boston Celtics for two seasons before joining the Brooklyn Nets before the 2019-20 season. There’s still some acrimony because of the manner of his departure, but in time, Irving should be recognized as an all-time great in Cleveland.

There aren’t many times the Cavs have gotten it right in the draft in recent memory. Kyrie Irving is a major exception.