After nearly deciding to play for the Australian National Team in the 2012 London Olympics, Cleveland Cavaliers rookie sensation decided not suit up for the Boomers and instead kept himself available for the USA Team in future.
The 2011 NBA first overall pick, Irving, who holds a dual Australian and US citizenship that made him eligible to play for either of the two based on FIBA rules, announced his decision on Tuesday night after their win against the Utah Jazz.
According to Irving, he heard news that his collegiate coach Mike Krzyzewski will still be handling Team USA for the next four years until the 2016 Olympics and he is hoping that his former coach will give him the chance to suit up for USA in the future.
“It was the right decision,” said Irving on his decision not to forego his eligibility to play for USA in the future. “I found out Coach K would be coaching in 2016. It made my decision so much easier to play for my coach again. That was the deciding factor.”
However, USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo did not confirm the reports on Krzyzewski’s tenure, saying that the coaching staff for the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro has not yet been discusses for they focusing in the upcoming Olympics in London this summer.
The 20-year old guard, who spent a year in Duke under Krzyzewski, is having a great rookie season, averaging 18.6 points and 5.1 assists per game for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Leave a Reply