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CBSSports.com: You get the first pick, you get the kid with all this talent, but then he comes in with kind of attitude. Does that make it easier to deal with all these growing pains the team is going through? Scott: It does make you more excited, because we know that we have a few of the pieces in place, they're just young pieces. They have to mature and grow and gain that experience. One thing I love about Ky at 20 years old is that he really is more mature than most 20-year-olds. He has a pretty good idea of what he wants to do, what he wants to be in this league. He has a vision of where he's going to be in the next four years. You don't see that in most 20-year-olds when they come in the league. Most times they just want to play. They don't really think about next year or the year after. He's thinking about two, three years from now down the line. His maturity level is totally different from most guys I've coached at that age. CBSSports.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Kyrie Irving 

Irving, 20, is a rising star and has a good relationship with James. The two have known each other since James took Irving under his wing when the point guard was 15. "I don't know, man," Irving said when told what Karl said. "Until it happens, I won't really have a reaction to it." When asked if he ever would like to play with James, Irving said, "We'll see." FOXSports Florida

Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving 

Kyrie Irving: Smh man, worst news I've heard all day, #getwellandy Twitter @KyrieIrving

Cleveland Cavaliers, Injuries, Anderson Varejao, Kyrie Irving 

Brendan Bowers: Talked w/ Josh Smith who was very complimentary of Irving & Waiters. Said they are two good young players who form a very good backcourt Twitter @BowersCLE

Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Josh Smith, Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters 

Mary Schmitt Boyer/Jodie Valade: I guess I misunderstood #Cavs G Kyrie Irving. He acknowledges that he was in photo with 2 women tweeted TUE but says he did not post it. Twitter @PDcavsinsider

Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving 

Caught up with Kobe Bryant over the weekend and he wanted to clarify his trash-talking to Russ Westbrook and Kevin Durant during Olympic practices in London: he hopes to kindle in them the competitive spirit -- and jawing -- that his generation had. Same goes for going at Kyrie Irving in a similar manner. Sulia

Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Kyrie Irving 

But last spring, the rigors of his inaugural, lockout-compressed pro season forced him to exclusively commit to a more modern platform. "I had to give up the journal," Irving says. So now the Cavaliers' 6'3", 191-pound star conducts his motivational sessions with his thumbs, pecking out words he would never say in a news conference, filling a 3.5-inch iPhone with a vision of himself he hopes to never forget. Irving wrote this in December 2008, upon transferring to St. Patrick High in Elizabeth, N.J.: The lights are on, baby. Time to show the world what you're really about and who the best is in the country. This was from June 2009, amid a pivotal AAU summer: I'm going to make it, even if I have to run through a ton of walls ... F-- being friends. I'm going to destroy these dudes. More recently, in November 2012: Unleash everything you have and never look back. You are the best point guard in this league, so act like it. Let's go. "It is," Irving admits, scrolling through the notes, "kind of funny to read these now." ESPN.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving 

These goals, writ largest on the page, were met. Others were not. Under Player, Irving settled on 17 ppg, 7 apg, 2 spg and 1 bpg and drew an arrow pointing to the phrase Lead the team in defense. While Irving topped his scoring target, he fell short of the others. And he knows it. "I always tell Kyrie, 'We know what you can do on the offensive end,'" says Cavs coach Byron Scott, who sees much of former pupil (and ROY) Chris Paul in his current one. "But if you want to be an All-Star? If you want to be a complete basketball player and not a one-hit wonder? You gotta defend. You gotta do the little things." Last season Irving ranked in the bottom 4 percent of the NBA defensively, according to Synergy Sports, allowing opponents to shoot 48.3 percent. ESPN.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving 

Yet none of those moments said as much about Kyrie as the one in July, at Team USA camp, when he strode up to Kobe and demanded to go one-on-one. "You're not going to lock me up! It's over," Kyrie said, as if reciting from his iPhone. Replied Kobe, who knew Kyrie's family tree: "Get your dad on the phone right now ... He'll be like, Son, are you crazy? Are you crazy?" In the end, they agreed on stakes, a cool $50,000, to be won next summer, rules and location TBD. And Kyrie's father, when he learned of the wager? He could hardly have been prouder -- even if he won't be around to witness it. You see, back in 1992, when Dred and Elizabeth had mystified their friends by having their second child so young, so soon, it had, in fact, all been part of their plan. All along, Elizabeth had wanted to be vibrant enough, when both kids hit their 20s and were out of the house, to travel abroad with her husband in their 40s. "They were best friends," Kyrie explains, recalling the story his dad often told. "They promised each other they'd struggle, get through it and see the world" -- never knowing that future would not arrive. ESPN.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving 

Kyrie Irving: That was not me posting that I'm really sorry fans, good night. I'm really appalled to see that!! Smh what the Internet can do now a days, good night smh man! Twitter

Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving 

Kyrie Irving: Once again I'm sorry for that everybody, I would never post something like that, hope y'all have a very special Christmas, happy holidays!! Would never post something like that, especially when I have my wife @NataaGataa, crazy!!! Twitter

Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving 

Late last summer during the 2012 Rookie Transition Program and 2012 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot, respectively, Panini America officials asked several of the most talented young stars in the league to show off their artistic talents by handcrafting their best off-the-cuff sketches. Presented below is an art gallery of sorts showcasing just some of our favorites. From the uplifting sentiments shared by 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving to the high-brow humor fashioned by Anthony Davis, we think you’ll find these miniature masterpieces the perfect off-court diversion for your Sunday afternoon. Enjoy. Panini America

Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Hornets, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis 

Kyrie Irving has another injury and the Cavaliers have another masked player. Cleveland's star point guard, who only recently returned after missing 11 games with a broken finger, fractured a bone in his jaw when he took a hard fall in Friday night's loss at Milwaukee. Irving traveled separately from the Cavs to New York so he could be fitted with a protective mask that he will wear in Saturday's game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. He said he arrived less than three hours before the start of the game, having only slept about four hours. He said he wasn't in pain, and the only difficulty would be getting used to the mask, which earned him the nickname the "Dark Knight" in the locker room. "It's just precautionary, as usual," Irving said. MSNBC.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, Injuries, Kyrie Irving 

Kyrie Irving has another injury and the Cavaliers have another masked player. Cleveland's star point guard, who only recently returned after missing 11 games with a broken finger, fractured a bone in his jaw when he took a hard fall in Friday night's loss vs. Milwaukee. ESPN.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, Injuries, Kyrie Irving 

Irving did not travel with the Cavs to New York so he could be fitted with a protective mask that he will wear in Saturday's game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Irving was injured when he was knocked down in the first quarter by Bucks forward forward Luc Mbah a Moute, who was called for a foul. Irving's face slammed into the floor, and he writhed in pain for several minutes before getting up and making two free throws. He stayed in the game. ESPN.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, Injuries, Kyrie Irving 

The Cleveland Cavaliers expect injured guard Kyrie Irving to be available to play Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers. Irving, who has missed 11 games due to a fractured left index finger, has been cleared to resume practice Monday, the team announced. The second-year star initially was expected to be sidelined for at least four weeks. ESPN.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles, Kyrie Irving 

Marc J. Spears: Cavs G Kyrie Irving (finger fracture) has been cleared to resume practice today and is expected to be available to play against Lakers Tues. Twitter @SpearsNBAYahoo

Cleveland Cavaliers, Injuries, Kyrie Irving 

Irving is probably a couple weeks away from returning to the practice floor in contact drills. He's been practicing lately, but when they have contact, he sits out. "I know he's anxious," Scott said. "We're not going to take any chances. We'll leave it up to the doctors. He has to get at least one practice in. The chance of him coming back early, I don't know." Doctors estimated he'd miss four weeks. He's been out since Nov. 17. News-Herald

Cleveland Cavaliers, Injuries, Kyrie Irving 

Mary Schmitt Boyer/Jodie Valade: Kyrie Irving getting closer to returning for #Cavs, he's cleared for all but contact drills with broken left finger. Twitter @PDcavsinsider

Cleveland Cavaliers, Injuries, Kyrie Irving 

Jason Lloyd: Miami reporter approached Kyrie Irving tonight because he thought he was Jeremy Pargo. So... yeah. Pargo's playing well, but not THAT well Twitter @JasonLloydABJ

Cleveland Cavaliers, Media, Kyrie Irving