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About
Kyrie Andrew Irving, nicknamed 'Little Mountain,' is an American-Australian professional basketball player born on March 23, 1992, in Melbourne, Australia, to Drederick Irving, a former professional basketball player who competed there after a college career at Boston University. The family relocated to the United States when Kyrie was two years old, and he was raised primarily in West Orange, New Jersey. Irving rose to prominence in high school at St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where he helped lead the team to a state championship during his junior year. He attended Duke University for one season (2010-2011) under coach Mike Krzyzewski before declaring for the NBA Draft. Selected as the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA Draft, Irving was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 2012 and quickly became a nine-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA Team member. He won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016, hitting the game-winning three-pointer in the Finals. Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics in 2017, then to the Brooklyn Nets in 2019, and most recently to the Dallas Mavericks in 2023, where he continues to play as a point guard known for his exceptional ball-handling, scoring, and playmaking. In 2022, Irving endorsed the antisemitic film 'Hebrews to Negroes' on social media, leading to a suspension by the Nets, public backlash, and an eventual apology after initially refusing to condemn its contents. Irving holds dual citizenship in the United States and Australia and has represented the Australian national team in exhibitions. He has been involved in other controversies, including an anti-vaccine stance during the COVID-19 pandemic and promotion of flat Earth theories, drawing criticism for spreading misinformation.