Long Island kids interview NBA star Kyrie Irving
NBA 2013 Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving with Kidsday reporters Mehnuma Syed, Charlie Yellin, Casey Levy and Matthias Lee, ages 9 and 10, from Jericho at the Toys R Us store in Manhattan. (Sept. 27, 2013) Credit: Newsday / Pat Mullooly
We met basketball star Kyrie Irving at Toys R Us in Manhattan recently. He was promoting Skullcandy headphones.
Yeah, I was. I was scared. It was a lot of pressure, but it was a dream come true. It was a blessing. A lot of hard work went into being the number one pick, and it's an exciting time, but it's definitely nerve wracking. So if you ever get there, just remember: calm down.
Yeah, but with pressure also comes responsibility -- but it's something we all sign up for. We get to see kids like you guys every day and be part of you guys' lives. That's what it's about.
Isiah Thomas, Chris Paul, but obviously he can't be my favorite player anymore . . . Kenny Anderson and a couple of the old guys.
Probably Chris Paul, LeBron [James], Kenny [Anderson] . . . all the guys that you guys know. And probably Tim Duncan and myself.
I'm not thinking about any other team but Cleveland. Let's stay with Cleveland right now. I'm good here.
No, my number means nothing. It's just a number, and that's what my dad used to tell me. The Cavs wanted to give me No. 15 -- but that's for big men. So I chose a lower number.
My most memorable coach was my dad. He coached me for four years, and we won four championships in my township. So me and my dad kind of did the thing.
My consistency every day just coming to work and being the best every single day. So consistency.
I was only in college for a year, so stay in school, but I was majoring in psychology.
I don't really have any. When I was younger, it was the fear of failing, but you can't be successful in life if you have fear of failure.
Well, college it's more of a home team atmosphere. You're with your teammates all the time. But NBA, you've kind of got to figure out things on your own; and when I was 19 years old, I was still kind of a kid, so I had to kind of figure things out. Just the pace of the game and just the responsibility being an NBA player.
I would like to be an actor.
I love the cheering at home; but the booing, I enjoy as well.
My fifth-grade teacher was Miss Lauderbach at Gregory Elementary School [in West Orange, N.J.]. I was kind of like a bad kid back when I was younger. But I grew out of it. I matured. But in fifth grade, it was kind of a learning year for me. Let's just say that.
"He Got Game" by Spike Lee.
No. No conversation except [with] my teammates.
A lot of shooting. I was really nervous in the three-point competition. There are so many great shooters but just a lot of practice before the three-point competition. So I was prepared for it.
My dad and my little sister and my older sister. It's kind of a box, all four of us, and they take care of me, and I take care of them. And that's how it goes. My inspiration is my family.
