Kyrie Irving hungry for Rio Olympic spot

Kyrie Irving

Rio de Janeiro, Oct 11 (IANS) He may be nursing a sprained right ankle, but that has not dimmed American basketball star Kyrie Irving's enthusiasm for being here with the NBA. The Cleveland Cavaliers star is set to miss his team's pre-season NBA clash against the Miami Heat here Saturday after a training mishap, reports Xinhua.

Though careful not to sound presumptuous, Irving says the Brazil visit - even without his participation - has prompted thoughts about returning for the 2016 Olympics.

"Yeah, I'm excited," Irving was quoted saying on the Rio 2016 website. "I still have to make the team, we have a lot of great players who have a lot more years than I do. But I hope that I can make the team because it would be great to be part of it."

Irving is already considered among the NBA's elite after Cleveland secured him with the first pick at the 2011 draft.

In 181 appearances for the Cavaliers, he averages 20.7 points, 5.8 assists and shot 44.7 percent from the field.

Last month Irving confirmed his growing status in the game by top-scoring with 26 points in the US's World Cup final victory over Serbia in Madrid.

Pundits are already exalting the prospect of him joining club teammates LeBron James and Kevin Love at the Rio Games.

"It would be crazy," the Australian-born guard said. "We'd definitely have a feel for one another that no other players on the team would have."

Irving insisted that despite the torrent of individual plaudits directed at him after the World Cup, his greatest satisfaction came from team success.

"Being part of that team, being part of something bigger than yourself, is an experience that I will always remember," he said.

"It was a group that came together for two months - and people say that NBA players are selfish and arrogant and can't come together - and then we did something spectacular like that for our country. That's what it's all about."