WRAL Sports Fan

Duke

Irving says toe feels good, could play in NCAA

By Tim Hall

Mar 14, 2011

Maryland's Jordan Williams couldn't help but stare at Kyrie Irving as he worked out on the court at Greensboro Coliseum on Friday night.

Nothing to get too excited about. He didn't play in that one.

Then, before the championship game on Sunday, Kyrie came out with the team in full uniform and did regular warm-ups and stretches with the team.

He didn't play in that one either. But did he tip his cap after the game?

"I can't say I'm going to be playing next week, but there's definitely a possibility I'll be playing in the NCAA Tournament," Irving told 620 The Buzz. "It all depends on the medical staff clearing me or not to start practicing with the guys. I'm in the gym consistently but I haven't started practicing with the team yet."

When asked how the toe feels he responded, "It feels good, it feels really good."

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski found out about Irving's locker room comments and shrugged them off, saying, "We're far away from that decision."

"He's worked out here every day and we're not trying to hide anything," Krzyzewski said. "We've tried to show, first of all, that we have a guy named Kyrie and secondly that he's progressing well."

Duke's first round match-up is Friday afternoon in Charlotte against 16th-seeded Hampton. The Blue Devils would face either Michigan or Tennessee in the second round.

Irving has missed the last 26 games after a brilliant 8-game start to his college basketball career. Since he was a part of an ACC Championship without playing in the tournament his emotions were mixed.

"They're bittersweet. It feels really good, I'm happy for my teammates although I wish I was out there fighting with them," Irving said. "The emotion feels the same. Championships never get old for me, we won the CBE, but this one feels really good."

And just like everyone on the team, Irving got to take home a piece of the net too.

"I was being modest and didn't really want to cut down the nets....but Coach (K) called me up there and I heard people in the crowd chanting my name. It felt good, feels like I still contribute somehow on this team."

Note: Kyrie Irving follows the interview with Miles Plumlee