2011 NBA Draft: Five Reasons Why Kyrie Irving Should Declare for the NBA Draft

Kyrie Irving entered his first year at Duke University as the nation's No.1 or No. 2 high school point guard, depending on what list you looked at.

From his very first game against Princeton in mid-November, Irving made it clear that he was not only one of the best coming out of high school. He was one of the best among the collegiate players, too. 

Along with March Madness, there is also some spring sadness for college basketball fans, as some of the best players from across the nation declare their intentions to leave school and enter the NBA Draft.

This issue is not a matter of right or wrong. It is a choice that each individual needs to make.

Irving is in the place of evaluating this decision as his freshman season closes.

Though Coach K and Duke Fans won't like it, here are five reasons why Kyrie Irving should enter the 2011 NBA Draft: 

His Body of Work Is Sufficient

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CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 20: Kyrie Irving #1 of the Duke Blue Devils moves the ball while taking on the Michigan Wolverines during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 20, 2011 in Charlotte, North

Some have suggested that 11 college games is not enough for NBA scouts to accurately identify how a player will do at the next level.

First, for elite-level players like Irving, this evaluation process by NBA scouts started long ago.

Somewhere in his beginning high-school years, Irving was being watched by people other than college basketball coaches.

And while the NBA teams couldn't recruit him like the colleges could, they wanted to start to see what this kid was made of.

Second, the 11 games that Irving played gave NBA scouts enough live college action to continue forming their opinions.

In the first eight games that Irving played before being injured, Duke competed against five teams that made it to the NCAA tournament. 

While he also went up against Miami of Ohio, Colgate and Oregon, he played against enough good competition to show what he has in terms of his game. 

His Duke Team Will Be in Transition

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CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 20: Kyrie Irving #1 of the Duke Blue Devils makes the eventual game-winning basket late in the second half while shooting over Stu Douglass #1 of the Michigan Wolverines during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tourn

Even with the top-level 2011 recruiting class coming to Durham, the 2011-12 Blue Devils will be in transition.

Mainstays Kyle Singler (2010 Final Four Most Outstanding Player) and Nolan Smith (2011 ACC Player of the Year) will be gone.

Players like this are not easily replaced.

Saying that Duke will be in transition does not indicate that they will be struggling next season.

They will continue to be at or near the top of the ACC.

But you would be hard-pressed to convince anyone that the Blue Devils won't face more of a challenge next year. 

His Pursuit of a Degree Does Not Have to End

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DURHAM, NC - DECEMBER 01: Kyrie Irving #1 of the Duke Blue Devils watches on during their game against the Michigan State Spartans at Cameron Indoor Stadium on December 1, 2010 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Back in the day, if you left campus, you were done with school.

Not so anymore.

If Kyrie Irving chooses to continue to pursue a degree, there has never been a time when he has more options of how to achieve that goal.

Whether that is by going back to the actual Duke campus or not, Irving would not be forfeiting the opportunity to get an education if he enters the NBA Draft this year.

His Draft Status Will Not Get Any Better

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ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 24: Kyrie Irving #1 of the Duke Blue Devils draws contact against Kyryl Natyazhko #1 and Lamont Jones #12 of the Arizona Wildcats during the west regional semifinal of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at the Honda Center on M

Draft status and college accomplishments are not the same.

Kyrie Irving could come back and help Duke win dozens of games in each of the next three years.

He personally would have a shot at accomplishing an endless array of school records.

And all of that would have put him in a place of permanent endearment with Blue Devil fans everywhere.

However, those college accomplishments would not improve his NBA Draft status.

He is already considered a top-five (or better) prospect. ESPN's Chad Ford has Irving as his No. 1.

His Career Earnings Will Begin Now

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KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 23: Kyrie Irving #1 of the Duke Blue Devils in action during the CBE Classic game against the Kansas State Wildcats on November 23, 2010 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

For this one reason, if Kyrie Irving were my son, I would be hard-pressed to advise him to go back to school instead of entering the draft.

If he weren't going to be a lottery pick, that might be different. But he will be.

Sure, the money will still be there for high draft picks, but there is no guarantee about what the future will hold for Kyrie Irving.

Some people would like to eliminate this issue from the discussion. You cannot.

It is intrinsically part of this decision for a player like Irving.

This is not so much about greed; it is more about being realistic about the transient nature of opportunities.