NBA Draft 2011: Kyrie Irving or Derrick Williams, Who Should Go First?

The NBA season is now over with the Dallas Mavericks knocking off the Miami Heat for their first ever championship in team history. Now, the NBA can focus on the NBA Draft that will take place on June 23. The Cleveland Cavaliers have the first pick; the Minnesota Timberwolves have the second. 

It all comes down to two players in the top selections: Kyrie Irving, PG for Duke; and Derrick Williams, PF for Arizona.

Let's take a look at who should go first overall in the draft.

First, if we're going off of team need, the Cleveland Cavaliers should take Irving, as Baron Davis is an aging point guard.

Irving only played in 11 games last year, as he battled a toe injury that kept him out for the majority of the season. At 6'3", Irving is shorter than recent point guards taken No. 1 in the draft (Rose, John Wall) and is built more similar to Deron Williams and Chris Paul.  

Many saw his potential over those games though, and immediately put him to the top of the 2011 draft class.

Irving averaged 17.5 points per game, 4.3 assists and 3.4 rebounds. He shot 46 percent from three-point range and 53 percent from the field. He also had a 1.75 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Early in the season, it looked like he meshed well with Duke's players and was ready to help lead them to a title, but in the NCAA tournament, he looked like he tore the team's chemistry apart a little—especially against Arizona, where he scored 28 points.

I have no doubt that Irving is a play-maker. He can make people miss with his crossover, his quickness and agility and his ability to get to the basket. Not only that, he can also knock down the three and get to the free-throw line with his aggressiveness in the lane.

Irving also makes players around him better, as seen in the first eight games with Duke. He made Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler bigger weapons, and made the Plumlees' better in the post as well—which was not the case during the season, when the Plumlees' were weak in the post and most of pressure was on Singler and Smith. 

A team with a good point guard is key in the NBA today.

Just look at Derrick Rose and the impact he has had on the Bulls. A similar debate came in 2008, when the Bulls had to choose between Rose and Michael Beasley. Rose is the superstar now (he was MVP this year); Beasley has bounced around from the Heat to the Timberwolves.

The only real concerns with Irving are the injury with his toe and if he's big enough to be a star in the league. Having also checked in with 10 percent body fat, many question if he is fit to play.

Now, on to Derrick Williams' case for being the No. 1 pick for the Cavaliers.

Williams is 6'8", has more experience (he's a sophomore), played in every game this past season and showed explosive athletic ability.

Williams averaged 19.5 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game. He shot 57 percent from three-point range and 60 percent from the field. He also shot 74 percent from the free-throw line. 

Williams exploded during the NCAA tournament, almost lifting the Wildcats to the Final Four. In his biggest game against Irving and Duke, he had 32 monstrous points and 13 rebounds. Williams kept throwing down unbelievable dunks—kind of like Blake Griffin.

He has also showed us his versatility. Williams knocked down several threes, got in the lane and blocked shots, threw down alley oops and had several offensive rebounds. Williams can get to the free-throw line too, as he averaged about eight free-throws per game. 

Williams shows great size and strength for a power forward; he has a 7'1" wingspan and 9-foot standing reach. Imagine a dunk contest with him and Griffin!

Something I did not know was that Williams played for two months with a broken finger on his shooting hand and still shot 59.5 percent from field, 56.8 percent from long range, and 74 percent from the charity stripe.

That's tremendous and exactly what scouts are looking for. It also shows that Williams is durable, can play through pain and will give his best night-in and night-out for whoever drafts him.

If you were the Cavaliers, who would you take: Irving or Williams?