NBA star Kyrie Irving puts Duke degree on hold

Despite previously making a commitment to finish his degree at Duke University within five years, NBA star Kyrie Irving has put his plans for the degree on hold.

NBA star Kyrie Irving is an NBA champion looking to become a gold medal athlete at the Summer Olympics in Rio next month. He also made a commitment in 2011 to finish his degree at Duke University within a five-year time window, but will now have to put the education on hold.

According to Duke Chronicle, Irving previously made a pact with his father back in 2011 where he said he would get his degree in the next five years. The current Cavs star mentioned later that same summer that his father made the pact with him in exchange for Irving wanting to leave college for the professional level after his freshman season.

Times have changed quickly in those five years for Irving. The former No. 1 pick from Duke is a former rookie of the year, a three-time All-Star and All-Star game MVP as well as most recently, an NBA champion. He’s now starring as Team USA’s starting point guard which is ironically coached by Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

The demands of the NBA superstar lifestyle are certainly draining but add in championships, appearances and now playing with Team USA and it can consume a lot of time and effort. There were those who felt Irving shouldn’t have left after one year of college and returned to gather more experience, but based on the financial implications, it seems he made the best choice.

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Irving was quoted as saying, “[I want] to do what I can in the league, make sure I leave a legacy in the NBA and then when I leave the game of basketball, then I’ll focus on the next step of my life.”

While it’s his decision ultimately, Irving can send a strong message by choosing to return to school and finish what he started as well as what he promised his father.

It just may take him a bit longer than five years to do all that, but he can certainly afford it.