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Cavs Preseason 2012: Kyrie Irving becoming vocal leader for Byron Scott

Kyrie Irving is the youngest player on the Cleveland Cavaliers' roster for the 2012-13 NBA season, but he is emerging as a leader in his second season.

Eric P. Mull-US PRESSWIRE

Kyrie Irving is the youngest player on the Cleveland Cavaliers' roster for the 2012-13 NBA season, and after leading by example in his rookie year he is starting to be more vocal this year. Head coach Byron Scott says the 2011-12 NBA Rookie of the Year winner is being more aggressive in practice and calling his own plays on the fly (via Ohio.com).

Everyone expects Irving to carry the team again this season, but there are still questions about how far he can take a squad that holds up 30-year-old Anderson Varejao it's veteran leader and wants to develop other youngsters like Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller.

Playoff predictions for the Cavs have been few and far between, but if they do surprise people and make that jump it will be because Irving builds upon his amazing rookie campaign in which he finished first among his draft class in scoring (18.5 ppg), field goal percentage (.469) and free throw percentage (.872), and placed second in assists (5.4 apg) and three-point field goal percentage (.399).

Photographs by spatulated, Triple Tri, and chrischappelear used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.