If new Celtic Kyrie Irving has any questions about Boston, he knows where he can turn: to his father.

Drederick Irving is one of most prolific players in Boston University history. Irving starred on Comm. Ave. from 1984-88, back in the days when the BU-Northeastern rivalry was at its peak. His No. 11 was retired by the school in 1988, and he’s a member of the BU Athletic Hall of Fame.

At one point Kyrie Irving even considered BU. According to the Globe’s Gary Washburn, former BU coach Dennis Wolff offered Kyrie a scholarship — as a fifth-grader.

“I thought I was going to go to BU in fifth grade,’’ Kyrie Irving said.


Drederick Irving was once ranked first in career scoring for the Terriers (he’s now third), and he’s near the top of the heap in a number of statistical categories. He was an all-conference selection in 1986 and 1988, and earned team MVP honors in 1988.

Irving came to BU from the Bronx, where he earned All-City and All-Division honors at Adlai Stevenson High School.

Irving took a jumper over two Northeastern players in a February 1986 game. —George Rizer/Globe Photo/File

He was the team’s leading scorer as a sophomore, junior, and senior. He finished his college career with 1,931 points and was BU’s top scorer until Tunji Awojobi (2,308 points) demolished the mark in the mid-1990s.

Irving averaged nearly 20 points per game as a senior, when he led the Terriers to a 23-win season, the ECAC North Atlantic title, and a trip to the NCAA Tournament; BU was smashed in the first round by Duke — yes, where Kyrie Irving played one year of college ball.

The Terriers had been blocked from the NCAAs earlier in Irving’s career thanks to a powerhouse Northeastern team led by the late Reggie Lewis.

Making the tournament had been a big goal for Drederick Irving.

“Drederick is on a very big mission,’’ then-BU coach Mike Jarvis said in January 1988, “and if anyone deserves to accomplish it, it’s him.’’


A look at where Drederick Irving stands in some statistical categories at Boston University.

■ Fifth in 3-point percentage (42.3 percent).

■ Fifth in free throws (611).

■ Sixth in games played (122).

■ Eighth in minutes played (3,500); he was second when he left BU.