Cavs' Sexton doesn't feel pressure to fill Kyrie's shoes

The Cleveland Cavaliers may have found their point guard of the future Thursday, selecting Collin Sexton eighth overall in the NBA draft.

The Alabama product fills a position of need for the Cavaliers, who dealt franchise point guard Kyrie Irving last summer - receiving the pick that landed Sexton in return - and sent Isaiah Thomas to L.A. in February.

Sexton will face plenty of Irving comparisons given the pick he was selected with, his position, his team, and his No. 2 jersey - the same number Irving wore in Cleveland. However, he appears determined to carve out his own path.

"I feel like I'm not going to have to live up to anybody's shoes," said Sexton when asked if he feels any pressure to replace Irving, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "I'm going to come in and learn and be the best player I can be on the court as well as off the court."

Living up to the reputation of a five-time All-Star and NBA champion might be unrealistic. Regardless, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue believes the rookie's work ethic could make him a franchise cornerstone.

"When you got guys who work as hard as Collin does to get to where he wants to get, those are the guys you want on your team, and his toughness, his character, being a great student in the classroom - all that exemplifies what we want to do here in Cleveland," said Lue. "And I'm glad he's a part of it."