Duke freshman Kyrie Irving will return Friday against Hampton.
"He’s definitely playing,” a source told FOXSports.com.
The source said that Irving will likely get about 15 to 20 minutes in the Blue Devils' opening game of the NCAA tournament against No. 16 Hampton.
Irving was arguably the top freshman in the nation and one of the elite players in the country when he suffered a toe injury on Dec. 4.
Irving has missed the past 26 games and was feared out for the rest of the season, but the injury has healed and the 6-foot-2 guard began practicing with the team earlier this week.
He was cleared by doctors and also received a second opinion from a foot specialist.
Irving is the front-runner, depending on who gets the No. 1 pick, to be taken first overall in June’s NBA Draft — according to several NBA executives.
