Can someone explain to me why Kyrie Irving went no. 1 overall in the 2011 NBA draft?

I mean obviously it wasn't a shocker and everyone knew it was him or Derrick Williams from Arizona, but why? How in the world is this kid no. 1 material? He played 11 games in his freshman year. That just confuses even more. I am not at all a Duke fan, but from watching as much college basketball as I did, how was he picked ahead of Singler and Smith, the two guys who pretty much established that they are great athletes and leaders of Duke's team. Okay so they didn't pick Williams because they needed a point guard...fine...but what about Nolan Smith, Jimmer Fredette, Kemba Walker, Brandon Knight, and Shelvin Mack. I'm not trying to say Irving doesn't have potential and talent, I'm just curious how this guy was selected first overall when he played 11 games in his freshman year and wasn't even the star of a team which was eliminated almost single handedly by a player who was picked directly after him who had established himself as a star in the collegiate level. Please explain this to me...thanks!