It is no secret that last year’s Duke squad had an uber-talented freshman in point guard Kyrie Irving, who became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Irving made an unforgettable impact, one that only heightens expectations for this year’s heralded recruit—Austin Rivers.
Rivers, a Winter Park, Fla., native, arrived in Durham as the country’s No. 1 recruit, according to Rivals.com. Although Irving is a pure point guard and Rivers is a score-first combo guard, the new Cleveland Cavalier has done plenty to mentor the player who will attempt to fill in the void left by his early departure.
“I play one-on-one with [Irving] all the time,” Rivers said. “I teach him things I know, and he teaches me a lot of things. He’s already been through all of this, so he helps me a lot.”
No one will question Rivers’ ability to score the ball as both a long-range shooter and slasher. His quickness and leaping ability make him a dangerous playmaker in transition as well.
Despite his considerable talent, the pundits still question his effort on the defensive end and ability to fit into the framework of a team. Although Rivers acknowledges the criticism, he is using it as motivation.
“People have said that I could play defense but never did,” Rivers said. “I chose Duke because it’s a great defensive school. I want to be in a position where I’m picking up guys full court. I love playing defense. I’m into it now. That’s part of the game.”
Although he originally committed to the in-state Florida Gators and strongly considered Kansas and North Carolina, Rivers knew that Duke was the best fit for him after his official visit. He was impressed by the academics, head coach Mike Krzyzewski and the way he was not guaranteed anything but a chance to compete for playing time.
“Everyone comes in with their own egos,” Rivers said. “But, there’s one way here, and that’s the Duke way.”
Another trait that sets Rivers apart from his peers is his basketball pedigree. His father, Doc Rivers, is the head coach of the NBA’s Boston Celtics and was a collegiate standout at Marquette before a successful professional career. His older brother Jeremiah graduated from Indiana last year, where he played after transferring from Georgetown.
Rivers said that the time he spent around some of the NBA’s biggest stars is a big motivator for him.
“I got to grow up seeing how to act,” he said. “I saw what it takes for a player to get to that level. I observed and interacted with Tracy McGrady, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. It’s always driven me because I want to have that job they have.”
In discussing his team’s summer trip to China and Dubai for the Friendship Games, Krzyzewski acknowledged that Rivers was the player that benefitted most from the summer exhibitions. Although he managed to score in double figures in each of the trip’s four games, his performance was up-and-down as he struggled with turnovers and fitting into the flow of the offense as a passer. Just like many other big prospects, Rivers will take his lumps as he transitions to major college basketball.
“Austin is our best breakdown guy,” Krzyzewski said. “But, as a freshman, he’s still learning what that means. A breakdown guy that forces help-and-recover needs to be a passer too. And he’s been a scorer all his life.”
The shooting guard said that playing against foreign professional players will ultimately prove valuable in helping him adjust to the quicker pace of the collegiate game. He also said the trip will pay off in terms of team chemistry and camaraderie.
“I don’t think people realize how big China was for us,” Rivers said. “Going into that trip, we didn’t really know each other. I didn’t have good relationships with these guys. We were just guys that were supposed to play with each other. Now, we’ve all become close, hanging out with each other non-stop for two weeks.”
Given his extraordinary talent and NBA connections, it will only be a matter of time before people start asking if Rivers will be the next Duke guard to end up in the NBA lottery after just a one-year stay in Durham. For now, though, the youngster is focused on contributing in his inaugural campaign.
“I know if I win and play the way that I am capable of, [the NBA] will always be there,” Rivers said. “It’s not something that I can worry about. I just need to play basketball, play my game.”
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