Digest

Austin Rivers, son of NBA coach Doc Rivers, shares his unique perspective on life as a basketball player growing up in a family deeply entrenched in the sport. He recounts his childhood marked by constant relocation due to his father's coaching career, attending nine elementary schools by the age of eight. He reflects on the impact of his father's coaching career on his own life, particularly the decision to stay in Orlando while Doc took the Boston job. Austin then delves into his experience playing for Coach K at Duke, highlighting the demanding coaching style and the tough environment. He reveals how Coach K's tough love helped him improve his game and develop a stronger work ethic. He compares the pressure he faced playing with his father to the pressure LeBron James faces playing for the Lakers, acknowledging the immense media scrutiny and expectations surrounding LeBron. Austin explains his decision to play for his father on the Clippers, highlighting the lack of a suitable backup point guard at the time. He shares his initial hesitation about playing for his father but ultimately recognized the opportunity for growth and improvement. He discusses his NBA draft experience, revealing his initial disappointment at being drafted by the New Orleans Hornets. He shares his ideal draft destinations, highlighting the team dynamics that would have been beneficial for his career. Austin recounts a game where he suffered a fracture in his orbital bone and received 17 stitches around his eye. Despite the injury, he played the rest of the game, showcasing his toughness and determination. He shares a humorous anecdote about participating in a bowling tournament at a charity event hosted by Chris Paul, revealing his lack of bowling skills and how he ended up in the tournament despite not knowing it would be televised. Finally, Austin discusses his upbringing in California and his preference for West Coast hip-hop artists like Kendrick Lamar. He explains his connection to the genre and how it resonates with his experiences growing up in Los Angeles. He shares his perspective on the greatest basketball player of all time, acknowledging the generational differences in opinions. He expresses his admiration for Michael Jordan, highlighting his influence and impact on his own playing style.

Outlines

00:00:27

Growing Up with Doc Rivers

Austin Rivers discusses his childhood growing up with Doc Rivers, including the constant moving due to his father's NBA career. He shares his experience of attending nine elementary schools by the age of eight and the challenges of adjusting to new environments.

00:00:50

The Impact of Doc Rivers' Coaching Career on Austin's Life

Austin reflects on the impact of his father's coaching career on his life, particularly the decision to stay in Orlando while Doc took the Boston job. He explains the family's desire to remain settled and the challenges of uprooting their lives.

00:01:19

Austin's Experience at Duke and Coach K's Influence

Austin shares his experience playing for Coach K at Duke, highlighting the tough environment and Coach K's demanding coaching style. He reveals how Coach K's tough love helped him improve his game and develop a stronger work ethic.

00:01:35

The Pressure of Playing in the NBA

Austin compares the pressure he faced playing with his father to the pressure LeBron James faces playing for the Lakers. He acknowledges the immense media scrutiny and expectations surrounding LeBron and the Lakers, making it difficult to focus solely on the game.

00:01:41

Austin's Decision to Play for Doc Rivers on the Clippers

Austin explains his decision to play for his father on the Clippers, highlighting the lack of a suitable backup point guard at the time. He shares his initial hesitation about playing for his father but ultimately recognized the opportunity for growth and improvement.

00:28:41

Austin Rivers' NBA Draft Experience and Career

Austin Rivers discusses his NBA draft experience, revealing his initial disappointment at being drafted by the New Orleans Hornets. He shares his ideal draft destinations, highlighting the team dynamics that would have been beneficial for his career. He also reflects on his time with the Hornets and his experiences playing through injuries.

00:45:32

Austin Rivers' Personal Life and Perspective

Austin Rivers discusses his upbringing in California and his preference for West Coast hip-hop artists like Kendrick Lamar. He explains his connection to the genre and how it resonates with his experiences growing up in Los Angeles. He shares his perspective on the greatest basketball player of all time, acknowledging the generational differences in opinions. He expresses his admiration for Michael Jordan, highlighting his influence and impact on his own playing style.

Keywords

Q&A

• What was it like growing up with Doc Rivers as your father, especially with his constant moving due to his NBA career?

  Austin describes a childhood filled with constant relocation, attending nine elementary schools by the age of eight. He highlights the challenges of adjusting to new environments and the impact on his education and social life.

• How did Doc Rivers' coaching career influence your life, particularly the decision to stay in Orlando while he took the Boston job?

  Austin explains that the family decided to stay in Orlando for stability and to avoid disrupting their lives. He acknowledges the challenges of uprooting their lives and the importance of maintaining a sense of normalcy.

• What was your experience playing for Coach K at Duke, and what was the biggest lesson you learned from him?

  Austin describes Coach K's demanding coaching style and the tough environment at Duke. He reveals how Coach K's tough love helped him improve his game and develop a stronger work ethic, teaching him that he was not as good as he thought he was.

• How does the pressure of playing with LeBron James compare to the pressure you faced playing with your father?

  Austin acknowledges the immense media scrutiny and expectations surrounding LeBron and the Lakers, making it difficult to focus solely on the game. He compares this pressure to the pressure he faced playing with his father, but emphasizes the different levels of media attention and public scrutiny.

• What was your thought process behind playing for Doc Rivers on the Clippers, and how did you handle the unique dynamic of playing for your father?

  Austin explains that he initially hesitated about playing for his father but ultimately recognized the opportunity for growth and improvement. He shares his initial nervousness about the situation but ultimately embraced the challenge and the opportunity to learn from his father.

• What was Austin Rivers' initial reaction to being drafted by the New Orleans Hornets?

  Austin Rivers was initially disappointed to be drafted by the New Orleans Hornets, as he felt it wasn't the best fit for his playing style and the team was struggling at the time.

• What was the significance of Austin Rivers being drafted in the same year as Anthony Davis?

  Being drafted in the same year as Anthony Davis was a significant event for Austin Rivers, as it marked the potential of that draft class. However, he wished he had been drafted by a different team due to the Hornets' struggles.

• What happened to Austin Rivers during a game that led to a significant injury?

  Austin Rivers suffered a fracture in his orbital bone and received 17 stitches around his eye after being elbowed in the face during a game. Despite the injury, he played the rest of the game.

• Who does Austin Rivers consider the greatest basketball player of all time and why?

  Austin Rivers admires Michael Jordan and considers him the greatest basketball player of all time. He highlights Jordan's influence on his own playing style and the impact he had on the sport.

Show Notes