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Ok guys we might as well discuss it

skysdad

skysdad

Devils Illustrated Hall of Famer
Mar 3, 2006
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for the simple reason he's a Dukie. What do you guys think about what's going on with Austin Rivers. Maybe it's been over my head but I didn't know he was one of the most disliked players in the NBA according to Austin Rivers. I felt last year that the reason JJ opted out was because he felt like the Clippers were grooming Rivers for the 2 position. JJ made a good decision but that doesn't answer why Rivers is having so much grief. I do know he was a little cocky at Duke but didn't ever hear of any major ego problems. I guess the reason I brought this up is because of the Houston incident. I just don't think Coach K ever let him get above the team but would Doc? Am I looking into something that isn'y really there. Austin hit one of the biggest baskets in the history of the Duke/unc rivalry and what a night it was. We are still posting photos of that shot and pics of the crowd. It broke the whole tar heel nation down that night. Any thoughts. OFC
 
skysdad said:
for the simple reason he's a Dukie. What do you guys think about what's going on with Austin Rivers. Maybe it's been over my head but I didn't know he was one of the most disliked players in the NBA according to Austin Rivers. I felt last year that the reason JJ opted out was because he felt like the Clippers were grooming Rivers for the 2 position. JJ made a good decision but that doesn't answer why Rivers is having so much grief. I do know he was a little cocky at Duke but didn't ever hear of any major ego problems. I guess the reason I brought this up is because of the Houston incident. I just don't think Coach K ever let him get above the team but would Doc? Am I looking into something that isn'y really there. Austin hit one of the biggest baskets in the history of the Duke/unc rivalry and what a night it was. We are still posting photos of that shot and pics of the crowd. It broke the whole tar heel nation down that night. Any thoughts. OFC
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He played for Duke so I will always like him. With that said, he came off as arrogant when he played for us and it has multiplied by 10 since he got in the NBA.
He was drafted by The Pelicans and looked like a massive bust until his daddy swooped him up to come play for the Clippers. He has gradually improved each year for the Clippers (he will never be as good as JJ Redick) but he did go from a bust to an average NBA player. His defense is actually really good too, he got votes last year for 2nd team All-Defense.
He is clearly one of the most hated players in the NBA. One reason pretty simple, he plays for his dad, I'm willing to bet a lot of guys don't respect that. Another reason is he runs his mouth like he is a superstar, but yet he is an average player. His confidence and swag was cool at Duke because he was the most talented player on the floor, but it's weird watching someone in the NBA act like they are the best player on the floor, when really they are the 5th best player on the floor.
 
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Austin is cocky. He was cocky in high school, in college at Duke and now in the NBA. He's not a bad guy, though.

I think there's a couple things can give off a certain impression about him. One I've already listed. The other is, as JWill put it, he plays for his dad. Many felt he got that opportunity because of Doc. And it's possible that's somewhat true. But to Austin's credit, he hasn't rested on those laurels. He's become a good NBA player. He's scoring mid-teens on a playoff-caliber roster.

Lastly, it can't be incredibly easy for him. And don't take that to mean me saying he's had a rough go of it....because that's not what I mean. He's reminded every night he suits by other players who he is and there's a perception that comes with it.
 
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I think all of the points above are valid and spot on. On the specific incident with Houston, I don't know exactly what he was saying, or why he was saying it, but if he was in the right, I really like the fact that he is an average NBA player, but willing to stick up for his team mates like he IS the star.
 
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I think he is cocky, and so is CP3 and so is Harder , and they all have a little whiny/overly dramatic flair to them. Mix that with a couple of tough guys, who may be fake tough...idk or care, and you had a rough situation. For me Rivers is probably one of my least favorite Duke players ever. I thought he was a little too ball hoggy for my taste, and I don't love the overly cocky guy, but that doesn't make him a bad player/person.
 
I think it was redick talking about Austin on the bill Simmons podcast. Bill asked him what he thought about Austin and what he was like. JJ said that Austin has progressed alot. He gave an example where he pretty much won a playoff game 5 for them, but that Austin is a guy that thinks he can do it every night. He's one of those guys that thinks he is the best. He went on comparing him to other players with that same mindset, but he did say that you definitely want confident guys like that on your team.

I thought the whole conversation was pretty funny and interesting...I wish I could remember the NBA comparisons that he gave but I can't.
 
I am not a fan of him. It probably isn't a popular opinion on him, but I never liked the vibe he appeared to have in his one year at Duke. He was talented, and that one great shot will always be remembered by Duke fans, but in my mind the 1st round Lehigh loss was worse. I thought he was a little too cocky for a freshman. There's players I miss, but he's not one of them.
 
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Austin, while he was cocky I think try’s to hard in the league to not show he plays for his father and that’s why he is in the league.

He did good backing up Chris Paul when injured for the clippers but some team mates were saying he has a score first mentality( I think that’s what Riddick was hitting on). The other night when the clippers and rockets got into it. Ariza was popping off at Rivers first. He just puts you in the mindset of well a spoiled kid who thinks he can do it all.
 
I think he needs the chance to prove himself without his father. I know he played somewhere else before, but he has gotten better and he was very young.

I don't hate Austin, but he is not even close to being one of my favorite Duke players.
 
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Here is my only personal experience with rivers. my one and only Duke game at Cameron was when he was there and we beat Va Tech in O.T.
I always thought he was kind of arrogant and cocky. Anyway, after the game, I got to go back to some hallway where the players were coming out of a room eating a sandwich and dressed in plain clothes. I got a pic made with Mason Plumlee and got several players autographs. When I got to Rivers, I was expecting some kind of attitude or to act like I was irritating him. He was nothing but yes sir, no sir to me....after that, I watched him walk outside and there were maybe 100 students waiting. He stood there for as long as I watched and signed autographs. That story doesn't really mean much, but just making the point that he was much more courteous and accommodating to me and the students than I would have expected.
 
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topps coach said:
What I don’t understand is Chris Pauls ability to avoid any criticism.He appears to be a doucebag of the highest order.He was an instigator the other night.Also he has done things that makes Grayson ‘s actions seem tame
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I have always like CP3 (full disclosure my dad is a WFU grad) and hes an NC guy who didn't go to some big time private basketball academy. But I guess I have only pulled for him due to those circumstances. When you watch him play he's an a-hole and there's no 2 ways about it. A very talented a-hole, but still...
 
Austin Rivers you say? When he was a Dukie I thought he was arrogant and cocky so therefore I never really cared for him.

When he hit the shot against that cheatin school, well I pretty much loved him and was proud he was a Dukie.
 
I think Austin personifies the standard image of a Duke player to all the Duke haters.

He’s not my favorite player and is actually pretty low on list. It’s not his attitude or cockiness. It’s not that he never drove to his left or tried to use his left hand. The reason why he is not one of my favorites is that he seemed to put himself above the team.

That said, the shot he took at the UNC game was priceless.
 
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For a guy who grew up well off and talented, he has had to invent reasons to be competitve. His whole standoffish persona is the only reason he’s any good. That said, his dad has kept him relevant long enough to make it. If he was just some guy, no way he’s still getting paid like this. I don’t hate him. I don’t like him. He doesn’t come to mind as a Duke great. He hit one awesome shot. Overall he shot 43% from the field and 66% from the FT stripe. He had more turnovers than assists and we were just OK that year.
 
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RanDEVILman said:
I have always like CP3 (full disclosure my dad is a WFU grad) and hes an NC guy who didn't go to some big time private basketball academy. But I guess I have only pulled for him due to those circumstances. When you watch him play he's an a-hole and there's no 2 ways about it. A very talented a-hole, but still...
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CP3 did everything the right way coming up thru high school and college. I think a lot of his attitude and toughness comes from being undersized and playing with older players. He grew a couple inches his last year or two of high school. I was fortunate enough to go to his jersey retirement ceremony and my wife and I got a picture with him. He has classy family
 
kingbluedevil said:
CP3 did everything the right way coming up thru high school and college. I think a lot of his attitude and toughness comes from being undersized and playing with older players. He grew a couple inches his last year or two of high school. I was fortunate enough to go to his jersey retirement ceremony and my wife and I got a picture with him. He has classy family
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Since when is hitting people in the nuts doing the right thing
 
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dukiejay said:
Austin is cocky. He was cocky in high school, in college at Duke and now in the NBA. He's not a bad guy, though.

I think there's a couple things can give off a certain impression about him. One I've already listed. The other is, as JWill put it, he plays for his dad. Many felt he got that opportunity because of Doc. And it's possible that's somewhat true. But to Austin's credit, he hasn't rested on those laurels. He's become a good NBA player. He's scoring mid-teens on a playoff-caliber roster.

Lastly, it can't be incredibly easy for him. And don't take that to mean me saying he's had a rough go of it....because that's not what I mean. He's reminded every night he suits by other players who he is and there's a perception that comes with it.
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I agree with this. Well said.

One thing I might add... I believe Austin would have benefited being on a different team. I remember one of my coaches in college always saying "you are, who you hang out with". As you stated, Austin was cocky in high school and in college... but practicing, traveling, and going into battle with the likes of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and Deandre Jordan, night after night, probably wasn't the best remedy to help curb some cocky tendencies. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin definitely start on my "all cocky" team. Deandre Jordan might be the sixth man.
 
Chris Paul and Blake were exchanging words then the rest of the rockets gots in on it. Austin was a name brought up last season on trade rumors but the clippers didn’t feel as if Paul would stay.
It’s kinda hard playing on your dads team and trying to show you belong in the NBA. I get people think he’s arrogant but I think he’s grown up a lot.
 
DukeDenver said:
For a guy who grew up well off and talented, he has had to invent reasons to be competitve. His whole standoffish persona is the only reason he’s any good. That said, his dad has kept him relevant long enough to make it. If he was just some guy, no way he’s still getting paid like this. I don’t hate him. I don’t like him. He doesn’t come to mind as a Duke great. He hit one awesome shot. Overall he shot 43% from the field and 66% from the FT stripe. He had more turnovers than assists and we were just OK that year.
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Disagree completely. I’m not sure I’ve ever disagreed with a post of yours more, DukeDenver.

Besides, the only reason we were, as you put it ‘ok’ that season, is because we had someone named Austin Rivers on the teams.
 
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I never liked him except for one fleeting moment in time.

I saw the attitude before he even got to Duke, then at Duke Coach had to put an assistant to sit beside him on the bench, remember?

He'll never be as good as he thinks he is.
 
dukiejay said:
Disagree completely. I’m not sure I’ve ever disagreed with a post of yours more, DukeDenver.

Besides, the only reason we were, as you put it ‘ok’ that season, is because we had someone named Austin Rivers on the teams.
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I don’t think Rivers is a very good player. He is a streaky one on one scorer and sub par on defense. He can’t set up others. He does get to the line often and is instant offense against great defensive teams.

Without Austin that season, we may not have made it to 27-7, but we might have been able to better set up guys like Mason, Miles, Kelly, Dawkins, and Curry. Freshmen Quinn and Thornton might have screwed that up though. Hard to say.
 
Without Austin, the 2011-12 season may have been a 10-seed or NIT team. Just saying.
 
Quavarius said:
Without Austin, the 2011-12 season may have been a 10-seed or NIT team. Just saying.
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Or without Austin we would have had better team chemistry and gone farther.

Doesn’t matter, it’s history — like his epic game winner. Almost feels like a Greek tragedy.
 
LTDukeFan said:
Or without Austin we would have had better team chemistry and gone farther.

Doesn’t matter, it’s history — like his epic game winner. Almost feels like a Greek tragedy.
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Well, K felt we needed Austin since he went after him when he re-opened his recruitment. I'm sure if K felt what he had returning was better, he would have saved that scholly.
 
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Chris Paul has punched or grabbed 3 other guys in the nuts since the Hodge incident. Then openly cries to the media about Doc and Austin when he was traded and expects Austin not to have anything to say? Great player but he's never won crap and is dirty as they come. Not sure why he's so respected.
 
dukiejay said:
Austin is cocky. He was cocky in high school, in college at Duke and now in the NBA. He's not a bad guy, though.

I think there's a couple things can give off a certain impression about him. One I've already listed. The other is, as JWill put it, he plays for his dad. Many felt he got that opportunity because of Doc. And it's possible that's somewhat true. But to Austin's credit, he hasn't rested on those laurels. He's become a good NBA player. He's scoring mid-teens on a playoff-caliber roster.

Lastly, it can't be incredibly easy for him. And don't take that to mean me saying he's had a rough go of it....because that's not what I mean. He's reminded every night he suits by other players who he is and there's a perception that comes with it.
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Completely agree here. The impression that his dad swooped in and saved his career is not only one that Austin will never shake but also is probably true. Having said that he has made the most of the opportunity. A lot of what he said in that article is true.
 
LTDukeFan said:
Or without Austin we would have had better team chemistry and gone farther.

Doesn’t matter, it’s history — like his epic game winner. Almost feels like a Greek tragedy.
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I get so pissed when i see Austin blamed for the team chemistry that year bc it’s simply not the case. Seth and Miles needed to be better leaders and instead they sulked about him being the best player, which he was.
 
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timo0402 said:
I get so pissed when i see Austin blamed for the team chemistry that year bc it’s simply not the case. Seth and Miles needed to be better leaders and instead they sulked about him being the best player, which he was.
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Difference of opinions.
 
skysdad said:
for the simple reason he's a Dukie. What do you guys think about what's going on with Austin Rivers. Maybe it's been over my head but I didn't know he was one of the most disliked players in the NBA according to Austin Rivers. I felt last year that the reason JJ opted out was because he felt like the Clippers were grooming Rivers for the 2 position. JJ made a good decision but that doesn't answer why Rivers is having so much grief. I do know he was a little cocky at Duke but didn't ever hear of any major ego problems. I guess the reason I brought this up is because of the Houston incident. I just don't think Coach K ever let him get above the team but would Doc? Am I looking into something that isn'y really there. Austin hit one of the biggest baskets in the history of the Duke/unc rivalry and what a night it was. We are still posting photos of that shot and pics of the crowd. It broke the whole tar heel nation down that night. Any thoughts. OFC
Click to expand...

He went to Duke but I don't like him. I've never felt he was a team player (even at Duke - he had some great games but still ...).

I also think that his dad favors him. He needs to be on another team, really. And, I think he's a bit of a brat. I've read a number of quotes from other players who don't like him (of course, no one likes Chris Paul either - he's a jerk as well, unfortunately).

He's simply a disappointment. Not in the same class as the majority of other Duke players.
 
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