Austin Rivers may have stepped away from the NBA, but the former Duke Blue Devils standout is making it clear that his basketball ability has not disappeared.
The former lottery pick recently gave fans a glimpse of his competitive fire in a video shared on social media, showing off the scoring touch and confidence that helped him build a successful professional career. Rivers knocked down difficult step-back three-pointers, created separation from defenders and confidently talked trash to his opponents along the way.
At 34 years old, Rivers is no longer preparing for an NBA season or battling through an 82-game schedule. These days, he has transitioned into broadcasting with NBC Sports, bringing his experience and perspective from more than a decade in professional basketball to a different side of the game.
But judging by the latest footage, Rivers clearly has not lost the competitive edge that made him such an intriguing prospect coming out of Duke.
Rivers spent one season in Durham, playing for the Blue Devils during the 2011-12 campaign. He immediately became one of the team’s most important offensive weapons, averaging 15.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and one steal per game.
His ability to create his own shot was one of his defining characteristics at Duke. Rivers could attack the basket, knock down perimeter shots and operate with the confidence of a player who believed he could take over a game at any moment.
That confidence ultimately helped him become the No. 10 overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft.
Rivers went on to spend 11 seasons in the NBA, playing for seven different franchises. His longest tenure came with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he spent four seasons and developed into a reliable contributor in a competitive Western Conference environment.
Over the course of his NBA career, Rivers appeared in more than 700 games, an impressive accomplishment for a player who entered the league at just 19 years old.
While his career numbers may not tell the entire story, Rivers carved out a valuable role for himself by embracing the physicality and pressure that came with playing professional basketball. He competed against some of the greatest players of his generation and experienced the highs and challenges that come with life in the NBA.
His best statistical season came during his time with the Clippers, when he averaged roughly 15 points per game while contributing four assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals.
That version of Rivers showcased the offensive confidence that had been evident since his days at Duke.
Now, years removed from his NBA playing career, Rivers appears to still have plenty of that confidence.
The recent social-media video quickly caught the attention of basketball fans because it looked familiar. Rivers was creating space with his dribble, stepping backward into three-point attempts and knocking down shots while letting his opponents hear about it.
It was less about proving that he could return to the NBA and more about showing that the competitive mentality that defined his playing career is still very much alive.
For former players, maintaining that level of skill after retirement can be difficult. The NBA demands an extraordinary physical commitment, and once a player leaves the league, the daily training, travel and game schedule disappear.
Rivers, however, has remained around the sport.
His move into broadcasting has allowed him to stay connected to basketball while sharing insights from his experiences as a player. That perspective gives him a unique understanding of the modern NBA and the evolution of the game.
For Duke fans, seeing Rivers knock down shots and talk his usual trash is also a reminder of the talent he brought to Durham.
His lone season with the Blue Devils was brief, but it was memorable. Rivers entered college basketball as one of the most highly regarded prospects in the country and quickly demonstrated why NBA scouts viewed him as a future professional.
Although his Duke career lasted only one season, it served as an important launching point for what became a lengthy NBA journey.
More than a decade later, Rivers is now enjoying a different chapter of his basketball life.
He may be behind the microphone instead of on an NBA court, but the latest video suggests that if there is a basketball in his hands, the competitive side of Austin Rivers is never far away.
The step-back threes, the confidence and, perhaps most importantly, the trash talk all looked familiar.
Rivers has moved on from playing professional basketball, but he clearly hasn’t moved on from being a competitor.
