Friday, March 4th, 2011 at 10:30 am  |  72 responses

Austin Rivers: ‘I Want to Destroy [LeBron] on the Court One Day’

Doc Rivers’ kid doesn’t lack in confidence, to say the least, and plans on following in his father’s footsteps of getting in the way of LeBron James and others once he makes it to the NBA. The Sporting News reports: “Q: ‘You’re rated one of the best players in the nation—but you routinely rub elbows with the best players in the world. Which players are you most in awe of?’ A: ‘Well, I’ve met Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen—you name it. A lot of people ask me who I’ve met through my dad, and they’re in awe when they hear the names of the players, but I’ve never looked at it like that. It’s cool meeting all of them, but I really want to be in their situation one day. I don’t want to just meet LeBron, I want to destroy him on the court one day.’”

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  • James

    Says the 115 pounder.

  • Jahi

    Hey, you have to visualize anything before you accomplish it. I have no doubt that Rivers will live to eat those words the day he is posterized by LeBron on a Nike poster. With that said, you have to respect the pup’s confidence, but heading to Duke? Now, that is an entirely different story…..

  • Knowsitall

    LOL!!!!! @James… He’s good, but not great. I don’t see him being tough on the pro level. To me, he seems like a kid with a Pro game playing on the high school level. He hasn’t really been mentally tested yet. He hasn’t really been humbled by greatness yet. It might not happen until he hits the League. I’ll make my assessment about this kid then.

  • http://www.facebook.com/tolo64 rayray

    hmmm… nope can’t see this happening

  • http://www.nba.com/celtics lightsout

    awww how cute. he wants to be just like the players his daddy coaches.

  • Bravo

    lmao lebron is a big dude. u will never b able

  • Sizzle

    Austin Rivers is overrated. He is going to Duke where good H.S. players go to learn the non-nba game and fade into obscurity come draft day. If he stays longer than a year, he will likely learn the “game according to Coack K” which isn’t necessarily bad for a ball player, just bad for anyone who has hopes of being a bonafide NBA superstar….

    By the way Austin, the only thing you might destroy of LeBron’s would be his Versace luggage bag when you are pulling rookie duty your first NBA season.

    HOLLA

  • Darkside

    OK guys give the younging a C for Confidence and Crazy as hell if he thinks he can stand up to LB

  • marc

    he’s still in high school which means hes only 17 or 18. Obviously hes going to improve and put muscle on. He aint going to destroy lebron physically but who knows he might score 30 on him. There is no need to rag on him for saying he wants to play against these guys. lebron is just an example

  • Tommie

    Every year in the world people say this and that won’t happen I say go for it Austin Rivers prove all the doubters wrong and bring your A game in the process

  • http://SLAMonline.com GotHandles?

    confident young fella.

  • http://juan.garcia@computershare.com LeKingsMan

    Maybe never destroy him but if he keeps the score close… I like his odds…

  • Benn0

    he’ll probably win a ring before lequeen one day!!!

  • martey

    Beat it kid

  • Jason

    To the guy that said that by going to Duke will kill his NBA game….You’re an idiot. Currently, Duke has 13 players in the NBA. Thats the second most from any school. Duke players have long NBA careers because they know how to play the game.

  • http://juan.garcia@computershare.com LeKingsMan

    Miami has already won 7 championships and held the celebration in advance. So whether or not they win an actual championship is irrelevant. Miami celebrated its championship in advance and other teams or bitter fans can’t take that away from them. I can still picture Bosh screaming in joy as he won his 7th championship and there was LeBron, knowing to play it cool and act like he’s won championships before.

    And if there is any doubt about who the greatest champion is, just consider:

    LeBron – 7 championships
    Jordan – 6
    Kobe – 5

    In the modern era, is there a bigger champion than LeBron?

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6-za7Hb6NM SMK73

    If he ever does it, we’ll never know about it because Nike will destroy all the footage.

  • Thomas

    Sizzle, you are hugely mistaken and ignorant with your comments. Austin Rivers is overrated just like Kyrie Irving was huh?

    Actually, Duke’s alumni make more money in the NBA than any other school’s alumni. FACT.

    Why do you think they chose Coach K to coach the Olympic team, which is made up of NBA players? Because he is one of the greatest coaches in history and he knows how to motivate people.

    People like LeBron and Kobe would not share your views on Coach K and for good reason. He got egotistical NBA players to come together and win a gold medal for this country.

    So yes, Coach K knows what it takes to coach and motivate NBA players to excel at the highest level. Coach K has plenty of NBA connections and prepares his players not only to play in the NBA, but to be able to understand the business aspect of it. Hence, the high graduation rates.

    Leave you opinion at home and bring the facts next time.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Jahmai

    Maybe he just doing some math in his head. This kid is what, 18? When he’s in his prime 27, Bron will be 35 and Austin will go after him hard. :P

  • http://nobulljive.com/ Enigmatic

    @Jason – try reading a little sometime.
    Sizzle didn’t say Duke players don’t go on to the NBA.
    He says they struggle when they get there. Which is not always the case but can be true at times.
    Besides Christian Laettner, Danny Ferry, Bobby Hurley, Trajan Langdon and a few other Duke superstars who went on to become busts in the NBA, if we look at today’s NBA landscape, there are plenty of solid former Duke players, but also others who either have struggled or are struggling.
    Like Shelden Williams, Shavlik Randolph, JJ Redick (struggled at first), Josh McRoberts (ditto), Mike Dunleavy, I could go on…

  • slamfan4life

    lmao rivers u dumb as helllll

  • http://nobulljive.com/ Enigmatic

    @Thomas – As far as Duke’s alumni making more money than other schools’ alumni, I could see that, but then again…
    Elton Brand – grossly overpaid
    Corey Maggette – overpaid
    Mike Dunleavy – grossly overpaid
    Loul Deng – I love the guy, but he’s overpaid
    carlos Boozer- probably overpaid for being so injury-prone
    JJ Redick – overpaid

  • http://nobulljive.com/ Enigmatic

    Anyways, as for the actual article itself, Austin Rivers had tremendous talent, and I love his confidence for saying this.
    I’ve heard it said over and over by some of the best basketball players in the world, but if you don’t think you’re the best or capable of being the best, why even play?

  • http://nobulljive.com/ Enigmatic

    * has, not had.

  • http://slamonline.com The Black Rick Kamla

    gettin a little big for his britches. Kids got talent no doubt, but I’m not even certain he’s the best player in his class…

  • Incubo

    I hope when he is done at duke he comes in as a free agent so his father can sign him to relace Ray Allen.

  • Sizzle

    @Thomas you didn’t even read my statement clearly. You fail to note that Kyrie Irving is NOT in the NBA yet, much less a Bonafide superstar in the league. Number 2 you also fail to note that in my comment I mentioned IF he stays more than a year at Duke. I am not trying to take anything away from Duke, I am just pointing out that lets say if Rivers plays for someone like a Coach Cal (probably illegally) he might be more prepared for the NBA game. Especially given his lineage for successful guards. The only ignorance I see is the failure to read an entire post, and to generalize my thoughts as Duke Bashing.

  • Sizzle

    The other comment about Duke players making more money doesn’t prove anything talent wise. A vast majority of NBA players are overpaid, and the above poster does a pretty good job of establishing how overpaid some recent Dukies are.

  • robb

    We already have Melo for that, thank you very much.

  • Jer Boi

    That’s my boy

  • http://nobulljive.com/ Enigmatic

    And that’s without even mentioning Grant Hill getting paid $90 million to play in 200 regular season games out of a possible 492 at Orlando.

  • http://www.twitter.com/dfrance21 dfrance21

    The thing with Duke is that they don’t really recruit super athletic kids. They recruit solid, fundamentally sound basketball players which is what wins more often than not in college. Unfortunately, the NBA is an athletes game, so dudes like Laettner and Reddick and Battier cannot become superstars. However they can hang around and be solid role players and make money for years. So while the numbers say they have the most NBA players and they make the most money, it speaks NOTHING to the talent level of Duke players in the NBA.

    Anyway, I have no problem with what Austin said. He said he WANTS to destroy Lebron ONE day. Not He’s GOING to destroy Lebron TODAY. Cut him some slack.

  • Sizzle

    @dfrance21 – Very on point. Even if they do recruit a super athletic talented player, I would argue that the transition to the NBA game would be rough because of the style of play. I know every college kid’s transition the NBA is anything but easy, but I look at guys like Corey Maggette, Elton Brand, and even Grant Hill. I would argue that if they want to a school where they could be more “selfish” they would be better NBA Players. Again, I am not trying to take anything away from Duke or Bash the program (it is the cream of the crop in college ball). I just feel certain players situations would be better if they avoided playing at Duke for an extended period of time.

  • Sizzle

    To boot – I have no problem with what he said, although to some it may come off as arrogant, I understand what he means. In all honesty though, minus a ridiculous growth spurt and some serious muscle I don’t ever see him “destroying” Lebron James.

  • dsleepy

    gotta love the attitude. hope he follows through with that one day. Kobe would’ve gone to Duke, I gotta believe, if he hadn’t jumped straight to pro. Elton Brand, Luol Deng, Laettner was an all-star…some pretty decent players. Grant Hill (pre-injuries) was the lone superstar in “recent” history, maybe jay williams if not for the motorcycle.

  • toinefan88

    Lebron can’t dee Austin. He’s too quick.

  • Foxx

    He needs to sit his young ass down

  • Alex

    Wow!! y’all giving the kid crap for not wanting to settle? Dude just simply said that he wants to be where those superstars are at. What would y’all have said? um…no Lebron’s too big and I’m way too scared to even take the court with him. C’mon now…we all know that Dude’s years and years away from even being mentioned in the same sentence as LBJ but give him some credit for having ambition.

  • Stillballin

    Yah right… U still need to eat alot of rice..skinny..

  • http://www.slamonline.com c_cantrell

    hell i love this kids confidence! why yal hatin? he will get closer than any of us lol

  • http://facebook.com/tronjohnson Chief

    @lekingsman
    You must be out your godddamn mind talking aobut chips like they got some. Dreams don’t make it a reality.

  • Sizzle

    @Alex – he wasn’t asked if he could take any superstars down but asked if he was in awe of them (through meeting them through his dad). He then VOLUNTEERED the statement on his OWN ACCORD

  • bradley

    duke does not produce good NBA players anyone who knows anything about basketball knows this. Duke dosent get pro players ready for the NBA. i can go on and on JOSH MCROBERTS, trajan langdon, shelden williams, jj reddick, william avery, latner, mike d, the list goes on and on. How many have actually lived up to their hype out of college, Carlos Boozer and Grant Hill. Austin Rivers is picking the wrong school and when will he ever destroy lebron? its like chris paul saying hes gnna shut down kobe the matchup just will never happen

  • C.B

    lol how funny would it be if he gets drafted by mmiami

  • http://www.slamonline.com c_cantrell

    duke actually does usually produce solid role players.. irving will be much more than a solid role player i believe, smith will also be a very solid player in my opinion.. now klye singler will be your average rarely servicable bench warmer.. anyone disagree?

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    I always wanted to Dunk on Michael Jordan….never even got a dunk

  • ClydeSays

    The kids’ good & I like his confidence, but come on. What is he, 6’4″ 165pds? LBJ will mop the floor with him.

  • ai come back

    how many of u guys are 6 4 and 189 and mostly muscle?

  • Luiyo

    UNC produce better NBA players!

  • spursnation

    Sorry Blue Devil, but Dukeys are all garbage in the NBA, so good luck with that. Should have gone to UNC where your career would have experienced a J-Curve. What a pansy.

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