Much like Stephen Curry , Austin Rivers benefited from having an NBA veteran as a father. With Doc Rivers playing 13 years in the league, highlighted by his All-Star appearance in 1988, before transitioning to a successful coaching career that included winning an NBA title with the Boston Celtics in 2008, Austin was exposed to the NBA life at an early age.
From seeing what it took to not only survive but thrive in the big league to watching how elite players worked on their craft, Austin saw up close how things went in the pros and gained confidence from having this knowledge; confident enough to challenge experienced pros like Paul Pierce , Kendrick Perkins and even the Big Ticket, Kevin Garnett .
KG remembers the events of that day well, as it convinced him that Austin would one day make it to the NBA and be part of their esteemed brotherhood.
Austin was the big man on campus at Winter Park High School in Florida , averaging 28.0 points per game as a senior before playing at Duke University. Full of swag and audacity, he one day showed up at a Celtics practice and challenged several players in one-on-one games. After he dusted off Perk, 5-0, he set his eyes on taking down the best defensive player in the game at the time: KG.
"So, I came in there and he's playing guys to five. I think he mopped... I think he beat Perk 5-0. You know, king of the court. I had my shoelaces untied. I came in from the weight room and he rolled the ball. I said, 'What?' I looked at it, it hit my toes. I said, 'What?' He said, 'Check,'" Garnett recalled .
Realizing that Austin had drawn a line that he could not back away from, KG shared that he had to rein in his competitive drive. First off, this was his coach's son. Secondly, if he unleashed his inner dragon on this teenage hooper, he might cause irreparable damage to his morale and confidence. However, Austin was resilient and again asked Kevin to check the ball.
KG, though, had his laces untied and dropped to take care of those. Austin didn't care and drove to the hoop to slam the ball home. That's when things got real for the Big Ticket. Realizing that the young man wasn't there to play around, he flipped a switch and gave Austin a masterclass in dominance, winning the game 5-1.
"That's when the dragon came out. I just mopped him 5-1. He had so much swag that I was like, 'Man, do I spit fire on him?'" Garnett stated. "I tied up, and I went five straight. But I dapped him and said, 'Keep working on your game.' He was hot. Threw the ball. Doc threw him out. 'Get out. Go. Work on your game!'"
"That's when I knew, man. I knew right there he was going to be in our league in about two years," Ticket emphasized.
One must remember that the Garnett that Rivers faced was in his prime; a man so obsessed with winning that he eschewed his offense to become the best defender in the game. Yet, the young man was unfazed and dared to take him on one-on-one. True to form, the young Rivers eventually made it to the NBA as a first-round pick in 2012 and enjoyed an 11-year career.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Aug 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
