CHARLOTTE, N.C.As Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers was explaining how his son, Duke freshman Austin Rivers, would make a decision about turning pro "soon," Rivers probably had no idea how right he would be.
Within minutes after Rivers' press conference prior to tonight's game against Charlotte, word quickly spread that his son Austin was in fact leaving Duke after one season and enter the NBA draft.
In a statement released by Duke, Austin Rivers indicated that he would be leaving the university and planned to sign with an agent.
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"Duke has prepared me for the challenges that are ahead both on and off the court," Rivers said in the statement issued by the school. "I have learned so much from the coaching staff and my teammates that will help me succeed at the next level."
With Austin's decision, Doc Rivers has to feel even better about the NBA lockout which allowed him to watch Austin play in what as it turned out, would be his only season in college.
"The lockout was great (for me)," Doc Rivers said. "I advised the commissioner (David Stern) that Christmas day should be the first day of every year as far as I'm concerned. For me, the fact that I could go to Hawaii and watch the Maui (Classic)it was perfect. As a parent, I was just lucky."