New York Post, Thursday, December 3, 2020
nypost.com
By MARC BERMANWelcometotheAustin Rivers Mono-
logues,comingvery soontoBroadway.
The Knicks’ newcomboguardon
Wednesdaytookoff ona 16-minute
spiel—muchofitcentering onwhy
playersshould be strivingto comeplay
inNewYork for the Knicks.
The 28-year-old said he’s beenmys-
tifiedwhy this hasn’t been the case in
recentyears. Doc Rivers’ loquacious
sonsaid heplanstochange that nega-
tivevibe around the Knicks,saying
hewantstomake the franchise “great
again.’’
Rivers, aformerPelicans lottery
pick, signeda three-year, $10 million
deal, but only thefirst year isguaran-
teed.Heis hoping he’s partofthe long-
term solution.
“We’recaught in an era where every-
one likes ridinga wave,’’ Rivers said
over Zoom. “Peoplewanttogoto
places that are alreadyon the rise and
goingtofranchises that are already
doingreally well. And people have
lost interest ingoing somewhere and
making somethinggreat again.I don’t
understand someone notwantingto
playfor acitylike NewYork. Ijust
don’tget that.I don’t understand that.”
Rivershad several options, including
the Sixers, who are nowcoachedbyhis
father. Riversplayed for Doc once with
theClippers andwasn’tkeen ondoing
it again. But thisplace stood out,play-
ingfor hisfather’s formertop assistant
inBoston,TomThibodeau.
“The opportunity was obvious,’’ Riv-
ers said. “Ina city that isregarded as
the meccaofbasketball with thefans
they have,why not trytobepartof
something special? Everything right
nowis headed in the right direction—
from the hiringofthecoach,tohiring
ofmanagement and assistantcoaches
and the picks theydrafted.We’re
buildingtobepartofsomething is spe-
cial.”
After being with theRockets the last
two seasons, Riverswanted something
vastly different.
“It’seasytogosome-
where where everything
alreadyis set up andthey’ve beentotheplayoffsfour, five
years ina row,’’ Rivers said. “I’ve been
on thoseteams.Those are great expe-
riences. But Iwanttotakethoseexpe-
riences and lessons and help thisteam
and this organiz at ion as many waysas
possible.Thatera ofpeople notwant-
ingto come here,our job istochange
that.Wehavetomake thatattractive.
Andwewill.Wehaveeverything else.
Wehavethe city ofNewYorkand the
bestfans inbasketball.Youplayin
Madison Square Gardenevery night.
You havethe style ofliving.You got all
that.It’s our job asplayers—the man-
agementcould onlydo so much. So
it’s exciting.I wantedtobea partofit.
Why not?’’
Rivers, who plays point and shooting
guard,said he’snot sure he will start,
but hewantstobea leader after finally
beinga team’s elder statesmen.
“My role isgoingtobetohelp the
team win,’’ Rivers said. “If they start
me,great. If they don’t I’m stillgoing
tobe in there competingevery night.
Regardless,for me it’s never beenabout starting thegame.It’s been about
finishing thegame.”
The Knicks’talentedyoung lottery
picksofthepasttwo drafts, ObiTop-
pin andRJBarrett,could help sell the
franchisetofree agents down theroad.
“Ifyou’rea real hooper, if you really
like playing on the biggest stage, this is
it,’ ’ hesaid.
And winning will help therecruit-
ment,too.
“It’s got tobe,’ ’ Rivers said. “That’s
why we’re here.It’sgot tobe about
competing. Are wesayingwe’re going
towina championship thisyear? I
don’t know.But wehaveto continue
tobuild in the right direction.We
don’t havefour orfiveAll-Starson
thisteam,wedon’t havesuperstars on
thisteam. But wehavetalentedyoung
playersandyou never knowwhatcan
become on thisteam....Sowegot to
make thisattractive. Wegot to com-
pete,that’s the biggest thing, that’s got
tobe ourNo. 1advantage —wegot to
playharder thaneverybody.’’
[email protected]RIVERS OF
DREAMS
Guard hopes to make New York
a free-agent destination again
“People want to go to places that are already on
the rise and going to franchises that are already
doing really well. And people have lost interest
in going somewhere and making something
great again. I don’t understand someone not
wanting to play for a city like New York.”
— New Knicks guard Austin Rivers
Getty Images; N.Y. Knicks