Austin James Rivers was born August 1, 1992, in Santa Monica, California. His father, Glenn Anton Rivers — known to the world as Doc — was finishing his thirteenth NBA season as a steady, defensive-minded point guard. His mother, Kristen Campion Rivers, had spent those thirteen years building a family while her husband built a career. Austin was named after Austin Carr, the former Cleveland Cavaliers guard. His middle name, James, honored his great-uncle Jim Brewer, who had played nine NBA seasons. In the Rivers household, basketball was the family business, the dinner-table language, the thing that determined where you lived and how often you saw your father.
Austin was the third of four children. His older brother Jeremiah played basketball at Georgetown and Indiana. His older sister Callie played volleyball at the University of Florida and would marry Seth Curry — Austin’s Duke teammate, Dell Curry’s son, Steph Curry’s brother. His younger brother Spencer played at UC Irvine. Every Rivers child was an athlete.
In 1999, when Austin was seven, Doc was hired as head coach of the Orlando Magic. The family moved to Winter Park, Florida. Austin began playing youth basketball and immediately confronted the weight that would follow him forever: his last name. He regarded himself as one of the worst players on one of his early teams. Outsiders agreed. The taunts came fast: you’re only there because of your dad. Austin would later admit: it was almost true.
Then Doc took the Celtics job. Austin was still in Orlando. His father was in Boston. They connected through phone calls about basketball. Doc didn’t know who Austin was dating or what trouble he got into. The relationship was built almost entirely on the game. Austin reflected on this without bitterness: he loved basketball so much, and so did his father, that it became the bridge between them.
His mother Kris learned to let insults roll off her back at Austin’s games. People said ugly things — nepotism, not that good, only on the court because of his last name. Kris absorbed it. Austin, when young, couldn’t. The taunts tormented him. They also fueled him.
At Winter Park High School, Austin silenced the doubters. Back-to-back Florida 6A state championships in 2010 and 2011 — the school’s first titles. Senior year: 25 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals in the title game. 2011 Naismith Prep Player of the Year. McDonald’s All-American. Florida Mr. Basketball. Nike Hoop Summit. Rivals.com’s #1 recruit in the 2011 class. He committed to Duke in September 2010. The kid who was only there because of his dad was the best high school player in America.