HoopsHype.com Rumors

Adrian Wojnarowski: The top of New Orleans' wish list at No. 10 leads with Duke guard Austin Rivers, league sources tell Y! Twitter

New Orleans Hornets, Draft, Austin Rivers 

Gery Woelfel: I'm hearing Austin Rivers is a lock for New Orleans at 10 ...if Toronto at 9 doesn't take him. Twitter

New Orleans Hornets, Toronto Raptors, Draft, Austin Rivers 

Sources say Boston's push to move into the lottery is partly driven by a desire to land Duke's Austin Rivers, son of Cs coach Doc Rivers. Celtics have the No. 21 and No. 22 picks. Sulia

Boston Celtics, Draft, Doc Rivers, Austin Rivers 

Gery Woelfel: Kris Rivers, Austin's mother, would be delighted if Bucks took Austin. She's from Wauwatosa. Twitter

Milwaukee Bucks, Draft, Austin Rivers 

ESPN’s Chad Ford had doubts, but Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski called up Ford to defend Rivers. “He is an alpha dog. I think he will succeed in the NBA because of that,” Krzyzewski said. “He believes he’s going to be great. I’d rather have a guy like that than a guy who doesn’t believe in himself.” Valid point. It’s a question of can the hubris be reined in a little. Coach K thinks this is a coach’s son who will adapt to what is best for the team. Coach K called Rivers “very coachable.” “When Austin came to Duke, I told him that every player is like a house: The more skills you learn, the more windows you have on your house. When he came to Duke, he had one really big window. He was an amazing scorer. The goal was to add more windows to his game. He’s in that process right now. “I hope he gets a demanding coach at the next level who pushes him to keep adding to his game. That’s how he’ll become great. If he reverts back to just doing the thing he does well, his chances lessen that he’s a good player in the NBA.” NBCSports.com

Draft, Mike Krzyzewski, Austin Rivers 

Family has to take priority. It does for Doc Rivers, who is not going to be in the Celtics draft war room during the NBA Draft Thursday night, he’s going to be hanging with his lottery pick son Austin. That’s what Celtics GM Danny Ainge told the AP. “(Rivers is heading to New York with Austin,” general manager Danny Ainge said Wednesday, “which is where he should be…. “He’s in a happy place,” Ainge said at the team’s workout facility. “He’s loose and laid back and playing golf.” NBCSports.com

Boston Celtics, Draft, Doc Rivers, Austin Rivers 

Chris Broussard: Ignore talk of Austin Rivers having attitude problem. A top NBA coach said his interview with Rivers in Chicago was 1 of best he's ever had Twitter

Draft, Austin Rivers 

If the Warriors keep the pick, they are likely looking at three options: Syracuse shooting guard Dion Waiters, Weber State point guard Damian Lillard of Oakland or Connecticut center Andre Drummond. Waiters is no doubt high on the Warriors' list. The way his stock has risen, he likely won't fall outside of the top 10. But Golden State goes the shooting guard route, another name that could give them something to think about: Austin Rivers, a Duke freshman. San Jose Mercury-News

Golden State Warriors, Draft, Austin Rivers, Andre Drummond, Damian Lillard, Dion Waiters 

Aran Smith: We're hearing Bryan Colangelo and the Raptors are leaning towards Austin Rivers over Dion Waiters at 8. Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Draft, Bryan Colangelo, Austin Rivers, Dion Waiters 

Ryan Wolstat: Austin Rivers again spoke highly of Toronto, said he fits in with high tempo team but also wants to be defensive force and can be with Casey Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Draft, Austin Rivers 

Fred Kerber: Austin Rivers on focus advice from KG n Ray Allen: "Anybody can say it but when you hear it from guys like that you know it’s 100 % real" Twitter

Boston Celtics, Ray Allen, Draft, Kevin Garnett, Austin Rivers 

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers has been excused from the team's draft room this year so he can concentrate on more pressing matters. "He's heading to New York with Austin," general manager Danny Ainge said Wednesday, "which is where he should be." NBA.com

Boston Celtics, Draft, Doc Rivers, Danny Ainge, Austin Rivers 

Scott Howard-Cooper: Austin Rivers all over the board. Some teams see mid-lottery, others see mid-teens. A lot of disparity up that high. Twitter

Draft, Austin Rivers 

Tim Kawakami: NBA source said yesterday that it's possible Austin Rivers goes to Portland at 6 and likely Barnes goes to GSWs at 7 or to Toronto at 8. Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors, Draft, Austin Rivers 

Ohio State power forward Jared Sullinger told me Monday night he won’t be working out for the Bucks before the draft. A close friend of Duke guard Austin Rivers also told me Monday that Rivers won’t be coming to Milwaukee , either. Racine Journal-Times

Milwaukee Bucks, Draft, Jared Sullinger, Austin Rivers 

If they keep the pick, they really need help at center, point guard and small forward. Although Rivers doesn't fill any of those positions, I'm told the Hornets have been enamored with him. Tyler Zeller, Jeremy Lamb and Moe Harkless are other possibilities here. ESPN.com

New Orleans Hornets, Draft, Austin Rivers, Jeremy Lamb, Tyler Zeller, Moe Harkless 

However, Lamb went into Phoenix this weekend and toughed out a workout on the bad ankle. A source in Phoenix told me the Suns were impressed with his toughness and willingness to fight through the workout. His performance there could keep him in the lottery. If Lamb is gone, Terrence Ross, Dion Waiters and Austin Rivers are all possibilities here. So is Arnett Moultrie. ESPN.com

Phoenix Suns, Draft, Austin Rivers, Jeremy Lamb, Terrence Ross, Dion Waiters, Arnett Moultrie 

They would prefer to add an older, experienced player to a team that coach Rick Adelman deemed too young last season. But if they can't -- and if the stars align -- the next best thing could be a 19-year-old who has been around the NBA all of his life. "All the great players in the NBA feel they're there for a reason and they're better than everybody else," Rivers said. "You look at Kobe and those guys, they feel like they're better than the other guy. I've watched them my whole life, and I think that's where I get it from. You should feel like you're the best one out there, whether you are or not." Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Draft, Austin Rivers 

NBA scouts are asking themselves not just if Rivers has patterned his game after a league MVP and five-time NBA champion but whether, after just one college season, he might think he is Kobe Bryant. "That's the perception I get, people say I'm cocky," Rivers said. "I think all great players are cocky. You have to be. You just have to make sure it's a healthy ego. You don't want to have an arrogance that affects a team. That's not something I've ever had. "Every team I've played for, we've always had a confidence. I'm not saying it's because of me, but my ego and my confidence have always rubbed off on other people in a positive way. I feel we can do anything." Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Draft, Austin Rivers 

His father laughs when it's suggested that Austin Rivers' competitiveness and cockiness is a bad thing. "In a crazy way, I've actually heard people knock that, which blows my mind," said Doc Rivers, who played 13 NBA seasons and has been a head coach with Orlando and Boston for 12-plus seasons. "Why would you ever knock a guy who's competitive? I even heard he's cocky. I've yet to meet the un-cocky Dwyane Wade or the un-cocky LeBron [James] or the un-cocky Ray [Allen] or the un-cocky Paul [Pierce]. Those are the things that blow my mind when I hear negatives about him. "He's a competitive guy. He wants to win. He wants to be the best. That's what you want." Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Draft, Austin Rivers