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NBA DRAFTJune 28, 2012Austin RiversNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK Q. Austin, if you can start with some opening remarks about being drafted by the Hornets. AUSTIN RIVERS: This is an amazing opportunity just to be here and to get drafted to a great organization. Coach Monty Williams is a great coach. Anthony's coming. They have a great city. I'm looking forward to going there and working hard and helping out in the community and doing everything I can to help this organization win. Q. What did your father tell you in being able to prepare for this moment as now you're approaching this moment to get ready for the NBA? AUSTIN RIVERS: My dad, he was more relaxed. He just told me to relax, enjoy it, you're going to get picked somewhere. He told me when I played him, I'm not going to score, so that's basically what he told me. That's it. Q. They have an expression, if you love New Orleans, it will love you back; do you love New Orleans right now? AUSTIN RIVERS: I do love New Orleans. I love New Orleans more than anything right now. This is the greatest feeling in my life. Q. A year ago, you were on the cover of a basketball magazine with Anthony Davis; today, the two of you have been selected. How does it feel to be going to the Hornets and playing with him? AUSTIN RIVERS: It's amazing. Anthony is a great guy and obviously he's an unbelievable player. To get there and learn and go through this challenge we have ahead of us is pretty cool. We have been friends the past couple of years, so to be ready to take on this journey together is pretty cool, and I'm looking forward to it. Q. What did you and your dad say to each other there when you got picked? AUSTIN RIVERS: He just said, I'm so proud of you. He just said, "I love you, and you are ready." I'm here now and I just have to keep getting better, keep working, keep learning, and you know, take myself to New Orleans. Q. It's a bit of a rebuilding program going on in New Orleans. Is that something that you can look at as almost an opportunity that you're maybe going to get to play more than if you had gone someplace else? AUSTIN RIVERS: I just look at it as it's a great organization. I think that they have a lot of guys there that can play and I'm just going to go there and work for it and earn every minute I can and just try to do everything that I can to be the best teammate I can and go there and help that team out right away. I want to make a huge impact right away for the New Orleans Hornets. Q. Is it a relief not to have to play Boston that often, different division? AUSTIN RIVERS: No, I think that's even more fun, go against my dad, it's competitive; bragging rights in the house, little things like that. Listen, I want my dad to do the best, except when we play them. It's no pressure whether I play him or not. Q. What most are you looking forward to now that you're heading into the NBA? AUSTIN RIVERS: I mean, just getting to play. I mean, my whole life, it's almost been a tease.  I've been there firsthand but I've never actually been a player; to see how the players prepare themselves, how they live, what games are like, what big games are like. I've wanted it so bad and I just worked so hard and my family has helped me and God, and now I'm here and I'm just looking forward to getting there and playing basketball. Q. Austin, with your nickname "Sub Zero" I know you're looking forward to getting the ball in your hands. AUSTIN RIVERS: It's whatever Coach wants. I'm comfortable in those situations. I don't play to fail, I just play to win. Whether it's myself or Anthony or Gordon or whoever has the ball, I'm ready to help the team win and I'm just ready to play. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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