NBA Draft 2012: 6 Pro Players to Compare to Duke's Austin Rivers

Every once in a while a player comes along and makes you think back to a time and place where everything was good in sports.

A time when fundamentals meant something, where a bounce pass and defense went a long way toward building a championship. A time when players stayed in school and we knew teams for their colors as much as their players.

That isn't what college and professional basketball is about anymore.

But with the crowning of a new NCAA Champion tonight, college players will soon have their futures on their minds and what will happen once June and July roll around. How many of the stars we saw on the courts in the NCAA Tournament will call the NBA home next season, and more importantly, what about Austin Rivers?

The son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers is the most talked about "potential" NBA star coming out, more so than Anthony Davis. And his game is so smooth it could be impactful as a rookie.

When you look at Rivers (6'4" and 200 pounds), you see a player who came off the bench for Coach K and the Duke Blue Devils. He was instant offense and you wonder how that translates to the pro game.

Who does Rivers remind you of on the court? Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of today's NBA, but here are a few former NBA stars who Rivers could pattern his game after.

Jeff Hornacek

While John Stockton and Karl Malone delivered night after night, there were other members of the supporting cast that helped out with the Utah Jazz.

Jeff Hornacek was so underrated as a ballplayer and an outside shooter.

The shooting guard looked effortless when he let the ball go, a better variation of Craig Ehlo.

Hornacek was also money with the game on the line. He knocked down more than a few game-winning shots.

Vinnie Johnson

The "Microwave" was instant offense for the Detroit Pistons.

If the team was behind and they needed a quick outside jump shot, they called on Johnson. He was known for his instant offense, but he was much more than that as a sideline cheerleader in the mold of M.L. Carr.

But Johnson had better game and the jump shot that could be felt from any range. And as a member of the "Bad Boys" he never got the respect he deserved as a great shooter.

Dell Curry

The three-point specialist.

Curry was an outside scoring machine.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Curry was called on to do what he did best. The jump shot was invented for him.

Today, his son, Stephen Curry, is lighting it up in the NBA as well.

Curry was never an NBA Champion, but plenty of  fans knew who he was and how great of a shooter he was as well.

Doc Rivers

You knew at some point he would be compared to his father, Glenn "Doc" Rivers.

Rivers was a second-round pick of the Hawks and was a great defender and 2-guard in the league. He had a nice stroke from the outside and played some tenacious defense.

Can the younger Rivers live up to his dad's play and eventually exceed it? He is such a great outside shooter that the Celtics would be hard-pressed to pass on him if he were available when their pick comes.

He would also look good in Knicks blue.

Andrew Toney

This is a little bit from "way downtown."

Toney was a 2-guard on the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers' championship team.

He was also a scorer and the third option in the offense that featured Dr. J, Moses Malone and some guy named Mo Cheeks.

Toney could hit the bottom of the basket from the outside and was a decent three-point shooter.

Reggie Miller

If you are looking for a pure scorer and outside shooter, then Reggie Miller is the one to look to.

He was perfection at the free-throw line and could score from three-point land with ease.

He was an assassin for the Pacers whenever they played the Knicks.

Miller was a bit taller and lankier and looked to blow away if taken off the dribble while playing defense.

One of the best jump shooters of all time.