Austin Rivers Commits To Duke: Is He a Perfect Fit for the Blue Devils?

Austin Rivers, the son of Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers and the top-rated shooting guard in the 2011 recruiting class, has committed to Mike Krzyzewski and his Duke Blue Devils basketball program today.

Rivers, a 6'4", 190 lbs. prospect out of Winter Park High School in Florida, chose Duke over offers from Kansas and North Carolina.

Rivers, a one-time Florida commit, is the fourth prospect to commit to Duke this year. Krzyzewski also has verbals from centers Marshall Plumlee (North Carolina) and Tyler Adams (Mississippi) as well as forward Michael Gbinije (Virginia).

All are highly touted recruits but the star of the class is definitely Rivers. His commitment puts Duke in the running with Kentucky to finish with the top-ranked 2011 class.

Rivers cited Krzyzewski, the prestigious tradition of the program and the strong academic standing of the school as the reasons behind his decision.

Watching the Blue Devils celebrate a national championship victory this year probably didn’t hurt too much either.

Rivers is considered to be the best pure offensive player in this year’s class and his scoring ability should be something that Coach K exploits to the fullest extent throughout his career at Duke.

That’s not to say Rivers is without his faults though. Austin will have some improvements to make and some kinks to work out as a senior this year. He has to become a better defensive player but that will come with time and development.

As it stands now, Rivers looks to be a great fit for Duke. He’s the type of hard worker and fundamentally sound player that Coach K values and his offensive skill set should be a great asset to the Blue Devils.

Don’t be surprised if Austin Rivers turns out to be the next great Duke player that the country loves to hate.