BOSTONAlthough the NBA draft today is a lot different than it was for Doc Rivers when he was coming out of Marquette, it is still a special occasion.
That's why Rivers will be in Newark, New Jersey -- and not Boston -- on Thursday night supporting his son Austin who is projected to be among the first players taken.
The 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Duke was among the handful of players invited to the Green Room at the Prudential Center, the soon-to-be former home of the New Jersey (and soon-to-be Brooklyn) Nets.
Most mock drafts have Rivers, the ACC freshman of the year in his lone season with the Blue Devils, among the top 10 players chosen.
And when Austin takes that stroll towards the podium to shake the hand of NBA commissioner David Stern, Doc Rivers, a former second-round pick in the 1983 NBA draft, will be there to witness it all.
"It'll be really cool; it'll be fun," said Doc Rivers, who added that he will turn around the following morning and head back to Boston where he anticipates there will be a press conference to introduce the two players he expects the C's to select with the No. 21 and No. 22 pick.
"Austin just wants to get it over with, so he can know where he's going and play."