It has been a rough first two years in the NBA for New Orleans Pelicans’ guard Austin Rivers. He has struggled to find his shot and get meaningful playing time. However, Rivers believes he is ready for a breakout season.
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”I was constantly working the entire summer,” Rivers said via John Reid of NOLA.com and The New Orleans Times Picayune. ”I gained 10 pounds and I’ve got stronger in my upper body. This is my year.”
”But I think at the end of the day, I think we all now understand we can only control what we can control. At the end of the day, we let all of the guys in the front office do their jobs. We just stick to what we do. We play.”
Rivers believes his struggles were simply growing pains.
”The growing pains are over and I went through everything, so I’m ready to ball,” Rivers said. ”Our job is to be in the best shape we can be. We’re just preparing to work and not worrying about what anybody says.”
If Rivers can contribute, he could provide valuable depth and help give starting shooting guard Eric Gordon, who has an extensive injury history, some needed rest during the season.
Last season, Rivers went for 7.7 points, 2.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game while shooting 40.5% from the field, 36.4% from three and 63.6% from the free throw line. Rivers, the 10th-overall pick in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft, is now averaging 7.0 points, 2.2 assists and 1.8 rebounds per game while shooting 39.0% from the floor, 34.6% from the three and 60.1% from the foul line in his two-year career.
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