Durham, NC – Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski announced Monday that freshman guard Austin Rivers will enter the 2012 NBA Draft with plans to hire an agent.
River follows fellow one-and-done guard Kyrie Irving, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, as the fourth Duke player to enter the draft after just one year of college basketball.
"Austin [Rivers] had a terrific year as a freshman and has put himself in a position to pursue his dream of being a great player in the NBA," said Krzyzewski. "He is an outstanding young man with an even more impressive family. We are in total support of Austin, his family and his decision. We look forward to watching him continue to develop and excel at the next level."
Rivers, the son of Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, led the Blue Devils in scoring this season with an average of 15.5 points per game, marking the first time a freshman led the team in scoring since Johnny Dawkins in 1983. He also averaged 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 34 games, all but one as a starter.
"I would like to thank the coaches, my teammates and the fans for helping make this past year at Duke so special," said Rivers. "Coach K and the rest of the staff really helped me develop and improve in all areas of the game. It was a difficult decision to leave Duke, but I am excited about chasing my dream of playing in the NBA."
Duke's season came to an abrupt end after a disappointing loss to Lehigh in the round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament.
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