NBC Sports is enhancing its basketball coverage with a notable addition. After concluding an 11-year NBA career in 2023, Austin Rivers will now take on the role of game analyst for NBC Sports’ college basketball broadcasts. He is set to call his first game on Tuesday for the Indiana-Michigan State matchup at 9 p.m. ET, exclusively on Peacock, with Paul Burmeister as the play-by-play announcer.
Austin Rivers, son of Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers, signed a deal with ESPN right after his playing career, aiming to become an NBA studio analyst. However, he has not yet appeared on the network this season, making Tuesday his debut as a game analyst. Rivers began his journey as a standout player at Duke, receiving first-team All-ACC honors during his freshman year before entering the NBA Draft, where he was selected tenth overall by the New Orleans Hornets, later playing for teams like the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets.
A true NBA journeyman, Austin Rivers has leveraged his extensive league experience to host the Off Guard with Austin Rivers podcast for The Ringer. With NBC slated to begin its NBA coverage next season, Rivers could potentially serve as a valuable asset for the network, mirroring the versatility he displayed throughout his NBA career. His insights unveiled through the podcast may well serve as a foundation for his future aspirations in NBA broadcasting.
