Austin Rivers (photo. McDonald's All American Game)

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Austin walks across the polished hardwood court inside of Duke’s jam-packed Cameron Indoor Stadium on Oct. 15, 2010, to a deafening standing ovation only rivaled by the salute the Cameron Crazies gave Coach K ten minutes later. It’s Countdown to Craziness, Duke’s version of Midnight Madness, and just 15 days ago Austin officially became a part of one of the most hated teams in all of sports.

“That’s why Duke is the perfect place for Austin,” says Joseph. “You’re not indifferent about Duke. You love them or hate them. That’s how most people are with Austin.”

Adds Austin: “I love that. The whole stadium’s rooting against you and you go in there and kill them! Now they can’t say anything. Now they’re stuck.”

Austin was originally committed to Florida as a sophomore, then decommitted after his junior season. In the end, he picked Duke over North Carolina and Kansas.

“We talked it over and felt like he should go through the process because he didn’t do that before,” says Doc. “It was the one choice that he would get to make. After picking a college, you don’t really pick anything else.”

“When we took our first trip to Duke, I knew he’d be there,” adds Kristin. “Everything about that school is special. Everything.”

Austin took a special liking to the crazed coeds with near flawless SAT scores.

“The fans were a big reason I picked Duke,” says Austin. “I mean, think about it. The fans have your back no matter what, and at the same time they have their own swag. These are future doctors and lawyers and millionaires, and they’ll wait in tents for weeks to see you. It’s amazing. They make it home.”

Before he’s even matriculated, the popular question is how long he’ll stay “home.” Mock drafts already project Austin to be a top-five pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Good luck finding any sane player in the world that would pass that up.

“It’s not a definite that I’m leaving after one year,” says Austin. “I’m not even focusing on that. Make no mistake about it; I plan to win a national title at Duke. And that takes even more drive.”

Adds Doc: “I tell Austin all the time, ‘Right now, all you are is a really good high school basketball player.”

And so it’s fitting that he’s got his self-made slogan, “M.O.A.M.” (Man On A Mission) – a slogan he’s in the process of copyrighting – tatted on his left wrist. The part that gets lost is that the mission is bigger than basketball. It’s one that resonates with the masses.

“I’m setting out to accomplish major things,” says Austin. “In basketball, in life, in everything that I do, I want to get better and better. So when I say I’m on a mission, it encompasses a lot. The mission is something everyone can relate to. The mission starts everyday.”

And now it can’t be misunderstood.

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