career National Basketball Association Rivers was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round (25th overall) of the 1988 NBA draft, after the player they were targeting (Brian Shaw), was selected one choice before. As a rookie he played in 47 regular season games, averaging 2.9 points and 2.3 assists per game, and 6 playoff games, averaging 2.5 points and 1 assist per game. The team eventually lost in the NBA Finals against the Detroit Pistons. Rivers was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1989 NBA expansion draft. He was released before the start of the regular season on November 2. On November 14, 1989, he signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Clippers. He played in 53 games (11 of them as a starter), averaging 4.2 points and 3 assists per contest. He wasn't re-signed after the season. On September 18, 1990, he signed as a free agent with the San Antonio Spurs. He was released on October 19. In 1990, he signed with the Tulsa Fast Breakers of the Continental Basketball Association. In December, he was placed in the injured reserve list with a sprained ankle. On July 12, 1991, he was traded to the La Crosse Catbirds of the Continental Basketball Association, playing under coach Flip Saunders. On November 23, he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, playing in 15 games before being released. On January 7, 1992, he was released by the Los Angeles Clippers. He returned to La Crosse and later was called up by Los Angeles Clippers, where he played 15 games of the 1991–1992 season. On December 17, he re-signed with La Crosse, where he won the league title. He averaged 27.1 points and 9.6 assists during the finals and received MVP honors. Europe In 1993, he signed with the Olympique Antibes of the LNB Pro A French League, where he played 2 seasons, winning the Championship in 1995. In 1995, he signed with the Olympiacos B.C. of the Greek Basket League, winning the title in 1996. In 1996–1997, he contributed to the team winning the Greek Basketball Cup, the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague (the second time a Greek club won the trophy), where he faced the FC Barcelona Bàsquet and was named EuroLeague Final Four MVP, averaging 27 points per game in the two Final Four games in Rome. During that season, Rivers he averaged