The Shot was a nerveless, textbook, step-back, buzzer-beating 3-pointer delivered by a freshman to decide a meeting in one of the most storied rivalries in college basketball.

Before tipoff, 19-year-old Duke guard Austin Rivers had publicly vowed, "I will make an impact on this game."

And there he was, cradling the ball, down two against North Carolina in the Dean Dome, with the game clock ticking down to three, two, one …

As NBA prospect Tyler Zeller charged at him, Rivers retreated behind the 3-point line and let it fly over the 7-footer's outstretched arms.

Swish. Buzzer. Ballgame.

Yet the perspective of the coach's son in the wake of his heroics proved to be stunning to die-hard ACC zealots. Told he had written a new chapter in the legendary Tar Heels-Blue Devils annals, Austin merely shrugged.

"I was just thinking about a chance to play well against a good team," he said.

"Austin was fired up to beat North Carolina," said his father, Doc Rivers, "but not because it was this great rivalry. Not because it was Carolina.

"He was barely aware of those things. He almost could care less. He was fired up to beat them because it was the next game.

"You've got to understand. Austin didn't grow up wanting to play for Duke or Carolina. He grew up wanting to play for the Atlanta Hawks or the San Antonio Spurs or the New York Knicks."

Austin's NBA dreams will be clarified Thursday in the 2012 NBA draft, where he has been projected to be taken in the first round, anywhere from eighth to 15th.

Austin played just one season with the Duke Blue Devils before declaring himself eligible for the draft.

That ignited immediate chatter that Boston would maneuver to secure Doc's second son. In fact, a couple of theorists suggested Rivers signed a lucrative long-term extension with the Celtics last summer so he could rebuild with Austin as one of his centerpieces.

"Ridiculous," Celtics boss Danny Ainge declared.

"Nonsense," Doc concurred.

Boston has the No. 21 and 22 picks and, according to team sources, has no intention of breaking its back to move up and grab the coach's son.

Austin said he hasn't talked to anyone in the Celtics organization, nor was he asked to work out for them. He attributes that to two factors: He will likely be gone by the time the Celtics pick and they already know his personality and his game.

"I think it would be interesting and cool to play for my dad," Austin said. "Obviously it would require us going from a father-son relationship to a coach-player one, but I'd love it. I'm not expecting it to happen though."

That doesn't negate the truly intriguing nature of this draft for the Rivers family. No one knows Austin Rivers' most potent strengths and most glaring weaknesses better than his dad. Austin honed his lethal first step under the watchful eye of one of the most respected coaches in the NBA. Doc Rivers never formally coached his son, but he has been nearby throughout the process.

"I'm lucky to have been around someone who knows so much about the game," Austin said. "But I'm also lucky to have a dad who lets me be me.

"My dad has let me make all my own decisions: which college to choose, when to go pro, which agent to go with. I know he's probably wanted to help me more. I'm sure, especially because of who he is, it has made it even harder for him to let me find my own way, but he's done that."

The father understands his son has been labeled a "tweener" by some, neither a true point nor a prototype shooting guard. He's heard the criticisms that Austin is too ball-dominant, that his defensive intensity is, ahem, underwhelming at times.

But Doc Rivers is just like all the rest of us, when it comes down to it. He sees the best in his child.

So I asked him point blank: Given the chance, would you like to coach your son?

"I don't even let myself think about it," Doc answered. "If it happens, we'll figure it out. Talent-wise, if I remove the fact he's my son, he'd be a very good fit."

Mike Dunleavy Jr. was drafted as the third overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in 2002. One season later, his father, Mike Dunleavy Sr., was hired as coach of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Over the next seven seasons, father and son faced each other regularly on the court and were nearly united via a number of proposed trades.

"From my standpoint, I'm glad it didn't happen," Dunleavy Jr. said. "Especially earlier in my career. I thought the dynamics would have been too weird."

Mike Jr. said his father was more interested in them joining forces than he was.

"If he wasn't my father, I would have loved to have played for him," Mike Jr. said. "He was a really good coach.

"But I kept thinking about sitting in the back of the bus after a tough loss and having the guys second-guess this and that, which goes on all the time.

"You know those guys would feel like they'd have to watch what they said around me, so now you've isolated yourself. It would have been awkward."

Austin Rivers has given the potential uncomfortable moments some thought, too. But, he said, he wouldn't let that deter him from playing for his dad.

"I have really thick skin," he said. "I'm sure that's one of the many challenges a kid -- I mean, a man -- would have to deal with if his dad was coaching him.

"It would be interesting to talk with someone who has done it. I don't know what it would be like. My dad couldn't even tell me. He's never coached me before."

Austin initially was targeted as a late first-round pick, but once he began attending workouts and conducting interviews, he was able to dispel some of the negativity surrounding his demeanor. His 6-foot-7 wingspan, his articulate, thoughtful answers in interviews and his explosive offensive performances caused his stock to rise.

Austin ended up working out for five teams: Portland (No. 11 pick), Cleveland (Nos. 4 and 24), Toronto (No. 8), Washington (No. 3) and New Orleans (Nos. 1 and 10).

The skinny on Rivers reads something like this: explosive first step, able to create his own offense, gets to the line, mediocre foul shooter, better scorer than facilitator, disinterested at times defensively, supremely confident. And yes, the word "cocky" has dogged him throughout the process.

After Rivers' workout with the Wizards, a YouTube post showed him toiling through the "seven drill," a shooting exercise in which the player goes from elbow to elbow and must hit seven consecutive shots. Austin, clearly laboring, struggled to make three consecutive shots, never mind seven. Each miss required a lay-up and additional make. It was not a highlight for the Rivers portfolio.

"Washington was one of the best visits I had,"...