THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 14, 1994 TAG: 9408140179
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ANTIBES, FRANCE LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
While watching David Rivers tear up Old Dominion on Saturday, you had to ask yourself, ``Why isn't this guy in the NBA?''
Part of the reason is he isn't interested anymore.
``The money would have to be right and I would really have to be in a secure situation,'' said Rivers, who had 27 points, nine dazzling assists and seven steals in his team's 120-90 victory over ODU.
That's what the former Notre Dame All-American has on his Antibes team: security and good money. Rivers is a star in the French league and said he's making as much as he could in the NBA.
And it's guaranteed. If he went to an NBA camp - and he said he's had offers - the money would not be guaranteed. If he were cut, it would be too late to catch on with a European team.
Antibes' game with ODU was its first exhibition in preparation for the upcoming season. Rivers, in his second season with Antibes, recently left behind his wife of five years for about nine months. She's a marketing manager for a company in Wichita, Kan.
``We both agreed what she's doing is more long-term than what I'm doing,'' Rivers said. ``We didn't see the logic of moving over here and digging up our roots.''
Rivers, 29, said he will probably play two more years in France. He was the Los Angeles Lakers' first-round draft pick out of college but was there only one season. Then he went to the Los Angeles Clippers before spending two productive seasons in the Continental Basketball Association. But the NBA didn't call, so Rivers crossed the pond. Ironically, a couple weeks before Antibes made him an offer, Rivers and his wife decided to learn French and bought some books and tapes.
It's has come in handy. ``It's all right,'' Rivers said of playing in France. ``It's not the NBA, but it's competitive. And the money is comparable.''
FRENCH LESSON: When the referee called a moving screen on an Antibes player, ODU coach Jeff Capel hollered ``That's a good call,'' to the referee, then turned to assistant Jim Corrigan and said, ``What's `thank you' in French?' ''
Corrigan gave him a quick lesson.
``Merci,'' Capel yelled to the official.
RARE SIGHT: The referee Capel thanked was a woman.
When he first saw her walk on the court, Capel was taken aback.
``I thought she was in the wrong gym,'' Capel said.
Bill Wall, ODU's tour guide, who retired after a long stint as the executive director of USA Basketball, is an old pro when it comes to international basketball. When he saw the female ref, he said, ``That's a first.''
She received rave reviews from the Monarchs and Wall for the officiating job she did.
RECRUITING TOOL: The Monarchs are making sure their recruits know their whereabouts this week. During a layover at New York's JFK Airport on Thursday, ODU's coaches called some players they are pursuing.
``There's not many programs taking overseas trips,'' assistant Mark Cline said. ``We just called them and said `Wish you were here.' ''
Coaches are allowed one call a week to a recruit.
``You call them from a foreign country, you hope it makes an impression,'' Corrigan said. ILLUSTRATION: Map
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