Mountain Hawk Hoops Pros Spotlight: Austin Price
10/5/2020 10:21:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Support, Features
Over the course of the 2020-21 school year, Lehighsports.com will be catching up with several former Mountain Hawks under head coach Brett Reed who have gone on to play professionally. We continue with Austin Price '17.
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
For as long as he can remember, Austin Price has had his eyes set on professional basketball, wanting to follow in his family's footsteps.
"Obviously, I want to play in the NBA, but playing in Europe has been great," said Price. "My uncles played in Europe. I've played in some similar places as them and experienced some of the same things as them."
Price enjoyed a decorated career at Lehigh, twice being named All-Patriot League and scoring nearly 1,500 career points (which remains 13th in program history).
After graduating from Lehigh in 2017, Price's professional journey began.
"After my senior season, I took a couple months off because unless you're doing pre-draft stuff – which I knew I wasn't getting drafted – you're not going to be playing anywhere until maybe August," he said. "I got my first offer in July, but ended up not going. I tried the NBA G League Route instead and completed a bunch of tryouts."
Price didn't make a team, but remained patient.
In December, his opportunity would come.
"I got picked up by Köping Stars in Sweden in the second division," he said. "We won the league, finishing 27-1."
While Price was there, Köping Stars didn't lose a game on its way to a championship. He went on to be named Import Player of the Year (awarded to the top player not from Sweden)… an impressive achievement, especially for a rookie.
The following season (2018-19), Price signed with Limburg United, the top league in Belgium. He was a sixth man for most of the season, serving as a strong contributor and averaging nearly 10 points per game.
"Belgium was a great experience," said Price. "I made a lot of really cool friends. I played with Dom Morris (from Boston University) that year. Dave Dudzinski (from Holy Cross) was in the league, as was Zach Thomas (from Bucknell). We lost in the semis to the team that ended up winning the championship."
In 2019-20, Price signed in Bulgaria with Beroe. He was averaging 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists when the season ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We were fourth in the league, but I feel like we were a top-three or top-two team," said Price. "Unfortunately, we didn't get to play it out. This past offseason, I signed with Ra'anana in Israel."
Price has been in Israel for several weeks now, preparing for his fourth professional season. When thinking back, Price has definitely felt ready for the challenge from the beginning.
"Leading a team was something I felt ready for," he said. "I was one of the leaders at Lehigh my last two years, so transitioning to a leadership role wasn't too hard. In the pros, you also do a lot more facilitating, but I would say the biggest adjustment is defense.
"The way we play defense here is a lot different than college," Price continued. "In college, you try to stop everything whereas in the pros, you're making a team beat you on one thing, or from one spot.
"I had to understand that you can't stop everything. You have to give up something because everyone's really good."
Price's game as a professional has been similar to his Lehigh days, with some differences.
"At Lehigh, I did a lot of coming off screens and catch-and-shoot, which has continued in the pros," he said. "Now, I do a lot more ball handling. I bring the ball up a lot and come off a lot more ball screens. I do some one-on-one as well… isolation plays. There have been a lot of things I've been able to expand as a pro, which I really didn't do in college."
Today, Price is living far from Lehigh and far from his hometown of Indianapolis.
What keeps Price going?
"I just love basketball," he said. "I love playing, working out and getting better."
In reality, there was little doubt that Price would find a place to play professionally. He has enjoyed success at every level.
"When I was in high school, I played with and against a lot of guys who are in the NBA right now (including Monte Morris, Kay Felder, James Young, Derrick Walton, Denzel Valentine, etc.), and always felt like I could hold my own," said Price. "I always had that confidence I could play at the next level."
The next level for Price has taken him all around the world… literally.
"I have loved the traveling and seeing all different types of places," he said. "I lived in Sweden where it was snowing almost every day in the winter. Now, I'm in Israel where it's sunny every day. Bulgaria was pretty hot, but the winter wasn't bad; it would snow once or twice then the rest of the time, it was pretty warm.
"When I was in Belgium, I was living close to France, close to Germany and close to The Netherlands, so I was able to visit a lot of different places," Price continued. "I went to Amsterdam, Paris and Brussels one year and they weren't far trips at all. I got to drive on the Autobahn in Germany."
Through all these experiences, Price has grown not only as a basketball player, but also as a person.
"You meet a lot of people who don't have the same perspective as you," he said. "You learn a lot more about America from the outside looking in because their media is different than yours. You see the different perspective of people who don't live in America."
Speaking of perspective, Price shared his perspective on his Lehigh days, which played a significant role in him developing into the player – and man – he is today.
"During my freshman year at Lehigh, I was pretty naïve," he said. "I didn't realize college was so hard academically. By the time I left, my time management was a lot better.
"By my senior year, I was in a fraternity, starting on the basketball team and still doing extra work," Price continued. "My freshman year, I was doing probably a quarter of what I was doing my senior year, yet I felt exhausted. During my senior year, I had a lot of energy."
Price's energy and passion has led to plenty of success, on and off the court.
"My professors gave me a better perspective on what I want to do in life," said Price. "I came in as an engineer, but ended up majoring in finance and minoring in computer science."
Price hasn't used his finance degree just yet, but will be in a strong position to succeed whenever his basketball career comes to an end.
But he's not ready for it to end anytime soon.
"I'm trying to play as long as I can, as long as I'm moving up," said Price. "There's really no timetable for me on when to stop playing. I really feel like I can make something out of my career.
"I'm really excited for the future."
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
For as long as he can remember, Austin Price has had his eyes set on professional basketball, wanting to follow in his family's footsteps.
"Obviously, I want to play in the NBA, but playing in Europe has been great," said Price. "My uncles played in Europe. I've played in some similar places as them and experienced some of the same things as them."
Price enjoyed a decorated career at Lehigh, twice being named All-Patriot League and scoring nearly 1,500 career points (which remains 13th in program history).
After graduating from Lehigh in 2017, Price's professional journey began.
"After my senior season, I took a couple months off because unless you're doing pre-draft stuff – which I knew I wasn't getting drafted – you're not going to be playing anywhere until maybe August," he said. "I got my first offer in July, but ended up not going. I tried the NBA G League Route instead and completed a bunch of tryouts."
Price didn't make a team, but remained patient.
In December, his opportunity would come.
"I got picked up by Köping Stars in Sweden in the second division," he said. "We won the league, finishing 27-1."
While Price was there, Köping Stars didn't lose a game on its way to a championship. He went on to be named Import Player of the Year (awarded to the top player not from Sweden)… an impressive achievement, especially for a rookie.
The following season (2018-19), Price signed with Limburg United, the top league in Belgium. He was a sixth man for most of the season, serving as a strong contributor and averaging nearly 10 points per game.
"Belgium was a great experience," said Price. "I made a lot of really cool friends. I played with Dom Morris (from Boston University) that year. Dave Dudzinski (from Holy Cross) was in the league, as was Zach Thomas (from Bucknell). We lost in the semis to the team that ended up winning the championship."
In 2019-20, Price signed in Bulgaria with Beroe. He was averaging 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists when the season ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We were fourth in the league, but I feel like we were a top-three or top-two team," said Price. "Unfortunately, we didn't get to play it out. This past offseason, I signed with Ra'anana in Israel."
Price has been in Israel for several weeks now, preparing for his fourth professional season. When thinking back, Price has definitely felt ready for the challenge from the beginning.
"Leading a team was something I felt ready for," he said. "I was one of the leaders at Lehigh my last two years, so transitioning to a leadership role wasn't too hard. In the pros, you also do a lot more facilitating, but I would say the biggest adjustment is defense.
"The way we play defense here is a lot different than college," Price continued. "In college, you try to stop everything whereas in the pros, you're making a team beat you on one thing, or from one spot.
"I had to understand that you can't stop everything. You have to give up something because everyone's really good."
Price's game as a professional has been similar to his Lehigh days, with some differences.
"At Lehigh, I did a lot of coming off screens and catch-and-shoot, which has continued in the pros," he said. "Now, I do a lot more ball handling. I bring the ball up a lot and come off a lot more ball screens. I do some one-on-one as well… isolation plays. There have been a lot of things I've been able to expand as a pro, which I really didn't do in college."
Today, Price is living far from Lehigh and far from his hometown of Indianapolis.
What keeps Price going?
"I just love basketball," he said. "I love playing, working out and getting better."
In reality, there was little doubt that Price would find a place to play professionally. He has enjoyed success at every level.
"When I was in high school, I played with and against a lot of guys who are in the NBA right now (including Monte Morris, Kay Felder, James Young, Derrick Walton, Denzel Valentine, etc.), and always felt like I could hold my own," said Price. "I always had that confidence I could play at the next level."
The next level for Price has taken him all around the world… literally.
"I have loved the traveling and seeing all different types of places," he said. "I lived in Sweden where it was snowing almost every day in the winter. Now, I'm in Israel where it's sunny every day. Bulgaria was pretty hot, but the winter wasn't bad; it would snow once or twice then the rest of the time, it was pretty warm.
"When I was in Belgium, I was living close to France, close to Germany and close to The Netherlands, so I was able to visit a lot of different places," Price continued. "I went to Amsterdam, Paris and Brussels one year and they weren't far trips at all. I got to drive on the Autobahn in Germany."
Through all these experiences, Price has grown not only as a basketball player, but also as a person.
"You meet a lot of people who don't have the same perspective as you," he said. "You learn a lot more about America from the outside looking in because their media is different than yours. You see the different perspective of people who don't live in America."
Speaking of perspective, Price shared his perspective on his Lehigh days, which played a significant role in him developing into the player – and man – he is today.
"During my freshman year at Lehigh, I was pretty naïve," he said. "I didn't realize college was so hard academically. By the time I left, my time management was a lot better.
"By my senior year, I was in a fraternity, starting on the basketball team and still doing extra work," Price continued. "My freshman year, I was doing probably a quarter of what I was doing my senior year, yet I felt exhausted. During my senior year, I had a lot of energy."
Price's energy and passion has led to plenty of success, on and off the court.
"My professors gave me a better perspective on what I want to do in life," said Price. "I came in as an engineer, but ended up majoring in finance and minoring in computer science."
Price hasn't used his finance degree just yet, but will be in a strong position to succeed whenever his basketball career comes to an end.
But he's not ready for it to end anytime soon.
"I'm trying to play as long as I can, as long as I'm moving up," said Price. "There's really no timetable for me on when to stop playing. I really feel like I can make something out of my career.
"I'm really excited for the future."
Season Preview: Men's Basketball
Thursday, October 31
Lehigh Sports Central: Men's Basketball
Wednesday, October 30
Lehigh Sports Central: Men's Basketball
Wednesday, February 07
Men's Basketball vs SUNY Oneonta
Thursday, November 16
