LOS ANGELES – The Clippers’ resilient symbol and near hero of Game 6 in Portland is back with the same team, just likely in a different jersey.

This offseason provided a new experience for Austin Rivers, who officially re-signed Friday with the Clippers on a three-year deal, ending a free agency period he described as both exciting and stressful.

“Last year when I was a free agent, I didn’t have this many options,” Rivers said. “This summer obviously was a whole ‘nother thing. It really was the first time in my life being recruited at this level and having multiple meetings with teams.”

In addition to the Clippers, Rivers said he also met with the Knicks and received interest from Portland and Houston, among a handful of teams.

But, the Clippers remained at the forefront, and Rivers decided he wanted to build on what was started in Los Angeles after spending the last season and a half with the Clippers.

While it’s a return to his old team, he feels it’s the start of a new beginning for him personally as an NBA player – which is why he said he plans on changing his number from “25” to “0,” the number he wore at Duke.

“I chose zero because that’s where I start from and go up,” Rivers said. “It’s a fresh start. This is where I feel like it begins for me as ‘a pro’s pro.’”

Rivers made his decision a few days into the moratorium but didn’t officially sign until Friday.

“The money was pretty much equal across the board from most of the teams,” Rivers said. “It was just, ‘What did I want to be a part of?”

He felt comfortable with the Clippers, averaging career highs in points per game (8.9) and shooting percentage (43.8) while getting commended for his defensive jump last season.

Even before a courageous Game 6, finishing with 21 points, eight assists and six rebounds despite getting stitches both below and above his left eye in Portland, Rivers felt he was gaining momentum with the players around him. That much was evident late in the regular season, when a group of Clippers backups went to Utah with the starters resting and beat a full-strength Jazz squad still contending for a spot in the postseason.

Rivers said being on a playoff team around teammates and a system he’s already familiar with made a difference to him. He said the more he played with Jamal Crawford, who also re-signed this week, the more he developed a rapport with the reigning Sixth Man of the Year.

“I think, next year, we could be a big difference,” Rivers said. “I’m going to be a lot better and a lot more assertive, especially on the offensive end.”

Crawford said he thought the Clippers’ second unit started to find the chemistry and consistency the starting unit has had after years of the core playing together.

Now, three of the key cogs from that backup unit who were free agents are returning. Rivers believes if the Clippers can stay healthy late in the year this time around, the goals they set out to achieve are still in reach.

“We can do some work,” Rivers said.