Austin was born in Gridley, California. A 6-foot-10-inch (2.08m)center from Kings River Community College and Arizona State University, he was selected by the Utah Jazz in the second round (48th overall) of the 1991 NBA draft. He averaged two points and 1.1 rebounds during his rookie season with the Jazz, and after two more sub-par seasons, he signed to play with Tuborg İzmir, a Turkish basketball team. Austin averaged 22.3 points and 13.9 rebounds during the 1995–1996 season in Turkey, and he returned to the NBA the following season as a member of the Miami Heat.
From 2004 to 2005, Austin was owner and head coach of the Utah Snowbears, a team in the American Basketball Association. He led the Snowbears to a 27–1 record in the team's first season, but feuded with league officials during the playoffs and decided to forfeit the rest of the season (and later on, fold the team) in protest.[2]