Nivins attended County Prep High School in New Jersey, where he began as a baseball player before switching to basketball in his freshman year.

As a senior, he averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks and helped the team to a 30–0 record and the school's ninth Tournament of Champions title in 2003–04.

[4] After being selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the 56th overall pick of the 2009 NBA draft, on August 6, 2009, he signed for Bàsquet Manresa in the Spanish ACB.

[7] On August 20, 2012, Nivins moved to the French league, signing with Poitiers Basket 86 after averaging 10.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 2011–12 in Belgium.

[8] On June 21, 2013, Nivins signed with Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez after averaging 14.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game with Poitiers.