Doc Rivers has been an NBA head coach for five teams across 27 seasons. It looks like those are no longer running totals.
A few days after stepping down as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks during a season spent entirely on the hot seat, the longtime coach addressed his coaching future during an appearance on “The Bill Simmons Podcast.”
When asked if he was done coaching, Rivers all but confirmed he intends to retire:
“We met about seven weeks ago, me and ownership. We had a great meeting. They asked me what I wanted to do. One of the owners says one plan is, ‘If we do this, you can hang in there for a year or two.’ I literally said, ‘Oh, no, no, no.’
“I told my coaches, I’m done. I loved coaching. Loved it. I had a lot of success at it, had way more ups than downs. But at the end of the day, I’ve given 47 years or whatever, I don’t even know how old I am … with no off time. I just wanted a break. I want to get away. The grandkids and just life in general, man. Right now, I can tell you, Bill, I think it was time, so I’d be surprised if I coached another game, I’ll put it that way.”
Rivers has served as head coach for the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks, winning the NBA championship in 2008 with the Celtics and reaching the playoffs 21 times, including all but two of his seasons since that Celtics title.
He holds a 1,194-866 career record, putting him sixth on the NBA’s all-time wins list.
Doc Rivers has been an NBA head coach since 1999.
(Emilee Chinn via Getty Images)
If it’s indeed the end of his career, it was a bumpy way out. Rivers actually seemed done coaching after getting fired by the Sixers in 2023, taking a color commentary job with ESPN the following season. However, the Bucks fired rookie head coach Adrian Griffin and coaxed Rivers out of the broadcasting booth.
The hope was clearly winning an NBA title with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, but Milwaukee never made it past the first round with that pairing. Lillard tore his Achilles last postseason and is back with the Portland Trail Blazers.
This season was spent in that awkward space where an all-in bet clearly went bust, and that ended up being it for Rivers.
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