Doc Rivers makes shock determination on NBA future after ugly season led to catastrophe
Legendary NBA head coach Doc Rivers is set to walk away from coaching for good after a disappointing season.
Rivers, 64, has cemented himself as an icon in the NBA with a championship and a Coach of the Year honor and is set to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this year.
However, he appeared to confirm this week that he is ready to put an end to a glittering NBA career that has spanned 40 years.
Following an ugly 32-50 season that saw them miss the postseason for the first time in nearly a decade, Rivers officially stepped down as the Milwaukee Bucks head coach.
Now, it appears that he is set to walk away from coaching altogether, claiming that he is ‘done.’
‘We met about seven weeks ago, me and ownership. We had a great meeting,’ Rivers said on ‘The Bill Simmons Podcast.’
Legendary NBA head coach Doc Rivers is set to walk away from coaching for good
‘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 left ESPN to replace the fired Adrian Griffin in Milwaukee during the 2023-24 season.
He previously won NBA Coach of the Year honors with Orlando in 2000 and later got a championship ring with the Boston Celtics in 2008.
‘I have truly loved my time in Milwaukee,’ Rivers, a former point guard at Marquette University in Milwaukee, said Monday in a statement released by the team. ‘Coming back to where I got my start, to a city that has always embraced me, has been a privilege.
Rivers, 64, officially stepped down as the Milwaukee Bucks head coach earlier this week
‘I am disappointed that things did not turn out the way any of us hoped, but I am deeply grateful for this experience, the relationships built, and unwavering support from our fans and the community. Milwaukee will always mean a lot to me, and this chapter will hold a special place in my heart.’
Recently selected for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Rivers has stated his hope to spend more time with his seven grandchildren, leading to speculation he could be retiring. However, the former Hawks, Clippers, Knicks and Spurs guard has not officially announced his retirement as a head coach.
Rivers’ departure comes amid widespread uncertainty over the future of franchise player Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo’s name dominated league-wide discussions leading up to the trade deadline, though the Bucks ultimately kept him. He will be eligible to sign a four-year contract extension worth up to $275 million in October. If he doesn’t sign the extension, Antetokounmpo could become a free agent after the 2026-27 season, or the Bucks could decide to trade him beforehand.
