Less than a week after parting ways with the Bucks, Doc Rivers just announced that he may never coach again in the NBA.
In a guest appearance on the Bill Simmons podcast, the newly unemployed Rivers spoke on his future and about what comes next after his latest stint. In a surprising announcement, he announced the end of his iconic coaching career, describing one of his final conversations with Bucks management as the season came to a close.
“We met about seven weeks ago, me and ownership, about seven weeks ago,” Rivers said. “They asked me what I wanted to do, and one of the owners said, ‘You know, one plan is if we do this, you can hang in there for a year or two,’ and I literally said, ‘Oh no, no.’ I was a matter of fact, and I told my coaches, ‘I’m done.’ I love 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 40 or 47 years straight with no time off. I just wanted a break. I want to get away. The grandkids, life in general. I think it was time.”
It was a mutual parting of ways between Rivers and the Bucks, and one that was years in the making. Now, as the franchise pivots toward finding his replacement, the NBA legend finds himself looking ahead to a long-overdue retirement.
Just three seasons into his latest (and likely final) coaching tenure, there was no doubt that Rivers’ Bucks tenure would be coming to an end this summer. Ever since he took over for Adrian Griffin, when the Bucks were 30-13, the franchise has been beset by chaos, disappointment, and dysfunction at every turn. On the court, as the team failed to click in nearly every aspect, the losses piled up to the point where they jeopardized the loyalty of their leading superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo. This season was the final straw, as the Bucks couldn’t even qualify for the play-in tournament after finishing 11th in the standings (32-50).
As one of the most accomplished and respected coaches in the business, with 1,194 regular-season wins, Doc Rivers was under consideration for several positions around the NBA, and there’s reason to believe he could have helped them. Despite his recent failures, there was a time when his teams were synonymous with success.
While his career began with the Orlando Magic in 1999 (though he was an assistant before that), Rivers’ peak came with the Celtics from 2004 to 2013. Under his leadership and the combined talents of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen, the Celtics dominated the East, making two Finals appearances and winning the title in 2008. To this day, it stands as Rivers’ crowning achievement.
Everything after his Boston tenure turned sour, as he struggled to replicate that success on other teams. The Clippers, despite a stacked roster, repeatedly failed to live up to the hype and never got past the second round. It was even worse in Philadelphia, where Rivers played a role in one of the most dramatic star breakups in NBA history (Ben Simmons).
In many ways, the Bucks were Doc’s last chance as head coach, and when this season ended in disaster, everyone saw the writing on the wall. It was just never meant to be in Milwaukee, and it makes you wonder if Doc should have ever taken that job in the first place. At 64 years old, Rivers has nothing left to prove, and his resume already got him into the Hall of Fame.
For now, at least, Rivers is going to lie low and enjoy his time off, which is a first for him in decades. While it’s possible he may answer the call to coach again sometime in the future, he’s making it known now not to expect him back on the sidelines anytime soon. At this point, he’s earned this break and the freedom to go out on his own terms.
