Doc Rivers is done. He is not coming back to the sideline. The former Celtics coach who led the team to the 2008 title has officially hung up his whistle. According to Field Level Media, Rivers told the Associated Press that he is “absolutely retired” from coaching. This is not a rumor. It is a clear statement from a man who knows the game better than almost anyone.
The 64-year-old is taking a seat on the NBC Sports team for the 2026-27 season. He will work alongside his son, Austin Rivers, who is already an analyst there. Sam Flood, an NBC Sports executive producer, stated that the network is thrilled to welcome another Hall of Famer to its roster. Rivers spent nine years in Boston and guided the Celtics to a championship. He also coached the Magic, Clippers, Sixers, and Bucks. His record stands at 1,194 wins and 866 losses, making him sixth on the all-time list.
Why The Sideline Is Closed
Rivers made his decision after stepping down from the Milwaukee Bucks in April. He had a long run that ended with his induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame earlier this year. He told the AP he is thankful for the chance to play and coach for so long. Now he wants to focus on TV work. “I honestly can say I’m absolutely retired,” Rivers said. He added that for the first time, he can give television his full attention. This is a smart move for a man who has done everything in the game.
He has been around the league for over 40 years as a player and a coach. He started his coaching career in Orlando in the 1999-2000 season. That inaugural year saw him receive Coach of the Year recognition. He moved to Boston in 2004 and stayed for nine seasons. His time with the Clippers lasted from 2013 to 2020. He then took the job in Philadelphia until 2023 before landing in Milwaukee. Now he is moving to the broadcast booth. Rivers said he does not take many breaks in his life. He has always been around the game. This new role keeps him there without the stress of managing a team.
A Family Reunion On Air
The best part of this deal is that Doc will work with Austin. Rivers’ son currently serves as an analyst with NBC Sports. Doc said he would love to work with his son. He called the idea “a lot of fun.” NBC has six former players who Doc coached on their team. These include Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady, Brian Scalabrine, and Jamal Crawford. They know what it is like to play for him. They also know how he thinks.
Rivers has done TV before. He worked for Turner Sports from 1996 to 1999. He also did stints with ESPN and ABC. During the initial months of the 2023-24 season, he joined the top announcing crew alongside Mike Breen and Doris Burke. That was before he took the Bucks job in January 2024. He also worked as a studio analyst for the 2012 London Games. He covered handball and other sports then. Now he is back at NBC. He will be on games across NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN.
The End Of An Era
This is a big change for the NBA. Doc Rivers was a major figure in the league. He turned down an offer to be an analyst for NBC in 1996 because he could not promise he would not become a coach. Now that promise is kept. He is retired from coaching. He will focus on telling the truth on TV. “I think I’ve always been pretty honest,” Rivers said. While I have consistently honored the game as a whole, I spoke honestly. He knows he might offend people with the truth, but he does not worry about that.
The Celtics fans will miss him on the bench. But they will get to hear him on TV. He has led the Celtics to the 2008 NBA title. He has nearly four decades of experience. NBC is happy to have him back. The network said they could not be happier to have him on the team.
