Doc Rivers nonetheless preventing for NBA coaches as he enters Basketball Hall of Fame
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Doc Rivers felt nervous on the morning he anticipated a name from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame about whether or not he could be inducted as a leader within the Class of 2026. Rejection a yr earlier throughout his first bid did nothing to ease his rigidity.
The 64-year-old felt his nervousness develop as his cellphone stayed silent.
“It’s so funny. They tell you a time period. Like, ‘Hey, the Hall is going to call between 9 and 11.’ That call doesn’t mean it’s a good call,” Rivers informed Andscape from the Ritz-Carlton Charlotte on April 18. “And I had bodily remedy that morning from 8 to 9. Right after, I informed the therapist, ‘Hey, I got to be done about five minutes earlier today.’ I drove to the workplace, so proper at 9 I walked within the workplace and there’s no cellphone ringing. I’m like, ‘OK. So there ain’t a cellphone name.’
“So about 9:15, I get a ping, textual content, and it was like, ‘Hey Doc, we’ve tried to name you twice, however you haven’t picked up the cellphone.’ I didn’t notice, as a result of I’m previous, that I’ve my cellphone blocked to unidentified numbers, and clearly I don’t have, like, ‘Hall of Fame’ saved on my cellphone. So I stated, ‘Oh my God!’ So, I stated, ‘Call back. Phone’s on.’
“They call, and the first thing [Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame executive director John Doleva] says is, ‘Hey, I want to be the first to tell you [that] you’re a member of the 2026 Hall of Fame.’ And that was awesome.”
Rivers was named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2026 on April 4. Rivers, former NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire, and former WNBA star Candace Parker, amongst others, will participate within the formal enshrinement ceremony Saturday in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Escorting Rivers for his speech will likely be Hall of Famers Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce — the trio he coached to the 2008 NBA chip and the 2010 NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics.
Rivers has a 1,194-866 (.580) teaching file and ranks sixth amongst NBA head coaches in profession wins. In 2022, the 2000 NBA Coach of the Year was named one of many 15 biggest coaches in NBA historical past by a panel of 43 present and former NBA head coaches in collaboration with the National Basketball Coaches Association.
He can also be fourth in NBA historical past in playoff teaching wins (114). Of his 21 playoff appearances, 17 have come previously 18 seasons, with the 2025 postseason marking his seventh consecutive playoff journey. Rivers additionally coached the Milwaukee Bucks to an NBA Cup title in 2024.
A 1988 NBA All-Star competitor, Rivers started his head teaching profession with the Orlando Magic from 1999 to 2003 earlier than serving as head leader of the Celtics (2004-13), Los Angeles Clippers (2013-20), Philadelphia 76ers (2020-23) and Milwaukee (2023-26). The Bucks introduced Rivers’ departure from the group in an April 13 assertion, and he informed Andscape it was “100 percent my decision” to go away.
After initially taking part in it cool, Rivers admitted he grew to become emotional when talking together with his brother concerning the Hall of Fame information.
“My assistant, Annemarie [Loflin], was in the office. And she knows me more than about anybody,” Rivers stated. “And she at all times calls me ‘Rivers.’ She stated, ‘Rivers, you know you can be happy right now. You know you can embrace this.’ I used to be like, ‘I know, it’s simply type of uncomfortable.’ She misplaced her thoughts about it. So, I referred to as my brother, and that’s after I acquired emotional as a result of he answered the cellphone — he was {golfing} — and he began crying onerous. My brother’s powerful.
“And the first thing he said was, ‘Mom and Dad,’ because my parents are no longer with us. And he said, ‘I just can’t.’ I start thinking about how my mom would have looked at the ceremony, and then I got emotional. That was hard. It was awesome, but so emotional because, man, that would have been cool.”
In the next Q&A, Rivers displays on his Hall of Fame induction, on endorsing energetic head coaches for the Hall of Fame, the highs and lows of teaching, the significance of being a mentor, what his mentors meant to him, and extra.
(From left to proper): Joey Crawford, Mike D’Antoni, Mark Few, Doc Rivers, Chamique Holdsclaw and Amar’e Stoudemire pose for a photograph throughout the 2026 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class announcement in April at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.Jeff Haynes/NBAE by way of Getty Images
Was it a aid to make it to the Hall of Fame?
I believed that I used to be going to get in in some unspecified time in the future. But it was a aid that I used to be in. I wished to get in whereas I used to be nonetheless teaching, and I achieved that. I championed that. I actually fought early on for Pop [Gregg Popovich]. I’ve at all times acquired one thing I’m preventing for. I simply felt like Steve Kerr, myself, Spo [Erik Spoelstra, should be Hall of Famers]. College coaches get to leader and be [named] “Hall of Fame coach.” But [active] NBA coaches hardly ever get that.
I actually imagine it might have saved a few of these guys’ jobs, like George Karl. … His profession ought to have been within the Hall. Then he will get in after he leaves [coaching]. But would he nonetheless have been teaching if he was “Hall of Fame coach George Karl?” So, it’s an enormous factor for me, and I’m nonetheless pushing to get Rick Carlisle in now. It’s so humorous. I’m in, however now I’m nonetheless working for NBA coaches.
When I came upon that you just don’t must retire to get in — as a result of that was what we had been informed early, and that wasn’t true — I actually began pushing it. So, yeah, it was a aid to get in. I knew my numbers. Everybody within the prime 10 [in wins] is within the Hall of Fame. Half of these guys have by no means received a title. I’m within the prime 4 in playoff wins. So, I knew I used to be going to get in in some unspecified time in the future. But it’s nonetheless an incredible factor.
What are you most proud about when it comes to getting in?
Winning a title nearly makes you a Hall of Fame leader. Getting to the Finals twice, you’re undoubtedly going to get in. For me, although, it’s the wins whenever you shouldn’t have received. You don’t get credit score for the wins you’ve had whenever you fall. I am going to being in Orlando and up 3-1 within the Detroit collection [in 2003]. We had been the eighth seed. There’s no approach we needs to be up 3-1. I felt like that’s nearly as good as you may leader a squad. But then we fall three. That [Pistons] squad went on to triumph a title [in 2004]. We ended up breaking the entire squad up as a result of we weren’t ok.
Look again on all the only wins, not the chip. I triumph the place you haven’t any enterprise [winning]. Those are the belongings you have a look at. But I nonetheless preserve going again to the relationships. I’ve superb relationships with numerous guys. I’ve some dangerous relationships with guys, too. And at any time when I communicate at teaching clinics, I at all times inform them this: “If you want to be a coach, you better be ready to get your heart broken. If you don’t have the heart for it, don’t do it.”
Because for those who don’t inform them they usually don’t grow to be profitable, that feels approach worse. So, yeah, that occurs loads, however extra on the constructive facet. The destructive facet will get the press. We don’t get together with the competitor; they don’t get alongside [with us]. But I did be taught a beneficial lesson, too, in life that simply since you don’t get together with the competitor doesn’t make the competitor a foul particular person. That’s the one factor I inform coaches, too.
My rookie yr as a [head] leader, I acquired calls about Armen Gilliam and Chris Gatling from different coaches. “You don’t want them guys on your team. Bad guys.” Those guys had been superb for me, and that’s taught me a beneficial lesson. Well, they could have been dangerous guys for them, or it didn’t work, however for me they had been phenomenal. And that taught me an enormous rookie lesson.
What do you consider your teaching tree that features Tyronn Lue and Tom Thibodeau?
I like it. It’s rising. Ty [Lue], I simply couldn’t be prouder of. The man that isn’t part of the tree but, however I believe Rajon Rondo goes to be one hell of a leader. He’s the neatest human being I’ve ever coached, and he works at it. He was with me all this [past season in Milwaukee]. Now he’s a savant — and that doesn’t go properly at instances, as a result of he sees [the game differently].”
We speak about it on a regular basis. “You were a hell of a point guard, too, coach.” “Yeah, I was a good point guard. I wasn’t a hell of a point guard. I was a solid point guard.” And he’s like, “Coach, you were plus-10. You see it, and they don’t. How do you handle that?” I stated, “You breathe, because you learn patience.” And that’s what he’s going to need to work on. But he’ll get that.
Doc Rivers: ‘It was 100 percent my decision’ to step away from Milwaukee Bucks – Andscape Read now
You additionally had been teaching because the social media period was born. And I don’t know if there’s any leader who handled extra social media hate or feedback about dropping a 3-1 carry. What do you wish to say to these folks?
I don’t say something to anyone. I don’t care. Social media is what it’s — numerous cowards. Lots of people make feedback. I want all people would love me. And those that I don’t, I don’t care both. You know what I imply by that? I don’t care about all that stuff. It undoubtedly modified gamers for certain, however it has had no impact on me.
As a leader, you’ve gotten made numerous speeches. How is that this Hall of Fame speech totally different?
I’m not attempting to encourage anyone on the Hall of Fame, whereas within the locker room, you understand what you’re attempting to do. I’ve written this speech 10 instances over the past yr, and it’s not ok but. I believe the distinction is, a minimum of proper now, it needs to be extra about thankfulness than what you’ve achieved. Part of the [philosophy] of “Ubuntu” is that you just don’t dwell in isolation, and that’s what I educate. If you’re profitable, anyone helped you.
If you do something in life, you didn’t do it alone. Boxers are within the ring, however they wanted assist. [Boxing trainer] Angelo Dundee helped Muhammad Ali. My speech needs to be extra concerning the individuals who helped me get there and fewer about me. That’s the place I’m headed at present. Or possibly I’ll make it as much as like Snoop [Dogg] and say I wish to thank me.
Paul Pierce dumps Gatorade on head leader Doc Rivers after the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on June 17, 2008, on the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston.Brian Babineau/NBAE by way of Getty Images
Was Pat Riley the primary one that pushed you to leader?
Pat was undoubtedly the primary one. Mike Fratello, I didn’t get the job in Orlando with out him. How I acquired the job in Orlando is nearly nuts. Chuck Daly referred to as me and informed me to come back all the way down to coaching camp and sit with him and watch camp. I get there and we go to dinner. And he stated, “I’m retiring after this [season] and you’ll be the next coach of the Magic.” And that’s Chuck Daly; he by no means coached me. And that was due to Mike Fratello telling him daily, “Man, one day this guy is going to be a coach.” Chuck noticed me action and knew how I assumed.
Pat Riley was the one. I by no means wished to leader. And folks don’t perceive that. I by no means had any plans on teaching. And each leader who coached me at all times says, “That’s BS.” But no, I used to be going to do TV, and after I performed for the [New York] Knicks, that’s the primary time I noticed one thing the place I used to be like, “Man, this [coach] is cool.” And that was Pat Riley.
Can you speak about having Garnett, Pierce and Allen escorting you to your Hall of Fame speech?
Having them on stage means the world to me. I like to see these guys collectively. Winning a title needs to be like having a blood transfusion, as I’ve stated many instances, and these guys will at all times be tied collectively. It’s good to see them that approach right here. It’s attention-grabbing: I didn’t notice that whenever you made the Hall, the one folks you may have introduce you’re folks within the Hall. This was a straightforward selection for me, although I need to say if George Raveling was nonetheless alive I might’ve had George on the stage with me as properly, together with Wayne Embry.
The Hall of Fame ceremony may even be within the New England space. Would you agree that the Celtics had been the largest a part of your teaching profession?
Without a doubt. Without the Boston Celtics in my life, I’m not having this dialogue with you. And it’s actually cool how we did it. We began from scratch. And we constructed that franchise again up. That’s the factor you consider when you consider being proud. Like Paul [Pierce] stated, “We had not won in like 17 years.” We had been on the backside. We labored our approach up. That’s fairly cool.
How do you are feeling when folks now name you a Hall of Famer?
I’m uncomfortable. I like it, however it’s simply an excessive amount of consideration. But it’s cool. But come on. If you’re something in sports activities, they usually inform you you’re within the Hall of Fame, there is no such thing as a different increased honor you could get to. It’s the very best of the very best honors, and I embrace that. I absolutely perceive the magnitude of it. But it makes you very humble greater than something. And as a leader, you simply know the way onerous teaching is, and the way onerous it’s to triumph. People don’t give successful sufficient credit score. Winning is tough.
Marc J. Spears is the senior NBA author for Andscape. He used to have the ability to dunk on you, however he hasn’t been capable of in years and his knees nonetheless damage.
