It’s hard to be a legitimate fan of the National Basketball Association and not have an opinion about Doc Rivers. Some fans view him as one of the most accomplished coaches in the league and praise him for the work he did to help Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen mesh in their first year together with the Boston Celtics.
Others are quick to bring up some of the playoff disappointments he’s had since he’s left Boston. Older fans remember Rivers as a gritty, intelligent point guard who knew how to set up an offense. Regardless of what opinion is most popular, it is hard to deny that he has had a fascinating career in the basketball world, making a Doc Rivers bio a must-read.
Doc Rivers – Childhood
Life began for Glenn Anton Rivers on October 13, 1961, in Chicago, Illinois. He is a child of Betty and Grady Rivers. The current 76ers head coach has talked about the influence his parents had on him, and has specifically mentioned his father during periods of unrest in the United States.
Grady Rivers was in law enforcement for over 30 years, and taught his son the value of discipline and doing things the right way. Doc Rivers learned the game of basketball from his father but had other athletic family members, such as uncle Jim Brewer and cousin Byron Irvin, who also played in the NBA. His other cousin Ken Singleton was a well-respected Major League Baseball player.
Doc Rivers – Proviso East High School
Doc Rivers played basketball at Proviso East High School, and still keeps track of how the team fares even to this day. While he doesn’t necessarily seek the credit, Rivers helped put the school on the map as a legitimate basketball factory in the late 1970s. Proviso East has produced several NBA players over the years, including Michael Finley, Steven Hunter, and Shannon Brown, among others.
Doc Rivers – College
It was a given that Doc Rivers would stay somewhere in the Midwest to play college basketball. DePaul was serious consideration given its proximity to his hometown, and Notre Dame was also a possibility given its rich basketball history. Ultimately, Rivers decided to play for Marquette University in nearby Wisconsin. He had a great career with the Golden Eagles, setting records as a freshman, and leading the team to two NCAA tournament appearances.
Playing Days – Atlanta Hawks
Even though they don’t get the acclaim of some other Eastern Conference teams in the 1980s, the Atlanta Hawks had a very respectable run under head coach Mike Fratello. The franchise built an exciting young core in the early part of the decade with Rivers, Dominique Wilkins, and Randy Wittman.
Although Rivers only made one All-Star team, it’s hard to imagine that the Hawks would’ve made the playoffs in six out of his first eight seasons with the team. He was always among the league leaders in steals per game and had some notable assist years as well.
Doc Rivers – Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks
Despite the team’s best efforts, the Hawks couldn’t quite get past the likes of the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. As a result, Atlanta started to move some pieces around in order to get younger and traded Doc Rivers away to the Los Angeles Clippers.
It turned out to be a great move for Los Angeles, as Rivers’ veteran presence helped stabilize a roller coaster 1991-1992 season where the team had three separate head coaches. It was the first time they had made the playoffs since the franchise moved from Buffalo in 1978.
Even though his impact was noticeable with the Clippers, the team decided to trade him to the New York Knicks, a team with legitimate championship aspirations. The Knicks had one of the most imposing frontlines in the NBA in 1992-1993 and were looking for a little bit of guard help. Rivers ended up starting 45 games for them that season, providing an effective platoon with Greg Anthony at point guard. However, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were just too dominant and beat the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Unfortunately, that would be the last meaningful stretch of his career. He tore his ACL in December 1993 and only played 19 games for the Knicks that year.
Doc Rivers – San Antonio Spurs
In 1994-1995, Doc Rivers appeared in three games for New York before he was waived, and picked up by the San Antonio Spurs. He would spend the final two years of his career with San Antonio, and stayed relatively healthy playing a reduced role.
Doc Rivers – First Time Head Coach with the Orlando Magic
After retiring, Doc Rivers became an NBA analyst on TNT’s broadcasts. Because he was so well regarded in league circles, it would not be long before he returned in some capacity. He had a couple of different options to join front offices but decided he wanted to work on the bench. The Orlando Magic hired Rivers in June 1999 despite him not having any prior experience as an NBA coach.
Rivers had to work through some difficult circumstances, such as not having Grant Hill available for most of his tenure in Orlando. However, he was able to coax an undermanned roster led by ascending star Tracy McGrady into the postseason in three out of four full seasons.
Doc Rivers – Boston Celtics
Even though Rivers got fired after a 1-10 start in Orlando during the 2003-2004 campaign, his work was still respected around the NBA. That’s why the Boston Celtics decided to bring him on as their head coach the very next season.
The former point guard inherited a team that was in the middle ground of the league. Paul Pierce was a legitimate All-Star, but there were a lot of question marks surrounding him, including the uncertain future of Antoine Walker. Boston made the playoffs in Rivers’ first year but was one of the NBA’s worst teams in the following two seasons. Rivers was in danger of flaming out as a promising but disappointing young coach.
Everything changed in June 2007. General manager Danny Ainge swung for the fences by trading young talent and draft picks to acquire Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Instead of tutoring and motivating young players, Rivers would transition into a tactician who would try to help accomplished veterans get their first ring.
Boston ended up having an outstanding campaign. They were tested early in the postseason but managed to overcome every challenge they faced. The Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008 NBA Finals. The Celtics nearly won another title in 2010 but lost a hard-fought seven-game series to the Lakers.
Doc Rivers – Los Angeles Clippers
The Celtics would be a perennial playoff team for several more years as their core aged, but the time came for Rivers to embark on a new challenge. He would earn a promotion of sorts with the Los Angeles Clippers, serving as president of basketball operations and head coach. Normally, basketball operations is a large added responsibility for a coach, but Rivers handled both jobs as well as anyone in recent memory.
Of all people, Doc Rivers understood the importance of having a strong point guard, and he had one of the best to ever do it with the Clippers in Chris Paul. The team played an exciting brand of basketball, with Paul getting the ball to athletic big men Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Sharpshooter J.J. Redick was also on the floor to keep defenses honest.
Despite the talent, and the expectations, Los Angeles never quite reached the pinnacle with Rivers. Their most notable loss came in the 2015 Western Conference Semifinals against the Houston Rockets, where they had a 3-1 series lead.
The franchise would stick by rivers as they shifted away from the Chris Paul era, and ushered in a new brand of Clippers basketball with two of the most talented wing players in the league. With Paul George and Kawhi Leonard on the roster for 2019-2020, the team was expected to compete for a championship.
Although they dispatched the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2020 playoffs, Los Angeles had more trouble than expected against the Denver Nuggets. The team had a 3-1 series lead, only to end up falling in seven games in the Western Conference Semifinals. This defeat, coupled with the one suffered five years earlier, is one that many fans attach to Rivers’ legacy.
Doc Rivers – Philadelphia 76ers
Doc Rivers would be tasked with taking over another team with championship aspirations the following season in Philadelphia. The 76ers were viewed as one of the Eastern Conference favorites heading into the 2020-2021 season, and fans of the team were hopeful that Rivers would be able to get the team further than Brett Brown could.
In what was a huge surprise to many, the 76ers were eliminated by an upstart Atlanta Hawks team in the second round that year. The series culminated with point guard Ben Simmons passing up an open layup in the fourth quarter of Game 7, which led to a dramatic storyline about his future with the team that extended into the 2021-2022 campaign.
While this was playing out, superstar center Joel Embiid continued to be one of the best players in the league. His play kept the team afloat while the front office decided how to best handle the Simmons situation. They would eventually trade him to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden.
Philadelphia once again fell in the second round of the postseason, losing in six games to the Miami Heat. The team had some unfortunate luck, as Embiid had to miss the first two games of that series with an orbital fracture in his face. Had the center been available for the entire series, it is possible it could have gone differently.
Doc Rivers – NBA Future
Doc Rivers will be entering his third season with the 76ers, who will once again be chasing a championship. It seems fair to say that what he does with his fourth head coaching opportunity will go a long way in determining how he is remembered.
He is still just 60 years old, so he could conceivably still coach for the next 10-15 years if he wants. He might also opt to retire in a few years and spend more time with his wife Kristen Rivers, who Doc Rivers married in 1986.
Why do they call him Doc Rivers?
In college, Marquette assistant coach Rick Majerus labeled him with a nickname that would stick forever, “Doc”. His nickname came from his “Dr. J.” shirt worn in honor of Julius Erving, one of the NBA legends.
Did Doc Rivers coach Atlanta Hawks?
While Doc spent the better part of his playing career with the Hawks, he never had a chance to coach them.
Does Doc Rivers have any siblings?
Yes, his brother is Grady Rivers Jr. He attended the Southwestern Iowa University and is a retired fireman. He’s always been a valued member of the family and local community due to his kindness and helpfulness. Grady is currently engaged in real estate investments. He is a skilled public speaker, strategic planner, and team builder with good customer service abilities.
How many rings does Doc Rivers have as a coach?
Doc Rivers has one NBA championship ring as a coach, which he won in 2008 as the head coach of the Boston Celtics.
What teams did Doc Rivers play for?
Doc Rivers played in the NBA from 1983 to 1996, spending the majority of his career with the Atlanta Hawks. During his career he also played for the Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, and San Antonio Spurs. He retired in 1996 and transitioned to a coaching career, where he has remained ever since.
