Sixers

Doc Rivers Joins NBC Sports as Analyst, Says He’s Retired From Coaching

By Matt Schultz

Published: Sep 22nd, 2026 · 9:47 AM EDT

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Doc Rivers has joined NBC as a game analyst:

DOC RIVERS JOINS NBC SPORTS’ NBA COVERAGE AS GAME ANALYST

Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer and NBA Champion Head Coach Has Combined 40 Years of NBA Experience as Player and Coach

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 21, 2026 – Doc Rivers — a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coaching inductee, 2008 NBA champion head coach of the Boston Celtics, 13-year player, and veteran broadcaster — is joining NBC Sports as an NBA game analyst when its coverage of the association continues next month across NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN. Rivers has more than 40 years of NBA experience as both a player and head coach.

“I loved playing the game, I loved coaching it, and I’ve always loved talking about it,” said Doc Rivers. “I have great memories working with NBC, and I’m excited to be back and share my perspective alongside such a talented team. This season should be a lot of fun. I can’t wait.”

“It’s been 14 years since Doc worked for us as a studio analyst at the 2012 London Olympics, and we couldn’t be happier to have him back on the NBC Sports team,” said Sam Flood, Executive Producer & President, NBC Sports. “Having led the Celtics to the 2008 NBA title with nearly four decades of NBA experience between coaching and playing, we are excited to add another Hall of Famer to our roster.”

Rivers, named one of the Top 15 Coaches in NBA History, has had an illustrious career. His accomplishments include winning the 2008 NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics and leading them to another Finals appearance in 2010; winning the NBA Coach of the Year award in 2000 with the Orlando Magic; and serving as an NBA All-Star Game head coach four times (2008, 2011, 2021, 2024). He ranks sixth on the NBA’s all-time list of coaches with the most wins (1,194) and fourth on the all-time list for most games coached (2,059). Aside from the Magic (1999-2003) and Celtics (2004-2013), Rivers also served as the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers (2013-2020), Philadelphia 76ers (2020-2023), and Milwaukee Bucks (2024-2026). Throughout his career, Rivers coached 40 NBA All-Stars, 21 All-NBA selections, and one NBA MVP (Joel Embiid in 2023).

Rivers is the father of 11-year NBA veteran and NBC Sports basketball analyst Austin Rivers, whom he coached on the Clippers from 2015-2018, becoming the first father to coach his son in NBA history.

Per Joe Reedy at the Associated Press, Rivers also says he’s no longer interested in coaching:

“I honestly can say I’m absolutely retired,” Rivers said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “I had a long run. It ended up in the (Naismith) Hall of Fame (earlier this year) and I am so thankful that I was able to coach and played as long as I did. For the first time, I can focus on giving TV my 100% attention, which I’m really looking forward to.

“I think I’ve always been pretty honest. I’ve always celebrated the game in general, but told the truth. I don’t think anyone has ever had a problem with honesty and the way you tell the truth. There are always times where you offend people because of the truth, but I’ve never really worried about that.”

Fascinating stuff. Time continues to pass, the years keep on flying by, but no matter what, one constant remains: Doc Rivers is going to do and say the most Doc Rivers stuff imaginable over and over, forever.

For those who may not recall, the Milwaukee Bucks fired Doc Rivers in April (the official word was that the two parties mutually parted ways, which I am comfortable saying is bogus). Over his two-plus years in Milwaukee, with arguably the best player in the world, Doc finished with a 97–103 regular season record and went 4-9 in two postseasons, both of which were first-round exits.

Before that, as you surely remember, he was the coach of the Philadelphia 76ers for three seasons, where he failed to get the team past the second round of the playoffs. His Philly tenure included some of the lowest moments in recent Sixers memory, including a Game 7 semifinals loss to the Hawks (the Ben Simmons non-dunk game) and, in true Doc Rivers fashion, a blown a 3-2 lead over the Celtics.

Of course, Doc Rivers was well-established as an all-time choke-guy well before he landed in Philadelphia. In 2015, his Lob City Clippers fell apart against the Houston Rockets in the second round after holding a 3-1 lead, notably squandering a 19-point lead late in the third quarter of Game 6. In 2020, his championship-favorite LA roster blew another 3-1 lead against the Nuggets in the Orlando bubble, a disastrous, humiliating performance that finally got him fired from the Clippers after a too-long, insubstantial, ineffectual tenure.

What else on Doc? Here’s a few quick hitters:

• Including that Sixers 3-2 collapse, Doc Rivers has blown four 3-2 leads total, the most by any NBA coach ever.
• He’s blown a 3-1 series lead three times, the most by any NBA coach ever.
• Doc holds an overall Game 7 record of 6–10, making him the losingest coach in league history in Game 7s.
• Doc has never won a Game 7 on the road. He’s 0-5 there.
• Despite being handed one of the best teams in the modern era with the late-2000s Boston Celtics, he somehow only managed to win one championship.

And ever-undeterred by all of this failure, Doc Rivers simply had to shoehorn in that he’s in the Hall of Fame to that Associated Press guy on the phone. NBC also felt compelled to mention in their press release that Doc is a “top 15 coach ever,” which, in humble opinion, is insane. Also that he coached the All-Star game four times (???). The press release failed to mention, however, that he’s one of the worst semi-regular Bill Simmons guests ever. Also that he’s bad on TV, which he is. He’s also a bad coach. They skimmed over all that stuff.

Anyway, that’s the update on Doc. We’ll be hearing his very gravelly voice a lot this year. That is, until a good job opens up. He 100% will coach again if a good job becomes available. Lest we forget, Doc is full of shit pretty often.