Gilbert Arenas Told Team Not to Hire Doc Rivers

-

In 2011, Doc Rivers was fired from the Orlando Magic after he failed to lead them past the first round of playoffs. At this point in his career, he had been coaching for a decade and amassed an impressive record with three different teams. With nine years of experience under his belt, many thought that hiring him would be the best move yet by Gilbert Arenas’s team-the Washington Wizards-. The last thing anyone expected though is what happened next: Gilbert Arenas told their owner not to hire Rivers because “he couldn’t control [him].”

Gilbert Arenas Told Team Not to Hire Doc Rivers. Read more in detail here: doc rivers teams coached.

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers during a game against the Suns in 2022.

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers during a game against the Suns in 2022. On March 27, 2022, head coach Doc Rivers of the Philadelphia 76ers during a game against the Phoenix Suns. Getty Images/Christian Petersen

Doc Rivers is, without a doubt, the most overrated coach in the NBA. He won the 2008 NBA championship on the backs of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, and has used that victory as clout ever since.

Now, it seems that he has a fight with a former basketball player.

Gilbert Arenas has established himself as an outspoken figure in the sports media. Arenas has made his presence felt in that realm, from slamming Frank Vogel to commenting on the Ben Simmons trade controversy. And he recently spoke about his feelings on Rivers as a head coach.

Arenas had a lot of things to say about the 76ers’ star player.

The 76ers should not hire Doc Rivers, according to Gilbert Arenas.

*{padding:0;margin:0;overflow:hidden} html,bodyheight:100% img,spanposition:absolute;width:100% ;top:0;bottom:0;margin:auto;bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyhe spanheight:1.5em;text-align:center;font:48px/1.5 sans-serif;color:white;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow><span>▶</span>

Doc Rivers’ name has been mentioned as a possible coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. Rivers is still with the Sixers, but the Lakers look to be keeping their fingers crossed that he will become available.

Gilbert Arenas, on the other hand, does not believe that employing the 2008 NBA champion is a wise idea.

On the May 26 edition of his No Chill with Gilbert Arenas podcast, Arenas remarked, “I believe I’m going to be a Clipper supporter if Doc Rivers [becomes] head coach of the Lakers.” “… Some of these coaches are solidified by those freebie titles, and I’m like, ‘Wait, hang on.’ Before you handed him rockstars, he was a losing coach. Then he won a title, and his legacy is now based on a championship.’… So, what did he do when he won a championship? Nothing. So, what has he been up to since then? Nothing.”

Rivers has had substantial talent on all of his teams since 2008, but has failed to achieve anything with it, according to Arenas, who fell in the conference semifinals with Philadelphia this season. He then disclosed what he told Philadelphia 76ers general manager Elton Brand before Rivers was hired in 2020.

“‘Doc is going to wreck that squad,’ I remarked. “And Ben Simmons is gone because he doesn’t know how to teach him,” Arenas remarked. “… ‘He’s going to wreck the team; he’s going to ruin a team, and Ben’s going to be out of there,’ I added. And that is precisely what occurred.”

Examining Doc Rivers’ mediocre coaching credentials

*{padding:0;margin:0;overflow:hidden} html,bodyheight:100% img,spanposition:absolute;width:100% ;top:0;bottom:0;margin:auto;bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyheight:100% html,bodyhe spanheight:1.5em;text-align:center;font:48px/1.5 sans-serif;color:white;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black;text-shadow><span>▶</span>

Is Gilbert Arenas accurate in his opinion of Doc Rivers? He could have been a little too harsh. Rivers is a fine coach, but not great, and he is certainly the most overrated in the NBA.

Between 2007-08 and 2011-12, Rivers played in two NBA Finals with the Celtics after they added Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to a roster that already included Paul Pierce. During that inaugural season, the Cs also won everything.

Outside of those five years, he has only advanced beyond the conference semifinals once and has only made it past the first round five times. In reality, he has a 104-100 playoff record. It would be 50-61 if he didn’t have those five seasons on his CV. Not to mention the fact that he is the first coach in NBA history to lose three series in which his team was leading 3-1.

Is Doc Rivers an effective coach? Yes. Almost all of his teams make the playoffs. Is he a legendary figure? Not at all.

Basketball Reference provided the statistics.

RELATED: The Archaic All-NBA Voting System Is Unfairly Ruining Joel Embiid’s Legacy

  • doc rivers net worth
  • gilbert arenas
  • doc rivers wife

Share this article

Recent posts

Popular categories

Recent comments