Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers dismissed recent rumors about his retirement, calling claims by Stephen A. Smith premature. Despite Smith suggesting Rivers would step away after the season, Rivers emphasized he has no plans to retire and remains focused on coaching the Bucks, who are currently struggling in the standings.
Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers has quickly shut down recent speculation that he plans to retire after this season. The rumors circulated after NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith claimed on SiriusXM that Rivers, 64, would step away from coaching at season's end.
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"No, I'm not getting into that," Rivers said, speaking to reporters via The Athletic's Eric Nehm. "I think he feels that way, but not for me."
Smith had made the comments while responding to a caller asking whether Rivers could serve as a mentor for Ja Morant if the star guard ever joined the Bucks. "Doc Rivers is gonna retire at the end of this season," Smith said. "He's been coaching for close to 25 years. This is it for him."
Rivers, however, remains under contract with Milwaukee through the 2026-27 season for roughly $10 million. Over his NBA career, he holds a 1,188-851 record and recently passed George Karl for sixth place on the league's all-time regular-season wins list.
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Rivers is also a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, highlighting his long-standing impact on the game.
Now in his 27th season as an NBA head coach, Rivers has faced challenges in recent years. His playoff record has drawn criticism, and his tenure with the Bucks has been rocky.
Since taking over in 2024, Rivers has a 91-88 record in Milwaukee with no playoff series wins. This season, the Bucks sit at 26-35, five games out of the play-in spots, making for a difficult campaign for the veteran coach.
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