Doc Rivers has joined NBC Sports as a game analyst for the 2026-27 NBA season, the network announced Monday. This marks Rivers' return to broadcasting after his coaching tenure ended when he and the Milwaukee Bucks parted ways at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Rivers has insisted his coaching career is finished. He told Bill Simmons' podcast he'd be "surprised" if he coaches another game, then doubled down on that stance following the NBC announcement. Per reporting, Rivers said he is "absolutely" done with coaching and "absolutely retired" from the sidelines. According to ESPN, there's historical irony in Rivers' shift: he turned down an NBC analyst role in 1996 after retiring as a player because he couldn't promise then-NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol that he wouldn't pursue coaching.
Rivers' nine-year coaching career included a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008, along with stops with the Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Bucks. Awful Announcing reports that Rivers will join his son, Austin, on NBC's broadcast roster in the network's second season with NBA rights. "I loved playing the game, I loved coaching it, and I've always loved talking about it," Rivers said of his new role.