MILAN - The recent decision by former Boston Celtic Rasheed Wallace did not come as a surprise to C's coach Doc Rivers.
"I didn't think he should have retired," Rivers said.
Wallace signed a three-year deal with Boston in 2009, but only spent one season as a member of the Celtics.
Prior to Boston's Game 7 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2010 NBA Finals, Wallace informed Rivers and the C's front office that he planned to call it quits after that game.
"I told him, I just thought he should have gotten in shape," Rivers said. "I thought it was too early for him to retire. Rasheed is so skilled; it's scary. Great passer, great shooter ... He does a lot of things very well."
Rivers had conversations with Wallace last year when he considered returning to the game.
"He just wasn't in the condition to come back," Rivers said.