With his three-year run as Sixers head coach officially over, Doc Rivers released a statement Tuesday night via social media on his time in Philadelphia.
Rivers expressed gratitude to Sixers fans, calling them both committed and “tough.”
Below is his full statement:
“I really enjoyed my time in Philadelphia — what a great city. I want to start by thanking my staff, the players, and the ownership group for their support. We got a lot done in a short amount of time. I’d also like to thank the 76ers fans. Whew … you guys are tough, and I think you’ve learned I’m tough too. I absolutely love your commitment to the city and its teams — never lose that. I wanted, just as badly as you, to bring another championship to Philadelphia. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to lead, to learn, and to love this great city.”
Rivers’ three-season stop in Philadelphia was his shortest as an NBA coach. He’s been a head coach in the league since the 1999-2000 season, when he was named Coach of the Year for his work with the Magic.
Rivers picked up his 1,000th regular-season NBA coaching win on Nov. 6, 2021 as the Sixers beat the Bulls in his hometown of Chicago. His 1,097 victories are ninth in NBA history, one behind Larry Brown.
On May 6, Rivers offered insight into why he’s remained motivated to win a second NBA championship. He enjoyed seeing Joel Embiid lift his young son Arthur as he accepted the MVP trophy before the Sixers’ Round 2, Game 3 playoff matchup vs. the Celtics.
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“I’m waving to get his son on the floor, which I thought was awesome,” Rivers said. “You know … and this is all of us — I’m the worst at it. I’ve missed so many great opportunities to cherish things. I’m older now. I wish I could get all those back. I didn’t even go in the locker room after we won it (with the 2007-08 Celtics). Think about that. Didn’t go in; I forgot. I forgot the champagne part.
“And that’s what drives me now. I want to get that opportunity again. So I think when Joel looks back at that moment with his child, that was awesome.”
Besides the Sixers, the Suns, Bucks, Raptors and Pistons also currently have head coaching vacancies. We’ll see whether Rivers ultimately ends up back on the bench.