Doc Rivers is trading in his whistle for a headset.
The NBA champion head coach, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this summer, is joining NBC Sports as a game analyst for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
Rivers previously worked for NBC as a studio analyst at the 2012 London Olympics, so this is a reunion between the former coach and the broadcast network.
“I loved playing the game, I loved coaching it, and I’ve always loved talking about it,” Rivers said in a press release Monday. “I have great memories working with NBC, and I’m excited to be back and share my perspective alongside such a talented team. This season should be a lot of fun. I can’t wait.”
Rivers most recently coached the Milwaukee Bucks this past season, which was his 27th as a head coach. He has coached the Orlando Magic (1999-04), Boston Celtics (2004-13), Los Angeles Clippers (2013-20), Philadelphia 76ers (2020-23) and Bucks (2023-26) over the past three decades.
Over his coaching career, Rivers went 1,194-866 (the sixth-most wins in NBA history) with an NBA Finals victory in 2008 for Boston. His 114 playoff wins rank fourth all-time behind Phil Jackson, Pat Riley and Gregg Popovich. In 2024, Rivers was named one of the Top 15 coaches in NBA history.
Beyond coaching, Rivers has plenty of experience on television. He called games for TNT in the 1990s after he retired as a playoff before eventually transitioning to coaching. Rivers then had two stints working for ESPN/ABC, first in 2004 and then in 2023 while in between coaching jobs.
Rivers also has ties to several NBC game analysts, previously coaching Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady, Brian Scalabrine, Jamal Crawford and his son Austin Rivers.
The 2026-27 NBA season tips off Tuesday, Oct. 20, on NBC and Peacock with a tripleheader. Rivers’ exact broadcasting partners and schedule is yet to be announced.
Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers joins “The Best People with Nicole Wallace” to discuss resiliency in sports and how it applies to life.