Doc Rivers reveals what kind of doctor he would have been if he pursued medicine
Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks is one of the 15 greatest coaches in NBA history. Rivers is not a real doctor, as "Doc" is just a nickname given to him in college. So, what kind of doctor would he have been had he pursued medicine?
On the "Sloane Knows" podcast, the one-time NBA champion coach picked being a "brain doctor." It was a fascinating question for Rivers, who explained why he would have been a neurologist.
"I'd be a brain doctor for sure," Rivers said. "I'm sure it has a big name, I think it's a bigger name than we're using for sure.
"It would be really great if I could just operate on some of the brains of some of the players that I coach and I could tweak things a little bit." [0:27 - 0:47]
Doc Rivers also joked about how he would have made some of his players "team players" and made them listen to him. He coached several Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers in his career. Some were team players, while others were not and were more focused on individual accolades.
Nevertheless, Rivers won an NBA championship in 2008 and went to another NBA Finals in 2010. He has coached the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, LA Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks.
The 62-year-old is a one-time NBA Coach of the Year, winning it in 2000. He guided a very young Magic team led by Tracy McGrady to a respectable 41-41 record despite being projected as one of the worst teams in the league.
Also Read: "KD is a stinky bum" - NBA fans troll Kevin Durant and company as Giannis-less Bucks deliver a smackdown
What is Doc Rivers' real name?
Doc Rivers' full name is Glenn Anton Rivers. It's unclear who gave him the nickname "Doc," but it was one of former Marquette coach Al McGuire or assistant Rick Majerus.
Rivers was called "Doc" after he wore a Julius Erving shirt during a summer camp. Erving was known as "Dr. J" and was one of the most influential players in NBA history. The name "Doc" stuck with Rivers, and he used it for most of his basketball career.
In an interview with ESPN in 2016, Rivers revealed that his first career start for the Atlanta Hawks came against the Sixers. He felt so proud when Erving called him "Doc."
"The first game I started was against the Sixers," Rivers said. "I walked out on the floor and I didn't know what to say.
"I went over and said, 'Umm, Dr. J, how are you?' And he said, 'Doc, how are you?' And I said, 'No, I'm Glenn.' And he said, 'No, you're Doc.' And that made me feel like a million bucks."
Also Read: Patrick Beverley reveals strange secret behind Bucks' winning streak post All-Star break under Doc Rivers