I don’t know if some of you nephews recall but back in the 2000’s Bill would frequently call out Doc in his articles and there’s some juicy details out there on the internet about their history/beef with each other.

Yet here we are in 2026, years later. Doc resigns/gets fired I don’t know/care.. he’s out as coach. And literally the next day he hops back on Bill’s podcast, and I’m listening to them chopping it up, and I’m crackin up 😂

I know they’ve been friends for a bit now, clearly squashed their previous beef. Idk I just find it hilarious that as soon as Doc is done with Milwaukee, he hops on Bill’s pod to talk about the season.. smh.

Lord please don’t hire Doc anymore! Let him commentate like his son!

refreshing_yogurt

65 | 7 hours ago

I think it’s a credit to Rivers’ media savvy. He turned one of his loudest and most prominent critics into someone who covers him favorably now.

Worldly_Safety_455

16 | 6 hours ago

He is clearly great at being personable, backslapping and chopping it up (except with his own players, apparently). In all jobs, that beats out ability or track record in getting hired all the time.

Over the years, I remember players who haven’t played for Doc Rivers always singing his praises (LeBron, I think Giannis and Embiid before he coached them). While former players seem to almost unanimously criticize him lol

gyrin | Grizzlies

14 | 7 hours ago

No doubt. He’s definitely good with his words with execs. Just clearly rubs his locker rooms the wrong way.

EverybodyBuddy | Lakers

13 | 6 hours ago

I don’t think he rubs his locker rooms the wrong way. I think guys just get sick of losing.

chris-dempsey |

6 | 6 hours ago

Watchu talkin’ ‘bout? Players who have played under him love him.

It’s the fans that hate him with a passion. Sixers fans have a special place in their hearts for Doc.

Poughy | Braves

5 | 3 hours ago

Bill is incredibly easy to buy off…not with money, just attention

Key_Suspect_588

0 | 36 minutes ago

Bill still listed doc as one of the worst coaches in a recent pod at least. He knows he isn’t credible if he’s a complete homer

Think_Monk_9879

21 | 7 hours ago

I actually think it’s even crazier he has Rich Paul on his network. He’s criticized LeBron and Klutch a lot in the past. And now he’s just like friends with Rich Paul

EverybodyBuddy | Lakers

11 | 6 hours ago

Bill Simmons and Rich Paul have a shared passion of shitting on the Lakers.

gyrin | Grizzlies

1 | 6 hours ago

I agree, Bill would praise LeBron but always have that like backhanded kind of “yeah but” type of energy to him sometimes. So it is kinda wild how he had Rich Paul on the pod a bit ago 😬

Classic Celtics homer. Love his pod and the guests he brings on, just don’t always agree with his takes lol

genius-baby

2 | 6 hours ago

Politicians that debate on human rights issues can be friends behind the scenes. It’s not hard to understand how people who differ on sports opinions can get along

gyrin | Grizzlies

0 | 6 hours ago

Thank you u/genius-baby

moby323 | 76ers

3 | 3 hours ago

Tbf he often adds the disclaimer openly on his show about he hates the lakers.

Which I don’t mind. I think it’s unfair to want a host who is passionate about basketball (which he is) and then ask them “OK but you aren’t allowed to have any biases, you can’t hate or love any team or players”

Otherwise the result is the bozos who don’t actually give a shit about basketball on ESPN.

Think_Monk_9879

1 | 6 hours ago

Not just on the pod. Rich Paul has his own podcast on his network

sharkysharky-

9 | 7 hours ago

That NBA is such a weird league to me lmao these guys play basketball all day and then when basketball ends they immediately want to talk about it.

And they talk about it very similar to how fans talk lmao

Like Melo will joke about Dirk being the ultimate phonebooth guy. Like brother YOU are Carmelo MFing Anthony.

Him even ackowleging phone booth is hilarious to me

gyrin | Grizzlies

2 | 7 hours ago

I agree, it’s so strange with the discourse. I follow some of the NBA podcasts, I’ve played hoops my whole life basically so I know my Xs/Os and the game. Stuff like ESPN.. (first take) I ignore that trash

dae5oty

2 | 6 hours ago

They play for like a couple of hours max lol.

LemonButterRum

5 | 7 hours ago

what kind of wholesome doc rivers shit is this?

clayfu | Clippers

6 | 7 hours ago

All cause of Isiah Thomas! They told the story. They were all in Vegas. And Isiah Thomas made them squash the beef

EverybodyBuddy | Lakers

1 | 6 hours ago

And one very important title.

rusty512 | Pistons

5 | 5 hours ago

It’s the Doc effect, the dude must just be an absolute genius when it comes to certain relationships he actually cares about

gyrin | Grizzlies

2 | 5 hours ago

Master manipulator doc lol

Willie13eaman

3 | 3 hours ago

Probably helps he’s not Boston’s coach

Icy_Marsupial7560

2 | 7 hours ago

that was for work

macarolls

2 | 6 hours ago

Its just so wholesome they are buddies now.

I am a fan of Bill Simmons for more than 20 years now, way back his ESPN Page 2 days. And as much as I love Bill, he can be extremely petty, especially when it comes to his favorite teams.

Happy for Doc as well. I am not a fan of him as a coach. But he is an incredible person with lots of good stories and humor. I think he should step away from coaching, may be forever, and just do media. He is good at it, despite his iconic voice!

fingerslickingood

2 | 3 hours ago

Plus 1 here.

I still can’t find the OG Paedef Isle pod with Corolla.

There was an initial one and then they did a rehashed one. Lives rent free in my head.

Thought you might know or have it saved as an OG from Page 2/BS Report days ?

TheGoldenDog

2 | 6 hours ago

Didn’t they even have a falling out on screen / radio at one point?

gyrin | Grizzlies

1 | 6 hours ago

Yeah good shout! I think I should rewatch that secretbase YouTube video of their beef history 😂

I can’t remember off the top of my head, but I think there was some drama for sure

politicians_are_evil

1 | 5 hours ago

This could be end of Doc’s coaching career and he probably is eager to talk about it.

Working_Image_3176

1 | 4 hours ago

The beef between them back in the day was genuinely entertaining to follow. Bill would eviscerate Doc’s rotations in his columns and Doc clearly wasn’t happy about it. That’s what makes the friendship era so funny to me now. Sports media and the people they cover going full circle like this happens more than people realize but this one is particularly wild given how personal it got at times.

Visible-Chest-9386

1 | 3 hours ago

I found him insufferable on the pod last time. Talking about how nobody is asking Giannis for his side in the whole trade drama. What do you mean? The guy has mikes in his face all the time, nobody is asking him straight up where if he wants to leave the Bucks or stay??

Creative_Parsnip_385 | Warriors

1 | an hour ago

Doing the pod is so much easier than coaching. Doc needs to be busy, but not head coach busy.

sudvicious

1 | 23 minutes ago

Why hate the human. You can be critical of their work, but maybe he is a fantastic human. Especially over a sport. If he is no longer the coach of your favorite team, then why hold onto a grudge.

Move on, share a beer. The world has bigger problems to deal with than podcast host critic vs coach.

capta2k

0 | 4 hours ago

Bill reversed course on Doc more than 15 years ago when the PP/KG/Ray Allen Celtics won their ring.

Why is it hard to believe Doc is friends with someone who has been on his side since the beginning of the Obama administration?

-wearetheworld-

-2 | 6 hours ago

losers tends to get together very well

Isn’t it kinda nuts how Bill Simmons has become friends with Doc Rivers?