No matter what your opinion is on the man, or the coach, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers has seen a thing or two when it comes to the NBA.

In his third year in Milwaukee, and 27th season as an NBA head coach, he has coached more than 2,000 games, and hundreds of players.

In 2008, he coached a Boston Celtics team with three Hall of Famers – Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen – to the NBA championship, which makes his comments last night carry that much more weight.

Before last night’s 139-122 Sixers win over Rivers’ Bucks, Doc was asked about his former star player, Joel Embiid, and his resurgence after dealing with yet another injury.

“You know, it’s funny, it’s like Groundhog Day, you know, it really is,” said Rivers. “I was telling a very, very, very Hall of Fame player that I coached that Joel is the most talented player that I ever coached. And he was like, ‘What?’ And I was like, ‘He is, you know, it’s the things that you guys see and then the things you actually don’t see in practice sometimes that he can do. It’s incredible, it really is.’”

“Unfortunately for me, I never had him healthy once in the playoffs,” he continued. “He wasn’t healthy last year; he wasn’t healthy the year before. You know, that’s five years straight, I think. And if he ever gets to the playoffs healthy, especially with, they’ve added some big pieces here. They’re gonna be a dangerous team, but it’s all gonna come down to that. And nothing’s changed.”

“Joel’s the most-talented player I ever coached.”

Former Sixers head coach Doc Rivers reflects on his time coaching Joel Embiid and how dangerous the Sixers can be if he remains healthy. pic.twitter.com/nNjVS7PjAY

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 28, 2026

Considering all the players Rivers has coached – he currently has 2-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo on his roster! – these are mighty words from a coach who has roamed a sideline for more than a third of the NBA’s actual existence.

Not counting Giannis, or the Celtics’ “Big 3” in 2008, here is a list of players Doc Rivers has had on his rosters:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Shaquille O’Neal, Grant Hill, Patrick Ewing, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Kawhi Leonard, Tracy McGrady, James Harden, Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, Sam Cassell, Stephon Marbury, and Blake Griffin.

All told, Rivers has coached nine players who made the Hall of Fame (for now), and six total MVP awards, aside from Embiid’s.

Rivers and Embiid didn’t enjoy much playoff success in their three seasons together, but perhaps this year can be different.

But you can’t help but wonder how the Greek Freak feels about all this.