Doc Rivers slammed Glen Davis for complaining about role changes in 2010: “I think he’s living up to his nickname” originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Since joining the league in 2007, Glen Davis served as a utility big man for the Boston Celtics, usually without complaint.
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But by the start of the 2010–11 season, the Louisiana native had reached his limit. Frustrated by the constant role changes, he spoke out publicly.
Hearing Davis’ comments, then-Celtics head coach Doc Rivers wasn’t amused. Never one to hold back, the 2000 COY fired right back.
Boston’s big men shuffle
Heading into the season, optimism was high in Boston. During the offseason, the front office had added Shaquille O’Neal — past his prime but still a proven champion — and Jermaine O’Neal, a six-time All-Star and former Most Improved Player.
As these veteran big men joined Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo, Celtics Nation buzzed with excitement, even though not everyone embraced the shifting roster.
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Davis, in particular, felt sidelined and left in the dark.
“It’s difficult because, as a player, you kind of don’t understand where [the organization is] going or what they are doing. No matter what I do — I can play great — it’s still not enough,” said the former LSU Tiger.
Big Baby had been here before. Just a season earlier, he recalled, the Celtics had added another frontcourt player, Rasheed Wallace, ultimately forcing him to adjust his role and essentially “become a center.”
Now, with the roster shifting again, Davis was left in limbo.
“I don’t know. Do I become a [power forward]? Do I go back to playing the 4? We’ll see,” he said, revealing a clear gap in communication.
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Role debate
It’s worth noting that the C’s greatly benefited from Davis’ versatility, especially during the 2008-09 postseason when he stepped up for an injured Kevin Garnett.
Still, that didn’t excuse the 2004 McDonald’s All-American from openly expressing his frustrations — something Rivers seemed unimpressed by.
“I think he’s living up to [his Big Baby] nickname. I didn’t even hear it; someone just told me. I’m not that concerned,” he said dismissively.
The now Milwaukee Bucks head coach didn’t seem eager to dwell on the topic, noting that Davis’ role had been defined long ago.
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“Let me put it like this: If Baby doesn’t know his role by now, he’s going to be sitting down a lot,” said Doc. “I’ll just leave it that simple.”
If it wasn’t clear before, Rivers — a 1988 NBA All-Star — made it obvious with his following remark that he found the whole discussion tiresome.
“I’ve told him that before: His role has been the same for three years now. It’s the same. I think he likes us talking about him. That’s Glen,” he said.
When asked if he’d talked with the player, the now 63-year-old replied, “No, I’m not even worried about Glen Davis.”
Overall, both sides had valid points.
Davis was in a contract year and naturally wanted clarity on his playing time. Meanwhile, Rivers had bigger priorities and little patience for managing a role player’s expectations.
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In the end, Big Baby played 78 games that season, starting 13, showing he got his chances, making the offseason back-and-forth, in hindsight, seem unnecessary.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.