Doc Rivers shared some insights into how he would approach the roster headache that is Team USA at the 2024 Olympics. "It's twofold. Number one, no coach is ever going to complain about having a lot of talent. That's number one. Then once the coach gets all that talent, he's going to start complaining about having too much talent. That's how it works. It just does. To me, it's all about fit. Everyone wants to fit. They do. They come in, all that talent, and that becomes problematic because guys stop playing their game. So, you still want guys to be who they are, and you want that to all fit. LeBron, Steph Curry, they have so many guys that they're going to have to figure out the right 12. Instead of just the most talented 12, figure out the right 12," Rivers said.
Furthermore, Rivers revealed that he had been pushing Joel Embiid to declare for Team USA during his tenure with the Sixers. "The one thing they definitely need is size and rebounding, and Joel will fit that. Joel and I talked about it probably 10 times last year. I made no bones about telling him, you've got to play on the USA Olympic team. You knew he would, but he never shows his cards, if you know Joel, but he does. So that was not a surprise, his announcement. And I think he will be on it, obviously," Rivers added.
Rivers Picks Nuggets & Celtics As Title Favorites
Elsewhere during a wide-ranging press conference hosted by ESPN, Rivers also gave his picks for the title favorites in the upcoming NBA season. Rivers named the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics as his conference favorites for the upcoming NBA season. "Denver has to be the favorite. Aaron Gordon was such a good pickup for them and its one that not enough people talk about," Rivers said, "However, the West is wide open. They [Denver] will have old contenders, young contenders. Meanwhile, Boston lost Marcus Smart, they lost their best defensive players. And then they go and get probably the best defensive guard in the league. I think that makes them the favorite in the East."
Rivers joins the broadcast booth after parting ways with the Sixers at the end of last season. However, it's not Rivers' first time behind the mic. After leaving the Magic in 2003, Rivers joined ABC to call the 2004 Finals. Rivers will join veteran broadcasters Mike Breen and Doris Burke on the broadcast team for the 2023/24. However, he also confirmed at the ESPN press conference that he had made no long-term agreement with the network.