Joel Embiid’s Upset Reaction To Doc Rivers’ Firing
Joel Embiid’s Upset Reaction To Doc Rivers’ Firing
The Philadelphia 76ers fired head coach Doc Rivers this past week following his latest disappointing playoff run.
Despite being up 3-2 over the Boston Celtics at one point in the second round, Rivers’ team once again found a way to blow that advantage.
In the aftermath, James Harden made it known that he no longer wanted to play for Rivers. And with his free agency looming, it became clear that Philly would have to make a choice.
That is precisely what ended up happening.
Unfortunately, not everyone was happy about Rivers’ departure.
As noted by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Joel Embiid expressed to team president Daryl Morey how upset he was about Rivers getting fired.
“He was very close with coach Rivers and, yeah, he was shocked about the change,” Morey said.
“It’s my job to help convince him that the new coach is someone that he’ll have a great relationship with as well.”
Rivers, for his part, took the exit in stride.
“I really enjoyed my time in Philadelphia — what a great city,” he said in a statement.
“I want to start by thanking my staff, the players, and the ownership group for their support. We got a lot done in a short amount of time. I’d also like to thank the 76ers fans.
“Whew…you guys are tough, and I think you’ve learned I’m tough too. I absolutely love your commitment to the city and its teams — never lose that. I wanted, just as badly as you, to bring another championship to Philadelphia. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to lead, to learn, and to love this great city.”
It will be interesting to see where all parties involved go from here.
The photos speak for themselves. https://t.co/31P9r9SGjV
— Game 7 (@game7__) May 18, 2023
Rivers has expressed a desire to continue coaching, but it’s hard to see what championship contender would be willing to add someone who has flopped in the playoffs as consistently as he has.
It is similarly difficult to see him heading up a young team.
As for the Sixers, their coaching search will likely involve big names like Monty Williams, Mike Budenholzer and Frank Vogel. Who they will ultimately hire remains to be seen, but whoever it ends up being will likely need to get an endorsement from Embiid to secure the job.
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Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
