Doc Rivers argues that he put the Clippers on the map: ‘I left [the organization] a place of destination’

The Philadelphia 76ers are set to take on the Los Angeles Clippers in California on Friday, and that’s given Doc Rivers a chance to reflect on his time with the Clippers.

Rivers, who is now the head coach of the 76ers, spent seven seasons with the Clippers from 2013 until 2020. Although he was never able to lead L.A. to an NBA title, he did accomplish a lot during his time with the organization.

It seems like Rivers is proud of that. He recently said that he feels as though he was able to mold the Clippers into a “destination” spot.

“Listen, I was with this organization for [seven] years,” Rivers said. “But a lot happened in that [seven] years. I left [the organization] a place of destination.”

Rivers explained that “no one wanted to play for the Clippers” in the past. That certainly doesn’t seem like the case anymore.

“We were the laughingstock,” he said. “No one wanted to play for the Clippers. We heard all of that. If there’s a free-agent war versus the [Los Angeles] Lakers, don’t try.”

Rivers stated that he’ll always be proud of how far the Clippers came under his leadership.

“That’s something that I will always be proud of,” he said of the organization’s transformation. “The Clippers now are in the NBA, and I feel like I played a major part in that.”

It’s nice to hear that Rivers thinks fondly of his time with the Clippers. Although he’s moved on, it seems like he’ll always have a place in his heart for the organization.

This season, Rivers’ focus is on leading the 76ers to the 2022 NBA title. The team certainly has the talent to get the job done, as Philly boasts two superstars in Joel Embiid and James Harden.

As for the Clippers, they’re in an interesting spot. On the surface, L.A. doesn’t look like a title contender with its 36-38 record. However, it seems like there’s at least a chance that the team is going to get Paul George and Kawhi Leonard back in time for the playoffs, and if that happens, it’ll be anyone’s guess as to how far the squad can go.