Doc Rivers reveals fascinating story detailing how his real name 'Glen' got swapped to iconic moniker 'Doc'

After losing the head coach position of the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2023 offseason, following a disappointing second-round exit in the postseason, Doc Rivers is back coaching again, this time for the Milwaukee Bucks. Interestingly, Rivers revealed that he wasn't originally called "Doc" and instead had the first name "Glen."

During an interview on the "Sloane Knows Podcast," Rivers shared how he got his current nickname back when he was still playing for a basketball camp at Marquette. From how everything unfolded, it seems the Bucks coach grew fond of the "Doc" nickname as the years went on.

"I was a freshman in high school at a basketball camp," Rivers said. "I had a picture of Dr. J on my t-shirt. Al McGuire, the legendary coach, was sitting next to Rick Majerus. ... Back then pro teams would come in and play in front of the kids. ... They only had nine guys and Al McGuire says, 'Hey Doc, can you come out?" He said it three times..."

Back then, Dr. Julius Erving was one of the most electric basketball players to step on the court. With Rivers standing out to Al McGuire and Rick Majerus during the camp due to his skill set, his T-shirt featuring the iconic athlete made him all the more memorable.

Despite "Doc" not being Rivers' actual first name, it was enough for him to be called upon by his former coach when they needed someone to step up for the team, regardless of whether he forgot his name.

Aside from "Doc" being a catchy name, it also has a significant meaning and memory to Rivers, which he still remembers.

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Doc Rivers considered dropping the name "Doc" back when he was still coaching the Philadelphia 76ers

Speaking with NBC Sports Philadelphia's Noah Levick, Doc Rivers strongly considered dropping the name "Doc" out of respect for the Philadelphia 76ers legend Julius Erving.

"I'm Glenn with you," Rivers said, "and I'm fine with that, because I actually agree with that. There's only one Doc in town."

Originally, the NBA legend got his nickname from a high school friend who would call him "The Doctor" when they were growing up together. The nickname stood out as Julius Erving brought it with him on the professional stage as something the fans can refer to him as.

Moreover, during one of the instances that Doc Rivers got to interact with the NBA legend, instead of introducing himself by his usual name, Rivers simply referred to his original name. However, Erving proceeded to call him by his nickname, which became a highlight moment for Rivers moving forward.

Additionally, Doc Rivers commended the type of person that Julius Erving was for that interaction he had with him, as not every individual will respond in the same manner during that situation, as per NBC Sports Philadelphia's Noah Levick.