Doc Rivers: Clippers organization was ‘horrendous’ when he arrived

Doc Rivers appeared on The Boardroom podcast and did not mince words on the state of the Clippers when he arrived.

When Doc Rivers was hired by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2013, the team was owned by Donald Sterling and plagued by its decades-long status as a punch-line — particularly compared to its Staples Center co-tenant, the Lakers.

Before heading west, Rivers spent nearly a decade working for a premier NBA organization, the Boston Celtics, coaching the team to its most recent title in 2008.

The Clippers are still searching for that first Finals appearance, but the franchise’s fortunes have dramatically shifted since Rivers arrived.

What did Doc Rivers have to say about the Clippers when started?

Rivers discussed his decision to join the Clippers during an appearance on The Boardroom’s “Out of Office” podcast on Wednesday. Ultimately, Rivers was in the mood for a change of scenery.

“I’d been in Boston for nine years, and could have stayed,” Rivers told host Rich Kleiman, noting that he still talks to Celtics GM Danny Ainge on a weekly basis. “I needed to try something else. And there were like three or four jobs opening, but the Clippers were good. They had talent. But their organization was a mess. It was losingest franchise in the history of sports and their owner was nuts. And I went in there thinking, because my ego was probably way too big…‘If I can turn this around…this is the challenge that I need.’”

The team had All-Stars in tow, but the organizational incompetence immediately jarred Rivers.

“Even though I had the talent of Chris [Paul] and Blake [Griffin] and DJ [DeAndre Jordan]…[after]…a week in that organization, I literally said ‘Oh my God.’ I called my agent…and said ‘Man, I don’t know how I’m going to survive this, I don’t know what’s going to happen here, but this organization is horrendous.’”

Fortunately for the Clippers, Rivers stayed on the job and helped spearhead the turnaround. His steady leadership has been crucial as the franchise has undergone a complete renovation, beginning with the lifetime ban imposed on Sterling in 2014, leading to the sale of the team to Steve Ballmer.

Since the Microsoft CEO took over in Aug. 2014, the franchise has revamped its infrastructure, roster, and culture. Now, seven seasons in to Rivers’ tenure, the Clippers boast one of the league’s most respected front offices, deepest teams (featuring two major stars in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George), and championship expectations.

Oh, and they’ll be getting their own arena, soon.