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Much to the chagrin of fans of teams that he’s coached over the last decade, legendary NBA head coach Doc Rivers is very likely bound for the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts one day. But for as much as Rivers is known for his coaching, for better or worse, he’s also known for his iconic voice, which has distinct gravelly sound to it.
But what most fans may not know is that Rivers had a history of health problems with his throat which caused his voice to sound the way that it does.
Doc Rivers’ Iconic Gravelly Voice Is Due In Part To A Surgery On His Throat
Rivers had surgery while he was coaching the Boston Celtics in 2011 to remove a mass that had grown in his throat.
“I had surgery when I was with the Celtics. They found a polyp and they had to do surgery on my vocal cord, which is for a coach very dangerous, because one bad move … you have no voice. Our players would loooove that,” the Milwaukee Bucks head coach told media members on Wednesday.”
Now he says that he must return to the doctors amid some growing concern over the status of his voice.
“It’s funny. My throat guy called me and said, it’s time for evaluation,” Rivers said. “…He actually called me said he heard something, so we’ll get it checked out. Maybe I was yelling too much – may be the message in there.”
Rivers had had a bizarre NBA coaching career. He was the NBA Coach of the Year with the Orlando Magic in 2000 and won his first and only championship in 2008 with the Celtics. But he’s struggled to replicate that success in recent years.
However, regardless of his on-court success, Rivers’ is a valued member of not only the basketball community, but also the communities he lives in. He does a significant amount of charity work and is politically active. So regardless of what anybody thinks of his coaching, we hope that his next check comes up clear and that he doesn’t face any further significant health concerns.