Doc Rivers passed George Karl on the all-time NBA coaching wins list

The Milwaukee Bucks‘ 123-113 time beat the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night carried weight far above the pecking order. Doc The effective return of Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee’s injury to a second straight win, the result also marked a historic milestone for the head coach Doc Rivers.

With the win, Rivers recorded 1,176. career NBA head coaching win, officially passing longtime legendary coach George Karl for sixth on the all-time regular season wins list. The Bucks acknowledged the achievement shortly after the final buzzer.

“Congratulations to Doc Rivers on moving into sixth place on the NBA’s all-time wins list for coaches,” the Milwaukee Bucks posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Congratulations to Doc Rivers for moving into sixth place on the NBA’s all-time coaching wins list. pic.twitter.com/iIKSPMFNCU1

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 30, 2025

Rivers’ milestone comes during his 27th season as an NBA head coach and his third year at the helm of the Bucks. His career wins span multiple franchises including championship success with the Boston Celtics in 2008along with long stints with the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, and now Milwaukee. Notably, Rivers is currently the only active head coach in the NBA’s top 10 for career wins.

Despite the historic nature of the moment, Rivers conceded after a game he was not aware of achievements until it was brought to his attention.

“Yeah, I had no idea. It’s nice. I don’t know who I passed, I don’t know any of that,” Rivers said in the postgame press conference following the win in Charlotte.

Once informed that he had passed Karl, Rivers was quick to deflect the praise and highlight the people around him throughout his career.

“Oh, wow. George is a hell of a coach, one of the best of all time. I’m just happy,” Rivers said. “I had a great coach. Honestly, I had some of the best coaches as assistant coaches, from Ty Lue to Tom Thibodeau and all the guys I have on my staff now.”

The milestone comes during a turbulent season for Milwaukee, which is 14-19 but has now won three of its last four games. However, Rivers credits the players he’s coached for nearly three decades.

“And, you know, what I had was really high-character players,” Rivers added. “I’ve had teams that didn’t have stars in them that made the playoffs, and that’s more than character. So, I’ve been lucky. I’ve had a lot of good guys.”

With Antetokounmpo returning In form and with the Bucks closing in on the Eastern Conference playoff picture, Rivers’ historic night could serve as a stabilizing moment as the team looks to build momentum into the new year.