Doc Rivers' Remarks on Which Jersey Clippers Should Retire First Miss the Mark

The Los Angeles Clippers remain the only organization in the NBA without a retired jersey number. Despite constant calls by the fanbase about honoring some of the franchise greats, the Clippers have yet to hang a Clippers jersey to the rafters at the Intuit Dome. When Doc Rivers came to LA on Monday as the Bucks head coach, he was naturally asked about what he thinks about the subject. The ex-Clippers head coach had a surprising answer that entirely missed the mark.

Doc Rivers says first two Clippers jerseys that should be retired are former Braves MVP Bob McAdoo and DeAndre Jordan, then everyone else after
— Law Murray 🕯️ (@LawMurrayTheNU) March 24, 2026

Doc Rivers Is Wrong About Whose Jersey the Clippers Should Retire

Rivers said he believes that Bob McAdoo should be the first name in the rafters, and added, "I have a sentimental second...DeAndre Jordan. Those would be my first two. And then Blake, and everyone else after that." When asked why he thinks Jordan is ahead of some of the other greats, Rivers responded, "He was the first one. He never left...He has done everything that you should do. He marked every box that you should mark. And he was a Clipper, he still identifies as that," per Clippers insider Tomer Azarly, via The Athletic's Law Murray.

As one of the most decorated head coaches in franchise history, what Rivers has to say certainly carries some weight. He led the Clippers to four straight 50-win seasons and made the playoffs six out of his seven years in charge. His stint was one of the most successful eras of Clippers basketball before it was eclipsed by Ty Lue's tenure over the last six years.

Yet, Rivers' comments about whose jersey should be retired first make little sense. Yes, McAdoo is the only Clipper ever to win an MVP. He is clearly one of the best players to play for the organization, even if it was named the Buffalo Braves at the time. Yet, McAdoo's time with the franchise lasted less than five years, and it consisted of three second-round exits in a row and no 50-win seasons.

It's hard to argue that McAdoo had a bigger impact on the Clippers franchise than Blake Griffin or Chris Paul. Lob City put Clippers basketball on the map, not only as a relevant franchise that is a destination for stars, but also one that can compete for the top of the Western Conference year in and year out. They played and won more games for the Clippers, both in the regular season and the playoffs.

It seems like Rivers is giving more credit for the modern-era Clippers' success to Jordan than Griffin or Paul. Even if we go by his logic that Jordan is more important because he never left and stayed a Clipper, this doesn't hold water, either. Jordan famously agreed to a four-year max deal with the Dallas Mavericks in the summer of 2015 before changing his mind and signing with the Clippers. Plus, it's not like Griffin and Paul signed elsewhere in free agency. Both players were traded by the Clippers.

Jordan was an important member of the Clippers. He was one of the better centers in the league, but was nowhere near the force that the CP3-Griffin partnership was. There is no one more associated with the Clippers than Paul and Griffin. The organization retiring anyone else's jersey before one of the two would be malpractice.