Following his departure from the Philadelphia 76ers last month, former head coach Doc Rivers recently opened up about his experience coaching star player James Harden. Rivers, who led the Sixers for three seasons, reflected on the complexities of integrating Harden's unique playing style into the team's dynamic during an appearance on "The Bill Simmons Podcast."

Harden, acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in February 2022, transitioned from his role as primary ball-handler and scorer with the Houston Rockets to a more facilitating role in Philadelphia, complementing superstar Joel Embiid. While this shift ultimately benefited the team, Rivers admitted that guiding Harden through this adjustment presented its difficulties. He described the experience as "challenging," acknowledging the conflict between Harden's established playing style and the team's strategic approach.

Rivers emphasized the need for ball movement and sharing, which differed from Harden's accustomed approach. He suggested that coaching a younger Harden might have yielded different results, as adapting to this style of play can be physically demanding and requires a shift in mindset. Rivers also expressed that he would have enjoyed the opportunity to work with Harden earlier in his career when such transitions might have been easier to implement.

Reflecting on the Sixers' Game 6 loss to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Rivers highlighted the team's failure to consistently get the ball to Embiid, even when plays were designed to do so. He acknowledged that Embiid wasn't having his best game, but emphasized the importance of continuing to rely on a star player, drawing a comparison to the Celtics' approach with Jayson Tatum, who also struggled in that game.