Doc Rivers Knicks PG (1992-1994)
While Doc Rivers's stint in New York was brief, he may have the best resume for the job on our list. If you think Doc is tough as a coach, yelling so hard he had to have surgery on his vocal cords, that's nothing compared to his playing days.
Before getting to New York, Rivers was famously seen picking up his own teeth, which had been knocked out after an elbow during an exhibition game with the Atlanta Hawks. He didn't stay down, he didn't ask for a timeout, he picked up his teeth like a few loose chicklets, tossed them to his bench, and ran down the floor to get back on D.
Drafted late in the second round, Doc had to scratch and claw for everything in the NBA, and he brought that same teeth-tossing tenacity to the Knicks. Don't forget when he dove for a loose ball and split his chin wide open, either.
Toughness from on the court followed to the coaches' room by winning the 2000 NBA Coach of the Year, two NBA titles, and securing bench boss status spanning over 15 years.
Doc is also a seasoned broadcaster and analyst, having worked with TNT, ABC, and ESPN. A lunchbox guy like Rivers would be a great fact-checker sitting next to Reggie.
