In 2008, he moved to his native Savannah, Georgia, where he had led the Beach High School basketball team to three state titles.

[3] Rivers later said that he chose the school, despite the snow and ice, in part because the Midwest promoter for the Harlem Globetrotters lived in St. Joseph, Missouri.

[14][3] Both "Clown Prince" Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal praised his natural talent,[14] while Tex Harrison later recalled that Rivers "was doing things it takes other players four or five years to be accomplished at.

[11] Rivers led tryouts during the Globetrotters' nationwide search for one or two female players to perform alongside the men for the first time in their 60-year history.

[20] The team also featured other former Globetrotters such as Curly Neal, Jerry "Lovebug" Venable, and former NBA star Pete Maravich.

[21][22] Rivers and the team were invited to the White House, where they announced the start of their 1986 Commitment With a Purpose Tour and their support of First Lady Nancy Reagan's campaign encouraging children to "Just Say No" to drugs.

[22][23] By January 1987, Rivers had signed with a new team called Basketball Magic, along with six other former Harlem Globetrotters, Louis "Sweet Lou" Dunbar, Jimmy Blacklock, Ovie Dotson, Osborne Lockhart, Billy Ray Hobbley, and Robert "Baby Face" Page.

[26] In March 1996, Rivers became owner and manager of the Paris Club, a nightclub on Felix Street in downtown St. Joseph featuring both DJ and live music, which he ran with his then-wife Rita.

[32] In 2020, Rivers ran as a Republican for Chatham County Commission District 2 in Georgia and was declared the technical winner after Democratic candidate Tony Riley was disqualified due to a past felony conviction.

[34] According to Chatham County Commission chairman Chester A. Ellis, "As a Commissioner, his passion was ensuring that residents have food security and improving quality of life.

[6] His memorial service at St. Paul CME Church in Savannah was attended by hundreds who paid tribute to his dedication to their city, his advocacy of community basketball courts, and his mission to help young people succeed.

[35] On May 12, the Chatham County Commission appointed his wife Jean Brown Rivers to fill his seat until a special election could be held on September 19.