A veteran of the National Basketball Association (NBA), Doc Rivers has accepted an offer from the Milwaukee Bucks to take over as head coach following the dismissal of Adrian Griffin on Tuesday.
After 43 games, the Bucks dismissed first-year head coach Griffin and said that they were “working immediately” to find their new coach. According to CNN, Griffin joined the team in June 2023.
Despite having one of the best records in the league, Griffin’s termination was a “difficult decision to make during the season,” according to a statement released by Bucks general manager Jon Horst.
According to ESPN, which cited unidentified sources, Rivers, an analyst for ESPN, had been in talks regarding the coaching position for the team.
Prior to joining ESPN as an analyst, Rivers spent three seasons as the 76ers’ coach.
President of Basketball Operations with the Sixers at the time, Rivers was referred to as “one of the most successful coaches in NBA history.”
The Bucks also appointed Rivers, a 24-year NBA head coach, as an informal mentor to Griffin.
Shaquille O’Neal, the NBA legend, expressed his happiness for Doc.
“Yes, he has won championships. He has dealt with celebrities and well-known people before,” O’Neal remarked. “For so long, he’s just been surviving off that one championship so I would like to see him get another one.”
Rivers disclosed last year that he tells his players at the start of every coaching season, “I am human and I’m going to do my best, but I’m going to make some mistakes here.”
