After helping the Philadelphia 76ers reach the Eastern Conference Semifinals each of the past three seasons, Doc Rivers was fired just days after the team was eliminated from the playoffs. Rivers helped the Sixers win more games each season he was there, but when it came to postseason success, the 76ers strived for more.
Rivers remained unhired in the 2023 NBA head coach hiring cycle, so he returned to the media world, where the former NBA Coach of the Year worked with ESPN. Then, suddenly, the Milwaukee Bucks made a rare in-season coaching change, despite having a 30-13 and being one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Days later, an announcement came that Rivers was taking over for Adrian Griffin, effective immediately.
Yet, reports have since suggested that Rivers received several other head coaching offers after being let go from the 76ers, so why now? What made Rivers want to take over the Bucks, especially knowing the challenge of doing so mid-season?
Doc Rivers: Milwaukee Bucks one of eight teams capable of winning NBA Finals
Days after making the Doc Rivers hiring official, the Milwaukee Bucks introduced their new head coach to the media, where the former NBA champion made plenty of interesting remarks.
As mentioned, Rivers says several teams reached out to him about taking over head coaching duties, but he wasn’t interested. Yet, none of those offers came from the Bucks.
Milwaukee holds a special place in the heart of Rivers, who starred at nearby Marquette, became an All-American, and eventually had his jersey retired, where it still hangs in the rafters at Fiserv Forum.
Plus, having a couple of superstars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard surely didn’t hurt the Bucks’ chances of getting the coach they wanted.
“You know the answer. Giannis, Dame. Really, that’s the answer. Like, you look at their team. What is it, eight teams that have a legitimate shot [at a championship]? And I don’t know if it’s that high, but the Bucks are one of them, right?”
Doc Rivers on why the Milwaukee Bucks offer was unique
While Rivers mentioned his excitement for coaching the Bucks, with all their talent, he also highlighted the difficulties related to starting a job that someone else couldn’t finish.
“The other thing is the way they’re built with the veterans and their grown-ups. I thought that if you’re going to jump into this at this time of the year, this would be a type of group that you have the best opportunity to connect and change the quickest.”
“I’ve never done this. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, I can tell you that, just from the day-and-a-half,” Rivers said. “It’s going to be a challenge. It’s a challenge that I’m running towards. We’ve got to get organized quickly. Can’t try to do too much too soon. We’re in the middle of a season, so we’ve got to try to keep our rhythm.
Rivers has already won one NBA championship when he coached the Boston Celtics’ Big 3 in 2008, so he says he doesn’t really have anything to prove, yet “he likes winning.” If he can do enough of that in Milwaukee, he’ll become a legend for the Bucks too.
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