The Milwaukee Bucks are standing second in the Eastern Conference and for the season they are 31-13. The Bucks have recently fired their head coach Adrian Griffin and in his place, they have appointed the new head coach to lead the squad, Doc Rivers.
The Milwaukee Bucks have dismissed head coach Adrian Griffin. pic.twitter.com/6PUgCnyuIi
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 23, 2024
BREAKING: Doc Rivers is finalizing an agreement to become the next coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN. The Bucks are getting the coach they targeted over the past 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/SP16vhYJDP
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 24, 2024
They played their first game under Rivers against the Cleveland Cavaliers and defeated the squad with a concluding score of 126-116. According to Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Giannis Antetokounmpo was asked about his feelings towards the former head coach as he had supported Griffin.
During Giannis Antetokounmpo's postgame press conference tonight, @LoriNickel asked Giannis if Bucks coach Adrian Griffin getting dismissed felt any different to him because he was involved in the hiring process of Griffin.
Here is Antetokounmpo's four-minute response: pic.twitter.com/pDfavTIJcM
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) January 25, 2024
Antetokounmpo through his message clearly states that he is not the one who is making decisions and has also expressed his opinions on the rapidly changing aspects of this league.
Another MVP performance from Giannis.
35 PTS | 18 REB | 10 AST | 2 BLK pic.twitter.com/MlQEcC3G9t
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 25, 2024
The NBA champion shared via EuroHoops, “This is the thing that I don’t like about the NBA. It’s a crazy business. Yesterday, Coach Griff was our head coach. Today, he’s not. And we walk in there, and it’s like he was never here. I don’t like that about the NBA, and I speak openly about it. But I understand it. It’s business. People being traded, people being waived, people have to change their whole lives just like that”.
Giannis Antetokounmpo says he loved Adrian Griffin
“I loved the guy. I invited him to my wedding, talked with him, and was coached by him. We did very, very, very well.” pic.twitter.com/mz5bE4Iz7Z
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 25, 2024
Antetokounmpo also cleared the air that surrounded him regarding the firing of the head coach Griffin and he expressed, “People are creating a narrative that’s not accurate. Like, “Oh, he did not have a good relationship with Griff.” False. I loved the guy. I invited him to my wedding, you know? I talked with him. I was coached by him, and we did very, very, very well.”
“In a position like that, you have to understand that when somebody’s being hired, at times the GM might come and ask, “What do you think about that?” “What do you think about this?” or whatever, and not just me, players, people that he trusts their advice. But at times, they make it seem like it’s the players that are making the decision, and this guy got traded because he wanted him, but like, no. I have a job. My job is to be the best version that I can be and try to lead this team to win games.”
Bucks under Adrian Griffin:
— 30-13 record
— 2nd in East
— 1st in Offense
— 2nd in PPG
— 5th in 3PM
— 3rd in FG%And they fired him👀 pic.twitter.com/qUsjvtN4KM
— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) January 23, 2024
“Like, that is why I get paid. I don’t get paid to change people’s lives and make people uncomfortable. I get paid to defend, and block shots, and I try to stick to that as much as I can. Because I understand that I don’t like that aspect of it. And there are people who get paid a lot of money to make those decisions, and those decisions are hard. And I also gotta respect Jon (Horst). Because it’s hard. It’s not easy. But again, me personally, I don’t want to be involved in that. I don’t like that.”
“Have I been in a position to be asked, “What do you think about that?” or “What do you think about this?” Yeah, many times. But I was not involved in the hiring of Coach Griff. I talked with him the same way I talked with Coach Bud.”
“But nobody said I was involved, you know, in hiring Coach Bud because I was a kid. But of course, they asked, “What do you think about this guy?” “I think he’s a great guy. He looks like a good guy to me.” “What do you think about Coach Griff?” Everybody, they’re good people. But ultimately, I don’t make that decision. I wish I did, you know? I wish I did. But I don’t. I really, I really don’t. I just try to stick with basketball.”
