CNN
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NBA veteran Doc Rivers has accepted an offer from the Milwaukee Bucks to be the team's next coach, a source familiar with the conversations told CNN.
The Bucs fired first-year head coach Adrian Griffin on Tuesday after 43 games, saying they were “immediately working” to hire their next head coach. Griffin has been with the team since June 2023.
Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a statement that Griffin's firing was “a difficult offseason decision to make.”
CNN has reached out to Bucks for comment.
Rivers coached the Philadelphia 76ers for three seasons before the team announced it was parting ways with him last May following three Eastern Conference semifinal losses. At the time, the Sixers' president of basketball operations described Rivers as “one of the most successful coaches in NBA history.”
The 62-year-old has also served as head coach of the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics, leading them to an NBA championship in 2008.
when TNT's “NBA Inside” On Tuesday night, co-host Shaquille O'Neal said he was “happy for the talk.”
“He's got championship experience. He's got experience dealing with big-name guys, superstars,” O'Neal said. “For so long, he's been getting away with that one championship, so I'd like to see him get another championship.”
In an interview with CNN's Poppy Harlow in November, Rivers said he begins each practice season by telling his players, “I'm human and I'm going to do my best, but I'm going to make some mistakes here.”
Throughout her career, Rivers said, she's learned that being a teacher is a big part of her training.
“I got it wrong early in training. I thought you coached basketball. And then I realized, no, you train for life and that allows you to play better basketball,” he told Harlow.
Rivers explained that he believes that to be a champion, “you have to open your heart.”
“You have to step out. You have to take risks. You have to get out of your comfort zone. You have to give yourself to the team. … Get over yourself. When you do that, it all comes back to you,” he said.
The Bucks are tied for the second-best record in the NBA at 30-13 and will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
