Rivers was hired by the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night to replace Adrian Griffin, who was fired on Tuesday after just 43 games.
Marquette University, where Rivers played from 1980 to 1983, owns the same arena as the Milwaukee Bucks and has retired Rivers’ No. 31 college jersey.
“This is a great opportunity to come to a first-class organization with a team that has a talented roster of high-character players,” Rivers said in a statement released by the team.
In the last seconds of their 112-100 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Bucks made the announcement. A press conference is scheduled to introduce Rivers.
Bucks forward Bobby Portis stated, “I spoke with him today, and he’s on board with us and knows that the expectations of this team are really high.” I think he is ready for it.
This change signifies a significant departure from previous head coaching practices.
Despite having 16 seasons of experience as an assistant coach, Griffin had never held the position of head coach before being hired by the Bucks last summer.
In 2008, Rivers and the Boston Celtics won an NBA championship, and he has nearly twenty-five years of experience as a head coach.
Rivers has a 1,097–763 regular season record and 111–104 playoff mark in 24 seasons with the Orlando Magic (1999–2004), Celtics (2004–13), Los Angeles Clippers (2013–20), and Philadelphia 76ers (2020–). Is the owner of. 23).
He is one win away from Larry Brown for the eighth-most in NBA history with 1,097 regular-season victories.
“Great voice,” Portis said. “Someone obviously who’s had success in this league, who has respect in this league. Big-name coach. Top-15 coach of all-time. I can go on and on.”
For the last two games, Joe Prunty, an assistant on Griffin’s staff, had led the Bucks in an acting capacity..
Taking over a team that has seven-time All-NBA guard Damian Lillard and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo gives Rivers a chance to accomplish what has eluded him since leaving Boston: a deep postseason run
In the Eastern Conference rankings, Milwaukee is only behind the Boston Celtics; however, the Bucks’ schedule becomes considerably more difficult for the remainder of the season.
Rivers has an opportunity to put his recent postseason frustration behind him.
The 76ers fired him the previous season following their third consecutive postseason exit in the second round.Rivers’ teams haven’t reached the NBA Finals since the 2010 Celtics lost Game 7 to the Lakers. His teams, the 76ers and the Clippers, never advanced past the second round.
“I think it’s just the leadership that I think he can bring,” Bucks guard Pat Connaughton said. “He shares Griff’s past-player perspective, but he’s been at it for a long time and has championship experience.”
The primary task facing the Bucks is improving a defense that has regressed since they traded guard Jrue Holiday, a five-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection, for Lillard.
The Bucks dropped from fourth place in the previous season to 20th place entering Friday’s play.
“He talks about just being able to have that identity that we should have as the Milwaukee Bucks,” Connaughton said. The Bucks dropped from fourth place in the previous season to 20th You mention our team’s talent; teams ought to be a little more reluctant to play against us.
Considering how our defense has been performing lately and how we’ve been inconsistent in particular games—I know we have a fantastic record—I believe that right now. At home or away, I don’t think teams have been overly concerned about coming in and playing us.
Rivers never advanced with the Clippers or 76ers past the conference semifinals. He was fired as 76ers coach last year after three consecutive second-round exits.
“Obviously he has tons of experience,” center Brook Lopez said.
Before being enticed back into coaching by the chance to lead the Bucks, Rivers began this season as an ESPN analyst.