Doc Rivers is out as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks after one season, ESPN reports
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Doc Rivers is out as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, ESPN reported Sunday, citing sources.
Rivers left his broadcasting career to return to the NBA team as coach of the Bucks shortly after Adrian Griffin was fired 43 games into the 2023-24 season. Now Rivers leaves Milwaukee after a 126-106 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, capping a 32-50 season that ended in a spot that missed the NBA playoffs.
Rivers has coached the Bucks to first-round exits the past two seasons.
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April 6, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers watches the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. (Photos by Stephen Lew-Imagn)
The Buccaneers will now begin their third head coaching campaign in the past three years. Rivers’ departure comes amid uncertainty over the future of franchise star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers speaks to the media at a press conference during practice prior to the Emirates NBA Cup semifinal game at T-Mobile Arena. (Kyle Terada/Imagn Images)
The NBA trade deadline passed in February without a deal involving Antetokounmpo. The two-time league MVP saw limited action in the 2025-26 season, appearing in a career-low 36 games.
Antetokounmpo has dealt with knee hyperextension and hamstring injuries during the season. Later, he played in many games, which fueled speculation that the Buckeyes locked him out even though he was healthy, which led to an NBA investigation into managing this star.
Antetokounmpo’s frustration deepened as he insisted he is healthy enough to play despite being sidelined for the 10th straight game against the Boston Celtics on April 3.
“I’ve never seen a case of a player who says, my level of player, it’s like – I say it publicly – I want to play. You know what I’m saying?” he said, via The Athletic. “I don’t think I’ve seen this thing. So, if there has to be an investigation, great. It has to be. I don’t know. It has to be. Until we find something.”
Then he said “he’s available to play.”
Rivers addressed Antetokounmpo’s comments after the team’s 133-101 loss.
“The hardest thing about all of this is that I’m in the middle of it, and I have nothing to do with it,” said Rivers. “The coaches don’t decide anything in this, the problem with our league is that the coaches are the ones sitting in the front.
“And we have to sit here and answer these things. I think there are two sides to this – I’ll tell you that – but I don’t want to get too involved in it.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo and head coach Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks talk before the third quarter against the New York Knicks at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Oct. 28, 2025. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Rivers added that he didn’t like that the feud had gone “public.”
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Antetokounmpo averaged 27.6 points and 9.8 rebounds this season. He was named the NBA Finals MVP while helping the Bucks secure the franchise’s first championship since 1971.
Rivers coached the Celtics to the NBA title in 2008. He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 1983. After retiring as a player, Rivers moved into broadcasting, calling NBA games. In 1999, he was named head coach of the Orlando Magic, a role he held until 2003.
Before returning to the coaching ranks, Rivers was part of ESPN’s NBA leadership team.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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