Doc Rivers out as Milwaukee Bucks head coach after one season, ESPN stories

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Doc Rivers is out because the Milwaukee Bucks ’ head coach, ESPN reported Sunday, citing sources.

Rivers left his broadcasting job to return to the NBA sidelines because the Bucks’ coach shortly after Adrian Griffin was fired 43 video games into the 2023-24 season. Now Rivers exits Milwaukee after a 126-106 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, capping a 32-50 season that led to a missed NBA playoff berth.

Rivers coached the Bucks to first-round playoff exits in every of the previous two seasons.

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Apr 6, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers seems on in opposition to the New Orleans Pelicans in the course of the second half at Smoothie King Heart. (Stephen Lew-Imagn Pictures)

The Bucks will now launch their third head teaching search prior to now three years. Rivers’ departure comes amid uncertainty surrounding the way forward for franchise star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers addresses the media in a press convention throughout follow previous to the Emirates NBA Cup semi-finals at T-Cellular Enviornment. (Kyle Terada/Imagn Pictures)

The NBA trade deadline passed in February and not using a deal involving Antetokounmpo. The 2-time league MVP noticed restricted motion within the 2025-26 season, showing in a career-low 36 video games.

Antetokounmpo handled a knee hyperextension and bone bruise in the course of the season. He was later sidelined for a stretch of video games, fueling hypothesis the Bucks shut him down regardless of his being wholesome, prompting an NBA investigation into the dealing with of the star ahead.

Antetokounmpo’s frustration boiled over as he insisted he was healthy sufficient to play regardless of being sidelined for a tenth straight sport when Milwaukee confronted the Boston Celtics on April 3.

"I’ve by no means seen a case of a participant saying, my caliber of participant, that’s like — I’m saying it publicly — I wish to f---ing play. You understand what I’m saying?" he stated, via The Athletic . "I don’t assume I’ve seen this. So, if there must be an investigation, nice. There needs to be. I don’t know. There needs to be. Till we determine one thing out."

He then stated he was "out there to play."

Rivers addressed Antetokounmpo’s feedback after the crew’s 133-101 loss.

"The powerful half about all that is that I’m within the center, and I've nothing to do with it," Rivers stated. "Coaches don’t resolve any of this. The issue with our league is the coaches are those sitting out entrance.

"And we've got to take a seat right here and reply these things. I feel there are two sides to this — I'll inform you that — however I don’t wish to get too concerned in it."

Giannis Antetokounmpo and head coach Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks discuss earlier than the third quarter in opposition to the New York Knicks at Fiserv Discussion board in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Oct. 28, 2025. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Pictures)

Rivers added that he didn’t like that the feud had gone "public."

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Antetokounmpo averaged 27.6 factors and 9.8 rebounds this season. He was named NBA Finals MVP when he helped the Bucks safe 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 participant, Rivers moved into broadcasting, calling NBA video games. In 1999, he was named head coach of the Orlando Magic, a job he held till 2003.