Doc Rivers’ ‘Powerful’ Message To Milwaukee Bucks During First Official Team Meeting

After Adrian Griffin’s recent firing, the Milwaukee Bucks have made their movie by hiring Doc Rivers as their new head coach. With this decision, the tandem of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard is expected to lead the team to a deep run in the postseason.

With rumors of Griffin losing the locker room, it only made sense for the front office to strike now and get Rivers right away. In doing so, the team has gained a respectable voice to follow since the one-time Coach of the Year awardee is experienced in handling superstars and getting the most out of them.

Although Rivers’s past coaching stints with the Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers have left a mark on his legacy, he can now change the narrative in Milwaukee. And with Antetokounmpo and Lillard leading the way, a return trip to the NBA Finals doesn’t seem impossible at this point in time.

Doc Rivers Sends a Powerful Message to the Milwaukee Bucks in First Team Meeting

One player on the Bucks’ roster made his thoughts about Rivers known from his first official meeting with the team. According to Pat Connaughton:

“I thought he was great. I think sometimes less is more. He said a few sentences, and they were powerful. He talks about just being able to have that identity that we should have as the Milwaukee Bucks. You talk about the talent that we have on the team, teams should be a little bit more afraid to play us. I think right now, with the way our defense has been playing, the way we’ve kind of been up and down in games specifically — I know we have a great record — I don’t think teams have really been worried about coming in and playing us whether it’s at home or on the road,” Connaughton said.

Along with setting the tone for the team, Rivers also emphasized the culture they can build together.

“So, making sure that we have that chip on our shoulder that we’ve had for a while, you know? Since l got here six years ago, we’ve played with a chip on our shoulder, and teams knew it was gonna be tough when they were playing the Bucks. I think that was a great start for him as a leader, and I think everyone’s bought into that. It’s just about continuing to get better and growing every single day, learning from him as quickly as we can — a crash course if you will — then continuing to learn over time, and I think all of the guys are excited about it,” Connaughton added.

Without a doubt, Rivers is set to leave his mark on the Bucks by doing what he does best – coaching. Stay tuned in the coming days to see how the legendary coach will perform as he guides Antetokounmpo, Lillard, and company back to the promised land.