Doc Rivers accepts Bucks coaching position

The Milwaukee Bucks hired and fired a head coach just several hours apart.

So out is Adrian Griffin, fired Tuesday, and in his Doc Rivers, who accepted the Bucks’ offer to take the job before the day was finished, per CNN Sports.

BREAKING: Bucks are hiring Doc Rivers as HC, per CNN Sports pic.twitter.com/CnWsvah2kB

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 24, 2024

Rivers had been serving as an informal consultant to Griffin at the behest of the Bucks in December, per Shams Charania, Sam Amick and Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

Rivers, 62, has been working as in-game analyst for ESPN. He previously coached the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic.

He has an overall coaching record of 1,097-763 in 24 seasons, winning a championship with the Celtics in 2008. He was fired by the Sixers at the end of last season.

Meanwhile, Griffin led the Bucks to a 30-13 record in his first season as an NBA head coach anywhere. His first sign of trouble in Milwaukee came before the season, when former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts resigned from his position as Griffin’s assistant. Bucks guard Damian Lillard is known to be a Stotts fan from their time together in Portland.

Griffin, 49, began his NBA coaching career as a Bucks assistant in 2008. He then served as an assistant with the Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors before being hired to replace Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee this past offseason.

Before becoming a coach, Griffin was a journeyman guard/forward in the NBA from 1999-2008, playing for six different teams in that span.

Milwaukee is in first place in the Central Division and second in the Eastern Conference entering Wednesday’s home game against the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers.