As expected, Doc Rivers is set to become an NBA head coach once again.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Rivers is finalizing a deal to become the next head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, replacing Adrian Griffin, who was fired on Tuesday after only 43 games.
Rivers, who was hired as a broadcaster by ESPN before the season, had begun working as a consultant for the Bucks last month.
His name popped up as a candidate immediately after news broke of Griffin’s dismissal.
BREAKING: Doc Rivers is finalizing an agreement to become the next coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN. The Bucks are getting the coach they targeted over the past 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/SP16vhYJDP
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 24, 2024
Rivers, 62, has already been a head coach with four different franchises: the Orlando Magic (1999-2003), the Boston Celtics (2004-13), the Los Angeles Clippers (2013-2020) and the Philadelphia 76ers (2020-23).
All-time, he is 1,097-763 in the regular season. Rivers has led his teams to the playoffs 19 times in 23 seasons, winning the NBA championship with the Celtics in 2008.
However, since then, he’s developed a reputation as a coach who is unable to win big in the postseason. Rivers guided the Celtics back to the NBA Finals in 2010 and the Eastern Conference Finals in 2012, but has not reached the conference finals in 10 tries afterwards.
He inherits a Bucks team that is 30-13 overall and is in second place in the East.