The Milwaukee Bucks have undergone a major transformation since this time last year, with Giannis Antetokounmpo now playing for the Miami Heat and Doc Rivers no longer leading the team as head coach. Rivers experienced the turmoil firsthand last season, when trade rumors surrounding Antetokounmpo dominated the Bucks’ season and suggested the superstar could be moved before the deadline. Despite all the speculation, Milwaukee ultimately held on to him.
During a recent interview with Bill Simmons, Rivers offered his perspective on the situation, saying he believed Antetokounmpo was “yo-yoing” the Bucks as the team weighed whether to trade its franchise star.
“Giannis wanted out, but he was a Buck. And he didn’t want to be the bad guy,” commented the former Bucks head coach.
Advertisement
“He wanted John [Horst] and Wes [Edens] and those guys to say, ‘we’re trading you’ instead of him asking for a trade. To me, that was the game that was being played.”
Doc Rivers on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s IQ
Oct 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Bucks head coach Doc Rivers talks with forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Rivers went on to discuss his experience coaching Antetokounmpo, admitting that working with the two-time MVP came with its share of challenges.
“He’s not easy. He plays at this crazy downhill pace. He’s really a difficult guy. He has this great passing ability, but he doesn’t have a super-high IQ at the same time. He really has only one way of playing. Every play, he wants to force it. I wish he’d learned how to execute better,” Rivers continued.
Mar 2, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) comes out of the game near the end of the second quarter and walks past Bucks head coach Doc Rivers as they compete against the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
“The thing he still needs to learn is the value of execution how important it is, when you’re in practice and at shootaround, to lock in on execution. Now he has a coach who’s as good as there is at execution.”
The former Bucks head coach’ remarks could be interpreted as subtle criticism of Antetokounmpo. However, if he had shared the same concerns directly with the star while coaching him, his comments may carry a different weight.
Advertisement
More Bucks news from Wisconsin Sports Heroics
Nov 4, 2026; Boston, MA, USA; Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins calls out to his bench during the first half of a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
