Bucks steal Raptors assistant and make him their new head coach

May 27 2023, 6:54 pm

The Milwaukee Bucks have hired Adrian Griffin as their new head coach, as per Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania.

The 48-year-old will replace Mike Budenholzer, who was fired roughly one week after the top-seeded Bucks were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Miami Heat.

Griffin had served as the Toronto Raptors assistant coach for the past five seasons, as he was brought on by former Raptors head coach Nick Nurse. During that time, he served as their head coach for their final game of the 2021-22 season versus the New York Knicks.

Griffin has had plenty of experience coaching in other markets as well, dating all the way back to 2008 when he was hired by the Bucks as an assistant to Scott Skiles. He spent two seasons there before moving on to the Chicago Bulls to serve as an assistant under Tom Thibodeau, where he stayed for five years.

Griffin then spent a year in 2015 as the assistant coach of the Orlando Magic, before being hired by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016 to be an assistant under head coach Billy Donavan.

On top of his coaching experience inside the NBA, Griffin also worked as a member of USA’s coaching staff in 2014 at the FIBA World Cup, where they were able to win a gold medal.

Prior to his coaching career, Griffin had a nine-year NBA career, playing both small forward and shooting guard. Over his nine years, he had stints with the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, and the Seattle Supersonics. By the time he retired in 2008, he had registered 1919 points, 1512 rebounds, and 653 assists.

Griffin will now begin his first head coaching gig in the NBA with a great opportunity in front of him. Despite the Bucks’ disappointing playoff showing this season, they remain one of the league’s most dominant teams, led by one of the best players in the world – Giannis Antetokounmpo. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they should be a contender once again next season.

Colton PankiwColton Pankiw

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