Doc Rivers denies retirement rumors amidst Bucks crisis
The legendary NBA coach plans to continue coaching despite recent comments from Stephen A. Smith
Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers rejected on Friday the reports suggesting a possible retirement at the end of the current NBA season.
The coach responded to statements made by Stephen A. Smith, an ESPN analyst, during his radio show on SiriusXM, who claimed that Rivers planned to step down from coaching after this season.
“No, I'm not going to get into that,” Rivers stated after the team's practice. “I think he thinks that, but not me.”
Smith made the comment on Wednesday while responding to a listener suggesting that Rivers could be the right coach to help revive the career of Memphis Grizzlies' point guard Ja Morant in Milwaukee.
“Doc Rivers will retire at the end of this season,” Smith stated on air. “He has coached for nearly 25 years, and this is it. He's stepping aside.”
A Veteran with an Active Contract
At 64 years old, Rivers is under contract with the Bucks until the 2026-27 season. Throughout his coaching career, he has accumulated a record of 1188 wins and 851 losses across five NBA franchises.
Moreover, earlier this season, he surpassed George Karl on the all-time regular-season wins list, securing the sixth position.
The coach is also among the finalists for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
A Challenging Season in Milwaukee
These speculations arise amidst a tough period for Milwaukee. The Bucks hold a record of 26-35, placing 11th in the Eastern Conference and trailing five games behind the Play-In zone.
The situation has been exacerbated by the prolonged absence of their star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has missed 29 out of 61 games this season.
Rivers also acknowledged the team's defensive issues:
“We're at 25th place, which is not a good sign. We're not forcing turnovers and giving up too many threes, even when the ball isn't going into the paint. That's concerning and shouldn't happen.”
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