Doc Rivers has confirmed that his departure from the Milwaukee Bucks was totally his personal selection, following studies of his exit earlier this month. The veteran coach spoke in regards to the determination in an interview with Marc J. Spears on Andscape, printed on Tuesday, April 21.
Rivers, 64, described a noticeably totally different routine away from the sidelines, together with breakfast in Charlotte and household time through the playoffs. “It’s feels unusual. Often after the season, you’re already taking a look at [the next one],” he stated whereas reflecting on life after teaching duties.
As a substitute of main Milwaukee on recreation day, Rivers attended his granddaughter’s youth soccer match, the place she scored twice. “It’s been nice thus far. I’m {golfing}. I’m on the town to see my grandkids. So, I’m doing precisely what I stated I needed to do,” he added.
The Bucks officially announced Rivers’ departure on April 13, with studies indicating the group will proceed paying his contract for the 2026–27 season. His exit adopted a two-plus-year stint that ended with a 97–103 report and consecutive first-round playoff exits.
Rivers was direct when addressing the character of his departure. “It was one hundred pc my determination,” he stated, emphasizing that the transfer was not pushed by outcomes or exterior stress from the franchise.
Milwaukee’s 2025–26 marketing campaign ended with a 32–50 report, closely impacted by accidents, together with Giannis Antetokounmpo showing in simply 36 video games. The Bucks also won the NBA Cup in 2024 throughout Rivers’ tenure, providing a short peak in an in any other case inconsistent stretch.
The previous NBA champion coach defined that retirement had been on his thoughts properly earlier than the season started. “It had nothing to do with the season or something like that,” Rivers stated. “There’s occasions the place you’re feeling such as you’ve had your run.”
He additionally famous the grind of teaching for greater than twenty years with out an prolonged break. “I’ve [coached] for mainly 26 straight years,” Rivers stated, pointing to fatigue as a key consider his decision-making course of.
Rivers admitted that leaving with out addressing gamers instantly was a missed alternative. He mirrored on a number of profession moments the place he dealt with emotional transitions otherwise, together with earlier championship and playoff conditions.
The Bucks’ season was additionally marked by ongoing hypothesis round Antetokounmpo’s future, which Rivers acknowledged created instability across the locker room surroundings. He stated fixed exterior noise made it troublesome for any group to take care of focus.
