Bucks Zone

Doc Rivers and Kenny Atkinson are the current favorites to land Bucks head coaching position

Jeff Van Gundy and Nate McMillan are also in the conversation.

Jonas Panerio

© Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
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After parting ways with Adrian Griffin on Tuesday, the Milwaukee Bucks must scour the market for their next head coach. With a talented roster led by superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, the Bucks are looking for someone to take them to the next level and bring home their second championship in the last four years.

According to reports, two top candidates have emerged as frontrunners — Doc Rivers and Kenny Atkinson. Both coaches come with impressive resumes and could be just what the Bucks need to reach their full potential.

Is Doc what the doctor ordered for the Bucks?

Doc Rivers, currently a free agent after being let go by the Philadelphia 76ers, is widely considered one of the best coaches in the NBA. He led the Boston Celtics to an NBA championship in 2008 and has had multiple successful stints with other teams, such as the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers, and the 76ers.

However, one knock on Rivers’ resume is his lack of postseason success. While he led the Celtics to a title in two NBA Finals appearances, he failed to steer the Clippers and 76ers to the conference finals despite having talented rosters. Overall, Rivers has a 111-104 record in the postseason.

According to renowned NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the team’s front office is already engaging Rivers in talks regarding their vacant head coaching position. Another candidate is the Golden State Warriors assistant, Kenny Atkinson, one of the coaches the Bucks seriously considered in their search last season.

Looking for a coach who could handle stars

Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes also mentioned two other coaches the Bucks are considering for the job — Jeff Van Gundy and Nate McMillan.

“Two other names that I’ve been told that they plan to reach out to — Jeff Van Gundy and Nate McMillan. They are going after experienced coaches who have experience in dealing with star-level and superstar-level players,” Haynes said.

Jeff Van Gundy’s last coaching stint was in 2007 when he handled the Houston Rockets. His best work undoubtedly came from 1995 to 2001, when he took the New York Knicks to the playoffs every year, including an NBA Finals appearance in 1999.

On the other hand, Nate McMillan has been a head coach for multiple teams in the NBA. He has succeeded with the Seattle SuperSonics and Portland Trail Blazers, leading both teams to playoff appearances. His most recent stint was with the Atlanta Hawks before being let go in February 2023.

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Jonas Panerio
JONAS PANERIO