What Adrian Griffin brings to the table as he tries to get the Milwaukee Bucks on track

Adrian Griffin will replace Mike Budenholzer as the Bucks' head coach.

Adrian Griffin / © Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Former NBA veteran turned coach Adrian Griffin has a tough task ahead, and expectations are high, regardless of his stature as a first-time head coach. The 48-year-old certainly does not lack NBA experience, having played in the league for nine seasons before spending the last 15 as an assistant for five different teams.

Grit and defense-oriented mindset

A hard-nosed lefty wing from Seton Hall, Griffin made his name in the league as a smart defender who never backed down from taking on the opposing team’s best perimeter players. During his career from 1999 to 2007, that meant defending the likes of Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, and LeBron James.

That same mentality has carried over as Griffin takes the helm of the Bucks, where he is expected to continue their grit-and-defense style of play.

Griffin will have some elite defenders to work with on the Bucks, with All-Defensive team members Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez, although it remains to be seen if the Bucks are able to re-sign the latter, who finished this season as the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year plum.

Player development

Griffin spent the last five seasons in Toronto, working as an assistant to head coach Nick Nurse. He even took over for former Raptors head coach a couple of times and led the Raptors to a win over the Sixers during the 2019-20 NBA season.

Griffin is also adept at player development, having played that role in Chicago and working with now-Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler. If Griffin is able to unlock another facet of Giannis’ game, the Bucks will no doubt be in the title mix once again next season.