Adrian Griffin, former assistant with the Toronto Raptors, has been named the new head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. Griffin, who spent the past five seasons with the Raptors, replaced Mike Budenholzer, who led the Bucks to the league’s best regular-season record but was fired after a first-round playoff loss to Miami.
The Bucks went against the grain by selecting Griffin, who has never been a head coach before. Six teams have made coaching changes since the end of the regular season, but the Bucks are the only team to have picked someone without head-coaching experience.
Bucks general manager Jon Horst said Griffin’s background as an NBA player and assistant over the past two decades made him an ideal candidate. Horst cited a comment from his assistant general manager, Milt Newton, who said, “Adrian’s a head coach. He just hasn’t gotten the opportunity yet.”
Griffin, who turns 49 on July 4, is taking steps to address his lack of experience. He confirmed that his staff will include Terry Stotts, who spent 13 seasons as an NBA head coach, including a two-year stint with Milwaukee from 2005 to 2007. Griffin said, “To get a guy like Terry is a home run. He brings unbelievable experience.”
Griffin was an undrafted swingman from Seton Hall who played eight seasons in the NBA after toiling in lesser leagues. He has spent 15 years as an NBA assistant since the end of his playing career.
Now, Griffin steps into a big opportunity with expectations to match. The Bucks fired Budenholzer just two years after he led Milwaukee to its first NBA championship in half a century. The Bucks posted the NBA’s top regular-season record in three of Budenholzer’s five seasons, but they couldn’t match that success in the playoffs, except in 2021.
Griffin takes over a talent-laden roster led by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Griffin spoke to Antetokounmpo before he was hired and said he felt like they connected and that they have similar values.
Griffin was on Toronto’s staff when the Raptors won the 2019 championship. One year later came a development that could have hindered his shot at becoming a head coach when his ex-wife, Audrey Sterling, accused him of physically abusing her and failing to pay child support. Griffin filed a defamation suit a year later that was settled in September.
Griffin said he couldn’t get into the details of the litigation but noted that he “absolutely denied” his ex-wife’s accusations and pointed out he was the one who filed the defamation lawsuit. Horst said the Bucks researched the issue and cited a review the Raptors had conducted in collaboration with the NBA. “It was clear and determined the accusations were just unfounded,” Horst said. “I can tell you beyond that, just the multiple conversations I’ve had with Adrian and others had with him, in each case his comments were just really heartfelt and sincere. Ultimately, we believe him and believe in him, and the person of high character that he is. Everyone that we spoke to felt the same. It gave us a ton of excitement and confidence in making the hire, even though we were aware of those allegations.”
Griffin now rejoins Horst, who was the Bucks’ director of basketball operations in 2008. “It’s funny how life works,” Griffin said. “Everything has come full circle.”
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