Doc made his first house call.
Doc Rivers, who was named the Bucks' head coach on Friday, has already had his first team meeting but won't coach his first game in Milwaukee until Monday.
Rivers, who replaced Adrian Griffin after just 43 games this season, spoke with players Friday morning after shootaround.
His message to the Bucs was clear, according to guard Pat Connaughton.
“He said some words, and they were powerful,” Connaughton said. According to CBS Sports. “He talked about being able to have the identity we should have as the Milwaukee Bucks. He talked about the talent we have on the team and teams should be a little more afraid to play against us.”
Rivers has already received rave reviews from forward Jae Crowder, who calls his new coach his “big uncle.”
Forward Bobby Portis added. “He's been working with us and he knows the expectations of this team are very high. I think he's ready for that.”
Rivers inherited a team with NBA title aspirations and a roster built around two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee added seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard in the offseason, aiming for the team's second championship since 2021.
Griffin led the Bucks to a 30-13 record, good for second place in the Eastern Conference.
But it wasn't enough for the Bucks' front office, as the team struggled with defensive missteps amid reports of tension in the locker room.
As a result, Milwaukee will hire Rivers, who was released by the Philadelphia 76ers in May after losing in the second round of the playoffs three years in a row.
He started this season on ESPN's top NBA announce team along with Mike Breen and Doris Burke.
Indeed, Breen had the best words to say about Rivers, who returned to coaching after a short stint as a world leader: “We thank him for his many weeks of service.”
Rivers, who led the Boston Celtics to the NBA title in 2008, ranks ninth on the all-time list with 1,097 regular-season wins.
