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The Milwaukee Bucks coaching search has finally come to an end. ESPN Insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the team will hire Adrian Griffin as their new head coach. Griffin, who has bounced around the league as an assistant coach for years, will now have the opportunity to coach former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
After retiring from the NBA, Griffin took an assistant coaching job with the Milwaukee Bucks from 2008-10. After his stint with Milwaukee, he joined the Chicago Bulls. For the next five years, Griffin served as an assistant coach with the Bulls during the famed Derrick Rose years until he and the franchise parted ways in 2015.
After then spending a season with the Orlando Magic, Griffin joined the OKC Thunder in 2016, where he stayed until 2018. Since then, he has served as the assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors, where he was a part of the 2019 championship team.
Adrian Griffin beat out several top contenders for Milwaukee Bucks coaching job
The news of Adrian Griffin being named the Milwaukee Bucks' coach took many by surprise. In the wake of the team parting ways with Mike Budenholzer, who led them to a championship in 2021, there were quite a few high-profile replacement options.
For example, the Phoenix Suns parted ways with Monty Williams, while the Toronto Raptors parted ways with Nick Nurse. Given that the Raptors had been left without a head coach, many speculated that Griffin could take over for Nurse.
According to Shams Charania, the Milwaukee Bucks' coaching search saw finalists meet individually with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Earlier in the week, rumors indicated that Antetokounmpo was eager to play under Griffin over other candidates.
While Nurse was a finalist for the job, he wound up pulling himself out of the search process.
As a result, the Bucks wound up narrowing down their search to Griffin and Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson.
Last season, Griffin found himself interviewed by the LA Lakers, however, the team ultimately wound up signing Darvin Ham.
With the Bucks' coaching search now over, the team will set its sights on bouncing back next season. After a disappointing first-round exit in the playoffs, the team has high hopes for next year.
