Bucks coach Rivers says spending more time with grandkids could pull him off sideline
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Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers hinted Tuesday that he may leave coaching after the season to be closer to his seven grandchildren, all 8 years old or younger.
“I have grandkids that I want to see,” the 64-year-old coach told reporters before Milwaukee faced Brooklyn on April 7, 2026. Asked directly about his future, Rivers replied, “I’ll put it that way. I’ll let you figure it out from there.”
Rivers has one season left on his contract, but team officials are expected to evaluate his status within the next week, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The longtime coach will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this summer, joining a career wins list that trails only Gregg Popovich, Don Nelson, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan and Pat Riley.
Bumpy season in Milwaukee
The Bucks entered 2025-26 with championship hopes behind perennial All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo and free-agent addition Myles Turner. Injuries derailed those plans. After an 8-5 start, Milwaukee dropped seven straight, slipped below .500 and never recovered. The club has not ranked among the Eastern Conference’s top eight since mid-November.
Trade inquiries for Antetokounmpo surfaced in February, though the Bucks ultimately kept their franchise cornerstone. The forward has appeared in 36 games, the lowest total of his 13-year career, and is currently sidelined by the team despite his desire to play.
“The tough part about all this is I’m in the middle when I have nothing to do with it,” Rivers said last week regarding persistent questions about Antetokounmpo’s future. “Coaches don’t decide any of this, but we’re the ones out front who have to answer.”
Looking beyond coaching
Rivers took over in Milwaukee midway through the 2023-24 campaign. He has prior television experience and is expected to draw broadcasting interest if he steps away from coaching. Family, however, appears to be his priority.
“It kills me every time I miss grandparents’ day with each one of them in school,” Rivers said. “It’s probably time to go see them more.”
Source: ESPN
