Rivers Says Antetokounmpo Was Difficult to Coach

On November 6, Rivers, who previously led Milwaukee, described Giannis Antetokounmpo as challenging to coach and suggested the star wanted to leave without publicly requesting a trade. Antetokounmpo was traded to the Miami Heat in June, along with Bobby Portis, after declining to commit to an extension.

Speaking on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Rivers said Antetokounmpo’s changing signals about his future prolonged the situation. Rivers’ view was that Antetokounmpo wanted team leaders to make the decision to trade him, rather than take responsibility for asking to go.

Rivers also criticized Antetokounmpo’s approach on the court, saying he relied heavily on driving toward the basket and needed to focus more on executing plays. He acknowledged the player’s passing ability but said that quality did not always translate into effective team execution.

Milwaukee had tried to keep Antetokounmpo after a first-round playoff exit in 2025, waiving Damian Lillard and signing Myles Turner to a four-year, $108 million contract. The Bucks then missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Rivers coached the team for two and a half seasons and was not retained after the 2026 season.

Milwaukee’s return in the deal included Tyler Herro, Kasparas Jakucionis, a pick swap, Kel’el Ware, a second-round selection, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and three first-round selections. Early this season, Milwaukee was 1-7 and Miami 3-6. Antetokounmpo was averaging 27.3 points, 12.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game.