Doc Rivers Talks Retirement: « I Have Grandchildren I Want to See »
Apr 8, 2026
Nicolas Flamecourt
Doc Rivers Parts Ways with the Milwaukee Bucks After a Disastrous Season
Doc Rivers and the Milwaukee Bucks officially split after a dreadful 32-50 record, marking the end of a three-year stint with no playoff success for the veteran coach.
Photo Credit : © Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
It’s now official: Doc Rivers will no longer be the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Wisconsin franchise and the 64-year-old coach are parting ways after a catastrophic 2025-2026 season that ended with a 32-50 record, keeping Milwaukee out of the playoffs for the first time in ten years.
Rivers had hinted that this outcome was likely during his pre-game comments on Sunday. « I’m not going to announce anything. But I have to go to Grandparents’ Day on the 21st. There’s another Grandparents’ Day on the 24th, » he told reporters. « I never use that word that starts with R (retirement) because you never know. I don’t want to be like Ali and keep coming back. But yes (it’s an emotional day). »
A Tenure Defined by Failure and Tension
Doc Rivers’ record in Milwaukee speaks for itself: 97 wins and 103 losses over three seasons, no playoff series won, and growing tensions with the locker room. According to internal sources cited by ESPN, there was « a disconnect throughout the season between Rivers and the players, including incidents that were poorly received by the locker room. »
Hired in January 2024 to replace Adrian Griffin, Rivers never managed to leave his mark on a team built around Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak’s repeated injuries — he played only 36 games this season — along with those of Damian Lillard made things harder, but even accounting for that context, the Bucks never showed the cohesion expected of them.
The franchise plans to honor Rivers’ contract for the 2026-2027 season, worth approximately $8 million. Discussions are underway about a possible advisory role within the organization, though the coach appears more inclined to step away from the game for a while.
With this departure, Milwaukee begins its third coaching search in three years, highlighting a troubling instability for a franchise that had championship ambitions. Potential candidates include Darvin Ham, currently Rivers’ assistant, Taylor Jenkins, and James Borrego. This split marks the end of a disappointing chapter for the Bucks, who will now need to rebuild around an Antetokounmpo whose future in Milwaukee looks increasingly uncertain.
BREAKING: Doc Rivers is departing as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN. After a 32-50 season, the Bucks will embark on their third coaching search in the last three years. pic.twitter.com/s6YZXKcTi5
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 13, 2026
With a background in sports management, Nicolas Flamecourt covers NBA news with a particular passion for the North American league, which he has been following for several years. He also covers the NCAA, including news and scouting of future prospects, and regularly conducts interviews with French players as well as players competing in Europe.
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