Tier list of rumored candidates for the Milwaukee Bucks’ coaching job
By Dalton Sell
Tier 2 of Milwaukee Bucks’ candidates – I have some concerns/questions
To be upfront, all but one first-year coaching candidate will be featured in this tier due to their inexperience. Not all first-time head coaches are bad, but there is a bit of a gamble in the Bucks’ case due to their contending status.
Kevin Young: After serving as an assistant with the Phoenix Suns since 2020, Kevin Young seems likely to get heavy consideration for a head coaching job this off-season. Not only have the Bucks expressed interest, but the Suns and Raptors have as well. Young has served as a head coach in the G-League but never the NBA. There is some intrigue regarding what he could do at this level with full control but also plenty of uncertainty.
Adrian Griffin: Having served as the top assistant for the Toronto Raptors, Adrian Griffin seems to be the current favorite to land their next head coaching job. However, that has still not stopped the Bucks from interviewing him. Griffin seems ready to take the next step into head coaching, but his recent history with the Raptors means it would make more sense for him to do it in Toronto over Milwaukee.
Charles Lee: Every year, Charles Lee has gotten heavy consideration for a head coaching job but has never officially landed one. This could very well be his off-season, as the Bucks, Pistons, and Raptors have all been linked to him. Lee could be a great head coach, but his ties to the previous coaching regime put him in this particular category. It feels like the Bucks need to wipe the slate entirely clean and start fresh rather than hiring someone who worked under Mike Budenholzer with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Joseph Blair: Currently a member of the Washington Wizards’ staff, Joseph Blair has an interesting resume. He’s never been a head coach at the NBA level but has been in the G-League and won a ring with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2019. He was also on the Harlem Globetrotters back in the day. His lack of head coaching experience at the NBA level puts him in this particular tier.
Kelvin Sampson: This is an interesting case here, as Kelvin Sampson is the only collegiate coach to interview for Milwaukee’s position. While he’s got plenty of past experience as an assistant, which included a stint in Milwaukee from 2008 to 2011, bringing aboard a college coach would be quite a gamble for the Milwaukee Bucks, especially with no prior NBA head coaching experience.
Will Weaver: The Bucks are scouring the globe for their next head coach, as they’ve also got Paris Basketball head coach Will Weaver on their radar. Weaver has worked as an NBA assistant before but is now overseas. With no NBA head coaching experience, Weaver will land here.