It’s official: Adrian Griffin will be the next head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.
There are several reasons to applaud this hire, primarily that Griffin is a former NBA player himself. According to insider Marc Stein (Subscription required), Giannis Antetokounmpo had been lobbying for the Bucks to hire a former player as their next coach. Antetokounmpo’s desire is justifiable, as a former player turned coach can oftentimes connect better with players. As a former NBA player, Griffin can also relate to the development process in this league for young players, which is one of the significant reasons fans should love this particular hire.
1 Major reason to love the Milwaukee Bucks’ hiring of Adrian Griffin
Throughout his career as an assistant coach, Griffin had been known for his player development skills, especially during his tenure in Chicago. The former Bull worked closely with Jimmy Butler when he was younger, having helped him develop into the dominant player he is today. When he talked about coaches who helped him as a rookie, Butler specifically cited Griffin as a key factor. According to ESPN’s Mark Jones, Butler even lobbied for Griffin to get the Bulls’ job back in the day when the team was in the hunt for a new head coach.
The ability to develop young talent is something the Bucks have lacked for the past few years, which needs to change moving forward. This team does not have too many young pieces on its roster, but MarJon Beauchamp is an exception. The 22-year-old just finished up his rookie year, and his potential was on full display, despite not playing a key role whatsoever. With Griffin in town, perhaps he could look to get the best out of Beauchamp moving forward by working with him in a way similar to how he did with Butler.
Beauchamp has the tools to excel in today’s NBA. He’s a versatile 6-foot-6 wing who can perform well on the defensive end while also scoring on the other side of the court. Many were not fond of Mike Budenholzer’s decision to essentially shelve him during his rookie season, as the Bucks were the oldest team in the NBA and lacked energy and athleticism at times. The hope is that the young forward can leap into Milwaukee’s rotation next season and become a reliable contributor nightly as he develops.
Hopefully Adrian Griffin can help Beauchamp become the young impactful piece this team needs.
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