On Tuesday morning, new Milwaukee Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin and GM Jon Horst held their first press conference following the confirmation of Griffin as the new head coach. The Athletic’s Eric Nehm was in attendance and confirmed that many players were in attendance, including MarJon Beauchamp, Jevon Carter, and Joe Ingles.
Griffin returns to Milwaukee as the head coach following a stint as assistant from 2008 to 2010. His career since has seen him spend time with the Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder and most recently the Toronto Raptors and being part of the staff in their 2018-19 title win.
Here are three key takeaways from Adrian Griffin’s first press conference as the Milwaukee Bucks head coach.
1 – He wants to be defensive-minded but with a new offensive approach
Griffin is known as being a strong defensive-minded coach, and if one ties that in with the already stellar defense of the Bucks, it could be a fantastic recipe for success. During his tenure in Toronto, the Raptors finished top 10 in defensive rating on three occasions, with 12th and 15th place finishes also in there, showing he has a strong eye for defense and will look to build on an already strong team.
One key quote from Griffin was, “I think being a defensive coach helps you on the offensive end.” He continued to take about the importance of pressuring opponents defensively in order to help build the offensive game. Horst described Griffin as being able to show variability in his coaching methods and that he excelled in displaying that, thus being a key reason for him landing the top spot.
Another key that let the Bucks down in the playoffs was the inability to slow players down when they’re hot, e.g. Jimmy Butler. Griffin discussed making adjustments mid-game on both ends of the floor, and that is something that will please many of us Bucks fans. Offensively, he mentioned improving the ball movement and the player movement both on and off the ball, yet again being music to Bucks fans’ ears.
If Griffin is able to implement his way of defense and slow opponents down whilst bringing a new style to the offense to freshen things up, then the Bucks will be in for a successful time under his stewardship.
2 – He wants to choose the right assistant coaches
This week, it was announced that former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts will be part of the coaching staff for the coming season. Having a veteran like Stotts alongside Griffin is integral to helping him through the process of developing into his own head coach. Having worked as both an assistant and head coach for the Bucks prior to that is also key in his addition.
With his offensive style, he compliments Griffin perfectly in working together to scheme a game on both ends of the court. The Bucks’ problem in recent seasons has been on the offensive end of the court, and Stotts will look to freshen it up and help the players score when it matters most.
Griffin mentioned in his press conference that he was looking for assistants that complement his style, per Eric Nehm. The main coaching attributes he is looking for are being offensively minded and being able to manage the game down the stretch, both of which Stotts can help with. He continued to discuss how he is looking for coaches with great character and creativity.
The final point on this is what Griffin said about Stotts. Saying, “To get a guy like Terry is a home run,” and he did his background research before deciding to add him to his staff, not just on his coaching ability, but also on what he can bring to Milwaukee as a person.
Alongside Stotts, there is a great base for the coaching staff, and we will have to see if the Bucks look to bring in more experience to surround Griffin and aid him in developing his style and implementing it on the team.
3 – Giannis Antetokounmpo impressed Adrian Griffin
Giannis Antetokounmpo was also discussed during the press conference, and as we know, he and Khris Middleton were both consulted and involved in the head coaching search. Following his conversation with the two-time MVP, Griffin said he “was in awe, and it really stuck out that he is still hungry and humble.” We won’t know just yet how much involvement Giannis had in giving it to Griffin over other candidates, but the early signs look good.
The new head coach also brought up the talent of the roster as a whole and mentioned, specifically, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez. We have discussed the idea of moving on from some of these players and the rumors surrounding them, but the Bucks roster is incredibly talented and, as we saw, had an exceptional regular season and claimed the best record in the league. Adjustments and poor play in the postseason let the team down for all their hard work.
Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel spoke to Beauchamp following the press conference, and the rookie mentioned he will be going to Greece to work out with Giannis. This shows Giannis is all in to work with MarJon and sees something in his play, also showing MarJon’s willingness to learn and develop his game which is a great sign. I personally cannot wait for his second season and hope he becomes a more regular player and sees more time on the court.
There was plenty to unravel from Adrian Griffin’s first press conference as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, most of it being positive.
Stay tuned for more on Griffin’s tenure as the Bucks head coach.