Reaction to Bucks hiring decorated assistant coach to join Adrian Griffin's staff
By Dalton Sell
Ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks' clash with the Brooklyn Nets, Adrian Griffin announced that the team had made an addition to the coaching staff with the hiring of Trevor Gleeson.
This is a captivating move mid-season for the Bucks, who were in a great groove before a loss to the New York Knicks on Christmas. Who exactly is Gleeson and how can he help the Bucks improve? Let's take a closer look now.
Reaction to Milwaukee Bucks hiring decorated assistant coach to join Adrian Griffin's staff
Trevor Gleeson has spent most of his career overseas, having gotten his first coaching gig in 1990 in Australia, but he has also spent time in the G-League as an assistant and a head coach, and he most recently served as an assistant with the Toronto Raptors. Of course, that's where the connection with Griffin comes in, as they were both on that Toronto staff under Nick Nurse.
Gleeson has quite a glowing resume, as he is a five-time NBL Champion, one-time NBL Cup Winner, two-time NBL Coach of the Year, and a CVIBIL Champion. Gleeson has an incredible amount of experience under his belt, and hopefully he can bring some of that to the Bucks alongside someone he knows quite well in Griffin.
Something that helped fuel Gleeson's success as a coach was his dedication to the "‘flex’ offence and hard-nosed defence," per Chris Robinson, an overseas writer, of PerthNow. That last tidbit should be music to the ears of Bucks fans everywhere, as it's no secret that the team has struggled to find their footing on the defensive end for most of the season.
Perhaps Gleeson can implement some more intensity on that side of things with his teachings and ideas to kick the team into another gear. The offense has been clicking lately, but these defensive struggles have really hindered the team throughout the year and could continue to be a problem if they do not get things going.
Ultimately, on the surface, this seems like a solid hire. Having a familiar face around Griffin who has a ton of experience as a coach is nothing to complain about. It'll be interesting to see how things go for Gleeson moving forward, though he will likely need some time to get acquainted with everyone for the time being.
Just a couple of months into the season, there have already been some tweaks to the coaching staff. Of course, the Bucks and Terry Stotts abruptly parted ways after an apparent disagreement, leaving the team without their lead assistant. They've now made an eye-catching hire with Gleeson, who may have some interesting ideas and opinions on both sides of the basketball.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.