Adrian Griffin has come to terms with the Milwaukee Bucks to become the team's next head coach
The Milwaukee Bucks and Adrian Griffin have agreed to terms on a contract, and the 48-year-old has begun his duties as the 17th head coach in franchise history.
Griffin will be formally introduced by the team at 11 a.m. on Tuesday at a press conference. General manager Jon Horst will also be in attendance.
After parting ways with Mike Budenholzer on May 4, the Bucks began a lengthy search process that included interviewing about a dozen candidates with a variety of experience.
“Adrian is a widely respected coach and former player, who brings great leadership and experience to our team,” Horst said in the statement released by the team introducing Griffin. “His championship-level coaching pedigree, character, basketball acumen and ability to connect with and develop players make him the ideal choice to lead our team. He has earned this opportunity.”
Griffin was part of a final group of coaches that met with Giannis Antetokounmpo and eventually moved to the final approval from the ownership group led by governor Wes Edens.
In a statement attributed to Edens and co-owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam and Jamie Dinan, the ownership group said, “Adrian is well-regarded throughout the NBA, and we believe that his vast experience working under and playing for successful head coaches makes him the right person to guide our team in competing for championships. Following a widespread coaching search, we are extremely impressed by Adrian’s leadership and communication skills and welcome him to the Bucks family.”
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Griffin spent the last five years as an assistant coach with Toronto, including the 2018-19 championship season.
He began his coaching career with the Bucks in 2008 under head coach Scott Skiles.
“I’m incredibly honored and grateful to Wes, Jamie, Dee, Jimmy and Jon to be named the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks,” Griffin said in the release. “The Bucks are a championship organization and I’m thrilled to work with an established roster of high character and talented players. I’m excited to be back in Milwaukee and I can’t wait to get started.”
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Adrian Griffin agrees to contract terms to be new Bucks head coach
