Doc Rivers Sums Up His Challenge of Taking Over Bucks With Odd Quote

Doc Rivers will coach his fifth team when mans the Milwaukee Bucks' bench, but this situation is a first for him. Rivers has never taken over a team midway through the season, and apparently the veteran coach views that as a legitimate challenge.

Speaking with the media on Saturday, Rivers summed up getting hired midseason with a strange quote.

“I’ve never done this. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” Rivers said, via The Athletic’s Eric Nehn. “It's going to be a challenge.”

Rivers was previously the head coach for the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers, but each of those stints began before the season. This year, however, Rivers won’t have the luxury of an offseason to help ease him into the role.

Doc Rivers will be coaching a franchise for the fifth time when he takes over the Bucks.

Benny Sieu/USA Today sports

Milwaukee has championship aspirations, as the team traded for star Damian Lillard in the offseason to pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Therefore, Rivers will have to get this championship-caliber team playing together, and the veteran coach mentioned one of his first tasks is to form an identity.

“We just have to find our identity,” he said, via Nehm. “If you’re going to have [the] ’Fear the Deer’ [slogan], you gotta fear the deer.”

Rivers’s first game as Bucks coach will be Monday night when Milwaukee travels to take on the Denver Nuggets.