Kevin Garnett says Milwaukee Bucks quit on former coach last season

Was this about more than talent for Giannis and Milwaukee, and what does it mean?

Apr 7, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers looks on during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

The relationship between a player and a coach can something very special.

For former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers, one of those players happens to be forward Kevin Garnett. The hall of famer's career lasted 21 seasons in the NBA with six of them being spent coach by Rivers on the Boston Celtics and winning a championship in 2008.

As it's already known, the Bucks and Rivers fianlly parted ways this season after a 32-50 record and missing the playoffs. It was the icing on the cake, as Milwaukee was eliminated twice in the first round by the Indiana Pacers in 2024 losing in six games, and then in 2025 losing in five games.

In a disappointing season that felt like the Bucks the never clicked to begin with, the overall consensus from many fans was that Rivers was one to blame.

However, in a recent episode on Garnett's podcast "KG Certified", he explained to his former teammate Paul Pierce that he believed the Bucks team quit on Rivers.

Kevin Garnett believes Milwaukee Bucks players quit on Doc Rivers

"I didn't like how his situation in Milwaukee panned out. I thought they should have stuck to a plan, made a plan and stuck to it. I thought they had a plan, and then in the middle of it, it all went to sh*t and… pic.twitter.com/aiBgGCUsKa

— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) June 19, 2026

"I didn't like how his situation in Milwaukee panned out. I thought they should have stuck to a plan, made a plan and stuck to it. I thought they had a plan, and then in the middle of it, it all went to sh*t and nobody stayed true to nothing."

"I thought a lot of them guys quit on Doc, real sh*t. I think a lot of them guys up there quit on Doc. They didn't fight through. I know what fight looks like, it didn't look like that on a nightly basis."

Rightfully so, Garnett comes to the side of his former coach as he's been on the receiving end of criticism for the last few years during his time with Milwaukee, but is it true?

A difficult situation

No matter how you look at it, Rivers was thrown into the fire when he first started coaching the Bucks.

While the Bucks started the season with a 30-13 record under newly hired head coach Adrian Griffin in the 2023-24 season, Griffin was fired after only 43 games.

As a result Milwaukee turned to Rivers to be its new head coach for the remaining of the season and the foreseeable future. Rivers finished the season with a 17-19 record and earned the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference before losing to the Pacers.

To be placed in the middle of the action more than halfway through the season is not an easy thing to do as a coach regardless of what type of coaching career one may have.

Results

Yet, with a full offseason to be completely involved as the head coach Rivers help lead the Bucks to a 48-34 record and the No. 5 seed in the east, but once again lost to Indiana in the first round in five games.

It's not a good look to lose to the same team in back-to-back postseasons, although it's important to note that the Bucks were dealign with injuries such as from guard Damian Lillard.

At the end of the day people need results and after this season past going 32-50, Rivers tenure with the Bucks ended with a 80-84 record.

I don't know what was going on behind the scenes in Milwaukee, but once Giannis Antetokounmpo went down on March 15 with an hyperextended left knee and a bone bruise, any hope for Milwaukee to make a late push evaporated.

A familiar face returns to lead us forward.

Welcome back to Milwaukee, Taylor Jenkins! pic.twitter.com/IpQZPQlOJv

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 30, 2026

With no Lillard and Antetokounmpo missing 46 games, Rivers could only do so much with what he was given. And I'm sure no team regardless of what its record may be, wants to roll over give up on a season.

The Bucks hired former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins in April to replace Rivers. Jenkins served as an assistant coach for Milwaukee during the 2018-19 season and will return with the Bucks for the 2026-27 season.