On Sunday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Doc Rivers would not be returning as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks next season. Rivers, a one-time NBA champion and soon-to-be member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, finishes with an 80-84 regular season record in Milwaukee, along with one playoff stint that ended in the first round.
Now, the buzz surrounding Rivers’ successor will only grow louder. A name or two has already been floated by the rumor mill in weeks past, and now, additional reporting by analyst Jake Weinbach brings up some more candidates to occupy the spot vacated by Rivers.
Top 5 Candidates Who Could Replace Doc Rivers as Bucks Coach
Darvin Ham
The first name mentioned by Weinbach is Bucks assistant Darvin Ham. A former journeyman who played for eight years in the NBA, Ham has a lengthy coaching resume that includes stints as an assistant with the Lakers and the Hawks. From 2022 to 2024, Ham served as Lakers head coach.
Chris Quinn
Weinbach also reported that Heat assistant Chris Quinn is in the running for the Bucks head coaching role. A trusted lieutenant of Erik Spoelstra’s for over a decade, Quinn has long been cited as a head coach prospect with a high ceiling.
Taylor Jenkins
The final name on Weinbach’s shortlist was Taylor Jenkins, who had also served as a Milwaukee assistant earlier in his career. Jenkins is best known for helping Ja Morant and his gritty teammates jell into a respectable playoff threat.
Tom Thibodeau
Any discussion of dismissed head coaches from last season will have to bring up Tom Thibodeau at some point. Thibodeau, an assistant for Rivers during the Boston Celtics’ title run in 2008, has made a name for himself as a head coach that powers his squads to appearances in conference finals.
Terry Stotts
If the Bucks are looking for experienced head coaches with winning records in the regular season, Terry Stotts would be a worthy name to consider. The former Portland Trail Blazers coach has amassed a 517-486 regular season record, and he has proven himself to be an astute mind on the offensive side of things.
