Fact Check: Have the Bucks Fired Head Coach Doc Rivers?

Sameen Nawathe | 09/11/2024
Bucks HC Doc Rivers

No team this season has been as disappointing as the Bucks. Despite boasting two bonafide superstars in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, they are 2-7 and sit second to last in the Eastern Conference standings. Their only wins have come against the Jazz, who are the worst team in the West, and the 76ers, who were without Paul George and Joel Embiid.

The blame for their dismal start to the campaign has been pinned solely on Doc Rivers. Since taking over as the Bucks head coach midway through last season, he’s led them to a 19-26 record. His predecessor Adrian Griffin was fired 43 games into his rookie season as a head coach last year, despite leading Milwaukee to a 30-13 record.

Rivers has been on a longer leash, but rumors spread on social media that he had reached the end of his rope and had been fired.

Claim: Bucks have fired Doc Rivers

A post on X claiming the Bucks have parted ways with the veteran head coach went viral and many fans believed it to be true.

While it’s hard to blame them for not taking the claim at its face value, as it’d be the least surprising move the Bucks make after their dismal 2-7 start to the season, it’s not true.

Verdict: Doc has NOT been fired

The post is from a parody account called ‘NBA Centel,’ which pretends to be NBA Central, the massively popular aggregator account on X. The account often posts fake reports to dupe unsuspecting fans on social media and has amassed a massive following due to its hilarious posts.

The account frames its captions as NBA Central does for its posts and tags reporters and insiders to suggest it’s a real new report. Its ability to mislead fans is unmatched.

For now, Rivers is still the Bucks’ head coach and there have been no concrete reports suggesting that the veteran is on the hot seat. However, if the team continues to spiral downward, Milwaukee will likely consider heading in a different direction and parting ways with him.

Post Edited By: Jay Mahesh Lokegaonkar
Dos Rivers Milwaukee Bucks

About the author

Avatar photo

Sameen Nawathe

Sameen Nawathe is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Drawing from his extensive background in editing his university publications, Sameen brings a distinguished level of professionalism and editorial acumen to his position. With over a decade of practical sporting knowledge, he adeptly curates a spectrum of content, ranging from foundational sports highlights to insightful analysis of potential NBA trades. Sameen's passion for basketball ignited with LeBron James, whom he credits for sparking his love for the game. He fondly reminisces about James' 2018 season, which he often describes as "the best display of pure hoops we've ever seen". When he's not immersed in the world of writing or playing basketball, Sameen can be found enjoying Taylor Swift's music or passionately supporting Manchester United during soccer matches.

Don’t miss these