The Milwaukee Bucks officially fired coach Adrian Griffin on Tuesday, just 43 games into his tenure on the sidelines.
“I appreciate the opportunity the Bucks gave me,” Griffin told Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes in an interview. “You can’t control everything. I feel good about the job we did. I appreciate my coaching staff for all their hard work.”
The Bucks hired Griffin in June 2023 as the replacement for coach Mike Budenholzer, who led the franchise to a championship in 2021 but was fired after a first-round playoff exit last spring.
Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was reportedly heavily involved in the hiring process to bring in Griffin, who had served as an assistant coach in Milwaukee, Chicago, Orlando, Oklahoma City and Toronto before landing the top job with the Bucks.
Griffin’s stint as Milwaukee’s coach is tied for the third-shortest tenure for full-time head coaches in NBA history.
“I always wanted to be a head coach in this league,” Griffin told Haynes. “I couldn’t have asked for a better roster. I got to coach Giannis, [Damian Lillard], Khris [Middleton], Brook [Lopez]. Dream come true. Hopefully I get another shot at it, but overall, I’m just thankful.”
The Bucks, who named assistant Joe Prunty as the interim coach, return to the floor Wednesday for a matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
