Doc Rivers said Monday that he had contacted Giannis Antetokounmpo to apologize for comments about the Miami Heat forward during a podcast interview. Speaking to Andscape, the former Milwaukee Bucks coach said his remarks did not accurately convey what he intended to say about the player he coached for parts of three seasons.
Rivers, who now works as an NBA analyst for NBC Sports, discussed Antetokounmpo on an episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast released Thursday. During that conversation, he questioned the forward's basketball IQ and described his approach to the game as heavily dependent on driving downhill and playing with force.
In explaining those remarks to Andscape, Rivers said he had intended to discuss Antetokounmpo's feel for basketball rather than his intelligence. He said he regretted his choice of words and sent an apology by text. According to Rivers, Antetokounmpo responded positively. Rivers described the forward as capable of extraordinary passes, while saying the force with which he plays can sometimes interfere with his feel for the game.
Rivers also sought to explain his description of Antetokounmpo as difficult to coach. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach said that observation was intended to recognize the forward's greatness, rather than criticize him. He said his positive remarks during the interview, including his enjoyment of coaching Antetokounmpo, had received less attention.
The coaching challenge he meant to describe, Rivers told Andscape, was assembling a team that fits an exceptional player's abilities. He said that process is not always easy and acknowledged having both succeeded and fallen short in doing it. He explained that a coach's responsibility is to build the strongest possible team around a great player and his talents.
Antetokounmpo addressed the podcast comments Sunday after Miami defeated the Kings 114-108 in Sacramento, three days after the interview appeared. He pointed out that Erik Spoelstra is his current coach and described Rivers as someone he had worked with previously. Summing up his reaction to the remarks, Antetokounmpo told reporters, "I'm speechless."
Rivers' tenure with Milwaukee ended when he was dismissed after last season. Antetokounmpo, 31, is now in his first season with Miami, averaging 27.5 points and 12.8 rebounds. The Heat have recovered from a slow start, with Sunday's win over Sacramento bringing their record to 4-6.
