MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks officially announced over the weekend that Doc Rivers is the team’s new head coach.

The hire followed the team’s firing of Adrian Griffin earlier this week, who was only halfway through his first season with the Bucks.

Rivers inherits a good situation in Milwaukee, as the Bucks are currently 2nd in the Eastern Conference. 

Now, some fans have renewed hope for another championship trophy.

Longtime Milwaukee Bucks fan Javon Willturner has mixed emotions after Rivers was introduced as the new head coach Saturday.

“Kind of shaky,” said Willturner. “Feels kind of shaky. Feel happy. We have a more prominent coach that has more experience coaching.” 

Rivers has 24 seasons of NBA head coaching under his belt, though he has been out for a season. The Philadelphia 76ers fired him as head coach last May after three years and losses in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

“He knows how to speak to the players with the right type of passion because of their experience and that championship mentality that the last coach didn’t have,” added Willturner. 

While Rivers is new to the Bucks, he’s not new to Milwaukee. He is a former Golden Eagle and played basketball at Marquette University from 1980 to 1983. 

“It’s about how he can communicate,” explained Willturner. “The words he can say and the love and passion that he shows to his team to get them to understand.” 

Oliver Schickowski remembers the excitement when the Bucks brought home a championship in 2021. He’s hopeful Rivers can lead the team to another one this season. 

“I would love to be here for a championship,” said Schickowski. “To be able to see them win it here and go, maybe to the parade. I would be so happy.”

Both know the talent is there and look forward to the rest of the season.  

“I’m a good Bucks fan because of the possibility of how good they can be,” said Willturner. 

They both hope the new leadership will better the team’s chances of bringing home an NBA championship.