While the Milwaukee Bucks’ decision to fire head coach Adrian Griffin may have come as a surprise for most folks, the fact of the matter is that this move has been a long time coming. This was anything but a knee-jerk reaction by the front office — after all, the team is coming off back-to-back wins and still has the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.
This was a deliberate decision by the Bucks as they look toward the rest of the season and of course, their championship aspirations this year. It was a well-thought-out process that also included the next step in terms of Griffin’s successor.
Milwaukee Bucks Announce Adrian Griffin’s Successor
The Bucks confirmed the firing of Griffin via an official statement on Twitter. In it, general manager Jon Horst revealed that it was a difficult decision from the front office, but that they remain extremely thankful to Griffin and all that he has done in his brief tenure as head coach.
It was also announced in the statement that assistant coach Joe Prunty will now take over the helm amid Griffin’s exit.
The 54-year-old has a ton of experience under his belt. Prunty has been an assistant in the league since 1996 when he started his NBA career under the tutelage of the great Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs.
Prunty has also had stints with the Dallas Mavericks, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Brooklyn Nets, the Phoenix Suns, and the Atlanta Hawks.
Prunty joined the Bucks this season as an assistant to Griffin. This is his second stint in Milwaukee after serving as an assistant coach under Jason Kidd between 2014 and 2018. When Kidd was fired, Prunty was promoted as the team’s interim head coach.
It is worth noting that Prunty will also serve as the Bucks head coach in an interim capacity. The team is now searching for their next head coach and until they are able to do so, Prunty will serve as a temporary caretaker of the squad.
For More Wisconsin Sports:
Follow me on Twitter at @PaoloSongcoNBA, and follow us @WiSportsHeroics. Also, check out our Merchandise Here! Get 20% off with the code “WSH.” You can also reach out to Paolo Songco via email at pao.songco@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers.
