Giannis surprised by Doc Rivers’ critical comments: ‘Go ask him why he thought that’

The exchange unfolded Sunday after the Miami Heat defeated the Sacramento Kings, when a reporter informed Antetokounmpo of remarks Rivers had made earlier that day on The Bill Simmons Podcast. "He has this great passing ability, but he doesn't necessarily have super IQ at the same time," Rivers said. "It's really a strange thing. And he really has one way. Downhill, forceful. Every play, he wants to force it." Rivers added that he wished Antetokounmpo would "learn how to execute better" and attributed some of his tendencies to an AAU background where "they can do it on their own."

Antetokounmpo, who joined the Heat this season after the Bucks missed the playoffs in 2025-26, was visibly taken aback. "Oh, my God. First of all, he's not my coach. My coach is Coach Spo," he said, per The Athletic's Eric Nehm. "I'm speechless. He made those comments today?" He then told the reporter, "You have his number, right? You do. I know you do. You gotta go ask him why he thought that; that's on him. That's not on me."

Antetokounmpo emphasized his focus on his current team: "I gotta focus on my team and what I gotta do and how can I be better and how can I help the team." He concluded with a pointed message: "But like, goddamn. That's crazy. Never let bitterness and pettiness get in front of your goals and dreams, man. For every athlete out there, never let that [happen]. That's insane."

Rivers' tenure in Milwaukee began when he replaced Adrian Griffin with the Bucks at 30-13 in January 2024. The team went on to lose in the first round of the playoffs in both 2024 and 2025 before missing the postseason entirely in 2025-26. CBS Sports noted Rivers compiled a 97-103 record over three years with the Bucks. The criticism comes as Antetokounmpo adjusts to a new role alongside Bam Adebayo in Miami, where the Heat have gotten off to a slow start.