Source: https://theathletic.com/4977527/2023/10/19/terry-stotts-bucks-assistant-leaving/
> **Although Griffin did not mention any sort of issue between himself and Stotts on Thursday, their relationship was tenuous, league sources told The Athletic, and there was a brief incident at Tuesday’s shootaround in Oklahoma City.**
> According to sources who witnessed the events, Griffin wrapped up the shootaround and called the team together for a huddle to close out the day and let the players get to post-shootaround shooting drills. During that huddle, Griffin informed the coaches that he wanted to have a separate huddle with them once they wrapped things up.
> When the players and coaches broke the huddle, **Stotts went in the opposite direction of the coaches’ huddle and instead started walking toward players to discuss the offense. As Stotts attempted to start a conversation with Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Griffin called to Stotts to join the coaching huddle. When Stotts asked for some time with the players, Griffin yelled for Stotts to join the coaches’ huddle. The incident occurred in front of the entire team, those sources said.**
> While brief, the interaction highlighted the underlying complexity of the relationship between Griffin and Stotts in their first year together in Milwaukee. Around the situation on Thursday, there were two perspectives surrounding Stotts’ resignation: His potential difficulty adapting to a bench role under Griffin after more than a decade as a head coach, and the other being a certain treatment and level of respect that needed to be shown to someone with Stotts’ pedigree.
> “It kind of came out of nowhere,” Lillard said. “I’ve been in this league long enough to know that these types of things happen. Everything continues, so you’ve got to kind of process things like this and other things that may come up and continue to move forward. For me, knowing Terry as long as I’ve known him – playing for him for nine years and him also making this transition for me easier just having a familiar face be such a huge part of it – was a good thing. **I think now that I’m settled in, to see him go is unfortunate. It’s sad to see him go, but like I said, everything is still moving forward.”**
> Ultimately, though, the partnership between Griffin and Stotts was not meant to be, and Stotts ended it with his resignation. **Both Lillard and Khris Middleton told reporters that they were given a heads up of Stotts’ decision on Wednesday night with Lillard telling reporters that Stotts reached out to him personally.**
> “We spoke directly,” Lillard said. “I don’t expect anything different. We spend so much time around each other in this league. Seven, eighth months a year, practice every day, flights, hotels, dinners, watching film, we share a lot of intimate spaces and like I said, being with him for nine years and him being my head coach, me being the point guard of his team, we spent a lot of time around each other. We know each other really well, even in the two years without him, we stayed in pretty consistent contact. So, I don’t expect anything different than him to call me directly and that’s how it happened.”
> Per a team source, the Bucks will take their time in considering all options in filling Stotts’ spot on the staff.
by UnbiasedNBAFan_
39 Comments
well … thats a shame
a real shame
>Around the situation on Thursday, there were two perspectives surrounding Stotts’ resignation: His potential difficulty adapting to a bench role under Griffin after more than a decade as a head coach, and the other being a certain treatment and level of respect that needed to be shown to someone with Stotts’ pedigree.
Sounds about right. When you’re a head coach for so long, it’s probably a hit to his ego that he has to take orders from someone else and someone whose younger
Lol seems pretty petty
these insiders will find out anything, what i would give to see shams or wojs text and emails
#FireGriffin
> According to sources who witnessed the events, Griffin wrapped up the shootaround and called the team together for a huddle to close out the day and let the players get to post-shootaround shooting drills. During that huddle, Griffin informed the coaches that he wanted to have a separate huddle with them once they wrapped things up.
>When the players and coaches broke the huddle, Stotts went in the opposite direction of the coaches’ huddle and instead started walking toward players to discuss the offense. As Stotts attempted to start a conversation with Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Griffin called to Stotts to join the coaching huddle. When Stotts asked for some time with the players, Griffin yelled for Stotts to join the coaches’ huddle. The incident occurred in front of the entire team, those sources said.
>While brief, the interaction highlighted the underlying complexity of the relationship between Griffin and Stotts in their first year together in Milwaukee. Around the situation on Thursday, there were two perspectives surrounding Stotts’ resignation: His potential difficulty adapting to a bench role under Griffin after more than a decade as a head coach, and the other being a certain treatment and level of respect that needed to be shown to someone with Stotts’ pedigree.
Not a great look for Stotts
Griffin didn’t have to show him up in front of the whole team.
Based on the story I can’t say I side with Stotts’. Man seems to just ignore Griffin and going to go do his own things. Seems he’s a man who wants to be in a position closer to HC than AC.
This article still didn’t really tell us anything outside of “their relationship was tenuous” and one seemingly minor spat
People will blame Griffin or Stotts but it really just sounds like a bad fit. Veteran former head coach that previously coached one of the star players plus a rookie head coach without an existing connection to the players.
Everyone is going to be Pro-Griffin in this thread until the bucks are 17-13 and this is going to be referenced as an early cause for concern
I can see it. Stotts a proven solid HEAD coach and a terrific assistant. Adrian Griffin a former player, not a ton of coaching experience, has alot to learn and was lucky to have a guy as experienced as Stotts on the bench. It’s q difficult dynamic for sure, tougher for Stotts but Griffin also has to be firm to show its truly his team as well
this is like that eric andre meme
Seems like the rookie coach has an ego problem
This is just the plot to HBO’s Winning Time
Seems like Stotts didn’t want to have to deal with a rookie coach that was exerting his authority over him in practice. Can’t blame him for that. Griffin has a lot to prove and he just turned away an asset that could help. Will be interesting… People blaming Stotts for this but Griffin sounds like he didn’t run things all that well coaching staff wise in their short time together.
Was never going to work. Griffin felt threatened and Stotts didn’t give a fuck.. Wished it would have played out longer lol
Sounds more like Stotts cant handle being an asst coach under a 1st year HC. Time to retire for good
Seems pretty simple here, Stotts had something he wanted to make sure was communicated to Giannis and Dame, needed a minute to tell them before the players were let go. He asked Griff for a minute and Griff decided to make a specific power move in front of the whole team. This could’ve been handled in such a better fashion than yelling in front of the whole team.
>Throughout training camp, many players have complimented Griffin’s emphasis on competitiveness and physicality and enjoyed the way Griffin has gone about trying to instill more toughness to the organization
This ain’t what Terry signed up for
To me it’s seems Stotts wasn’t really embracing the role of assistant coach. It’s hard to be told what to do when you are used to being the guy giving the orders.
Griffin needs to stand up for himself, especially in front of the players, if he doesn’t then it makes him look weak and loses player respect
Griffin is a fuckin punk. Can tell already from how he was answering questions about Middleton a week or so ago.
If anyone is looking to hire a new head coach Terry Stotts is available
About time the Bucks had some bad juju
Bring him home (and fire Billups thanks)
Weird vibes in Milwaukee
Everyone siding with AG just seems to want to dump on Stotts.
1st year rookie hc with no real reason they’d be any good besides “giannis likes him”
Vs
Decade long ex-hc of your other star who proved they can HC despite roster issues and mediocre ownership.
Oh yeah why would stotts want to do his thing first, listen to the boss!!!
No.. that’s not how it works in real life. He’ll just quit and find another job where they don’t have to deal with a boss like that. (Oh, guess what.. he did.)
i mean if you can’t fall in line as a subordinate then you’re not very useful no matter how good you think you are. only star players get the leeway of having big egos if they got the talent to back it up.
With the news of Neil Olshey getting hired to “consult” in Philly, I’d put at least a couple bucks on Olshey usurping Morey and hiring Stotts. Stotts got the heads up this morning
Stotts is right where he needs to be, and he’s right on time
Definitely not a head coach quality decision. Yelling at staff in the middle of the gym in front of everyone just makes you look insecure. Correct move was to do the coach huddle without him and letting Stotts have it in private after and letting him know to not show up next time until he feels like listening to his boss
Who’s insecurity is at fault? Maybe neither could put their ego aside to make it work. However I feel Griffin, as the rookie coach should have shown some respect to stotts and shown appreciation for what he could bring to the table in terms of helping him and this team. Hard to know the whole dynamic without actually being there, but this is clearly a loss for the bucks. Stotts has a great relationship with Dame and is great offensive mind, hopefully griffin didn’t feel like he was there to replace him if he faltered. Maybe that pressure got the best of him in the way he acted…
Yeah uh, this shows to me Griffin is going to fuck this up. Just wait.
Tough situation. Seems like Terry wanted to be more vocal leader and Griffin didn’t want to be undermined by an assistant
I thought the Griffin hire was a very bad one at the time they made it.
Haven’t seem anything to change my mind so far.
Having been a coach at the high school and college levels, I have seen and been thin skinned in certain situations.
The fact that someone brought in an experienced coach, other than the head coach, can lead to some insecure thoughts.
Like Stotts is the heir apparent in waiting if things go sideways for a rookie coach.
Also, Stotts having a long time relationship with Lillard could have Griffin feeling even more insecure.
Lastly, yelling at a fellow coach in front of the players is never a good idea. Especially one as experienced and respected as Stotts.
It happened to me once and it was embarrassing and I lost respect for the head coach. I moved on shortly afterwards.
Griffin better have the team off to a good start, as I expect he won’t have much rope to work with this season.
I do wonder if it wasn’t entirely AG’s decision to hire a former HC as an AC. Even if it wasn’t a “mandate” from hire ups, maybe as part of the interview/hiring process, there was some understanding/expectation/intent that a former HC would be added to the bench?
I suspect Griffin’s insecurity stems from Dame’s prior relationship with Stotts.
The Bucks imploding would be a pretty hilarious outcome NBA Drama team latest campaign.