The Milwaukee Bucks have cast a wide net as they search for a replacement for longtime head coach Mike Budenholzer, who was fired earlier this month following the team’s disappointing exit in the first round of the playoffs. Several former and current head coaches are in the mix, as are some current assistants and even college coaches.
Among those expected to interview for the gig, per several reports from ESPNs Adrian Wojnarowski: Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach Scott Brooks, Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin, former Charlotte Hornets coach James Borrego, Golden State Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson, Milwaukee assistant coach Charles Lee.
CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander confirms that University of Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson will be interviewing ahead of the appearance. In addition, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that former Warriors head coach and current ESPN commentator Mark Jackson will also talk to the Bucks.
Here’s a little more about each candidate:
- Brooks coached the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2008 to 2015 and the Washington Wizards from 2016 to 2021.
- Griffin is also a contender for the Toronto job and could be benched to replace Nick Nurse.
- Borrego was a candidate for the Bucks job in 2018 and was named coach of the Hornets just days before Milwaukee hired Budenholzer.
- Atkinson, who almost took the Hornets job last year, coached the Brooklyn Nets from 2016 to 2020.
- Lee has worked under Budenholzer for the past nine years, joining his Atlanta Hawks staff (which included Atkinson) in 2014. Lee is also reportedly one of the Detroit Pistons’ three finalists for their vacant coaching position and recently had an interview with the Raptors.
- Sampson has spent the past nine years in Houston, but previously worked for the Bucks as an assistant from 2008-11.
- Jackson, who had a .526 winning percentage in three seasons as a Warriors coach, was a finalist for the Kings job last year.
Milwaukee finished the 2022–23 regular season with 58 wins, the best record in the NBA, but lost the first round against the Miami Heat in five games. In addition to the coach change, the Bucks could have a significantly different roster next season. Brook Lopez, Joe Ingles, Wesley Matthews and Jae Crowder are all unrestricted free agents, and so can Khris Middleton and Jevon Carter if they decline their respective player options.