Bucks Head Coach Adrian Griffin - Photo by Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
MILWAUKEE, WI (WSAU) – According to Shams Charania and Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Terry Stotts quit as a Milwaukee Bucks assistant head coach just two days after a verbal altercation with head coach Adrian Griffin at Tuesday’s shootaround.
Griffin told the team’s assistant coaches that he wanted to have a separate huddle with them after they finished the huddle with the players, which led to a brief fight that was described in detail by Charania and Nehm on Thursday.
When the huddle with the players concluded, Stotts went to speak to Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, per Charania and Nehm:
“As Stotts attempted to start a conversation with [Damian] 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.”
The story went on to state that Stotts did not appreciate Griffin yelling at him in front of the players and thought a coach with his expertise deserved better treatment.
The resignation caught Griffin off guard when he told The Athletic, “He was a terrific guy. I learned a lot from him in a very short time,” he said. “He was really good at what he does. He made a decision, a personal decision, and we just have to respect that.”
Before joining the Bucks before this season, Stotts served as the Portland Trail Blazers head coach for nine seasons.
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