Bucks’ Firing of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Favorite Assistant Coach Raises Eyebrows

Getty Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks and assistant coach Josh Oppenheimer (top left) watches as Myles Turner #33 of the Indiana Pacers celebrates.

The Milwaukee Bucks have fired assistant coaches DJ Bakker, Sidney Dobner and Josh Oppenheimer whom Doc Rivers inherited, TNT/Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes reported on May 10.

The firing raised some eyebrows as one of those assistant coaches has close ties to franchise superstar Giannis Antetokoumpo, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

“The departure of Oppenheimer, in particular, surprised some in NBA coaching circles because he is known to be a Giannis Antetokounmpo favorite,” Stein wrote in his Substack newsletter on May 12.

Oppenheimer joined former Bucks coach Larry Drew’s coaching staff in 2013, the same year the franchise drafted Antetokounmpo. As a player development coach, Oppenheimer spent a lot of time working together since the Greek superstar’s rookie year, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The American-Israeli assistant coach left the Bucks in 2016 to join the Houston Rockets. Then he returned in 2020, helping Mike Budenholzer guide Antetokounmpo and the Bucks to their first NBA championship in 50 years.

It is unclear if Oppenheimer will reunited with Budenholzer in Phoenix. Budenholzer recently signed a five-year deal worth over $50 million to replace Frank Vogel as the Suns head coach, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Budenholzer is still in the process of assembling his coaching staff as the Suns also fired Vogel’s assistants.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Hopes to Remain with Bucks

Antetokounmpo signed a three-year, $186 million extension with the Bucks before this season that has a player option for the 2027-28 season. But after a first-round exit in his first season with Damian Lillard, Antetokounmpo said he hopes he would remain with the Bucks.

“We have that stability,” Antetokounmpo said during his exit interview on May 3. “We’re not questioning and trying to figure out how it’s going to look moving forward. You know and now that you know, you just gotta work, strategize to the best of your abilities. Dame’s going to be here. Khris is going to be here. Brook (is) going to be here. Bobby (Portis is) going to be here. I hope I’m here. And then we go and try to find out what we have.”

Antetokounmpo’s late-season injury derailed the Bucks’ playoff run under new coach Doc Rivers, who took over from rookie head coach Adrian Griffin midway through this season.

“That’s the first time in my career that (this has) ever happened to me,” Antetokounmpo said. “I have to do a better job of taking care of my body.”

After sustaining a soleus muscle in his left calf on April 9, Antetokounmpo helplessly watched the Bucks’ final nine games, including their 4-2 loss in the first round of the NBA Playoffs to Indiana Pacers.

Doc Rivers Heads to ‘Very Important Summer’

After the firing of the three assistant coaches, Rivers’ staff has been reduced to seven assistants: Dave Joerger, Rex Kalamian, Joe Prunty, Patrick Mutombo, Vin Baker, Trevor Gleeson, and Pete Dominguez, according to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm.

Rivers will break his normal routine of getting a break after each NBA season following the Bucks’ disappointing finish.

“This summer is a very important summer for us. I have a lot of work to do,” Rivers said during his exit interview. “I’m going to take a break at some point, but not right away. Right now, I have some work to do that I have to get things right to make sure we’re ready for next year.”