Doc Rivers apologises to Giannis Antetokounmpo over basketball IQ remark
The former Milwaukee Bucks coach said he meant to discuss the Miami Heat star's feel for the game, not his intelligence.
Doc Rivers has apologised to Giannis Antetokounmpo after questioning his basketball IQ on a podcast. ESPN's Marc Spears revealed the text message apology on NBA Today.
Key takeaways
- Doc Rivers texted Giannis Antetokounmpo a personal apology after questioning his basketball IQ
- Rivers said he meant to discuss Antetokounmpo's feel for the game, not his intelligence
- Marc Spears disclosed the apology on NBA Today following Miami's 114-108 win over Sacramento
- Antetokounmpo said reporters should ask Rivers directly why he made the remark
- Rivers coached Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee for parts of three seasons
Doc Rivers has sent Giannis Antetokounmpo a personal apology after questioning the Miami Heat star's basketball IQ on The Bill Simmons Podcast. ESPN insider Marc Spears revealed the apology on NBA Today after Antetokounmpo publicly responded to the criticism following Miami's 114-108 win over Sacramento. Rivers texted his former Milwaukee Bucks player to say he had meant to talk about Antetokounmpo's feel for the game, not his intelligence.
Rivers explains his remarks
On The Bill Simmons Podcast, Rivers praised Antetokounmpo's passing ability but questioned his decision-making and ability to execute within a structured offence. He said Antetokounmpo had great passing ability but did not necessarily have a super IQ at the same time.
Rivers called Antetokounmpo difficult to coach, comparing him to LeBron James and Luka Doncic, and said superstars are tough to coach.
He explained he wanted to create more spacing for Antetokounmpo, noting the forward's instinct to attack downhill could make that difficult and that the force with which Antetokounmpo plays can sometimes get in the way of his feel for the game.
Antetokounmpo responds
After Miami beat Sacramento, Antetokounmpo was asked about his former coach's assessment. He told reporters to ask Rivers directly why he thought that, saying it was on Rivers, not on him.
Rivers apologises
Spears said on NBA Today that Rivers regretted bringing a player's intelligence into the discussion. Rivers acknowledged the wording was a mistake and said he felt really bad about even mentioning somebody's IQ in any capacity. He apologised for that in the text to Antetokounmpo.
Rivers and Antetokounmpo's history
Rivers coached Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee for parts of three seasons before leaving the Bucks at the end of last season. Rivers is an American former professional basketball player and coach in the NBA.
He was an NBA player for 14 seasons, an NBA All-Star, and was named one of the 15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History. Antetokounmpo is an NBA athlete based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with 13 years and one month of experience.
What happens next
The NBA results data shows recent final scores from November 7, 8, and 9, 2026, including games involving the Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans, LA Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, and Indiana Pacers.
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