Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers has responded to comments from JJ Redick, a player he previously coached, after the latter criticized him at the beginning of his tenure with the Bucks for not being accountable amid their poor run.
Rivers appeared on ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith's podcast via video conference call and initially suggested that Redick has held a grudge against him for years, stemming from their handling of Redick's departure from the Los Angeles Clippers.
"In JJ's case, we didn't sign him back with the Clippers. I stopped playing him as much because he wasn't very effective in the playoffs. That's all known," Rivers initially shared.
Rivers then asserted that Redick played the best basketball of his career under his coaching.
"JJ Redick's best numbers of his career was under one coach and you're looking at him. I'm the one who grabbed him out of Milwaukee and decided to start him. From that point on, his career took off," the 62-year-old tactician added.
Doc Rivers coached JJ Redick on the Clippers from 2013-14 to 2017-18.
JJ Redick's comments on Doc Rivers
Redick, now an analyst for ESPN, criticized Rivers on "First Take" last February after the Bucks' poor performance when Rivers took over as head coach midway through the season.
"The trend is always making excuses. Doc, we get it. Taking over a team in the middle of a season is hard... But it's always an excuse. It's always throwing your team under the bus... There's never accountability with that guy," Redick said on television.
The 39-year-old later reaffirmed his stance on his podcast, "Old Man and the Three," stating that he does not regret his comments.
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