‘That was the game’: Ex-coach’s savage take on NBA superstar... and honest reveal on ugly exit

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat have endured a difficult start to the NBA season, but it is the comments from his former coach Doc Rivers that have now put the two-time MVP firmly in the spotlight.

Antetokounmpo joined the Heat during the offseason after departing the Milwaukee Bucks, ending his 12-season stint with the franchise that selected him with the 15th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

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But with Miami struggling to a 3-6 record to start the season, Rivers has delivered a brutal assessment of his former superstar, questioning his basketball IQ and revealing the circumstances surrounding his departure from Milwaukee.

Speaking on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Rivers claimed Antetokounmpo wanted to leave the Bucks but was reluctant to be seen as the villain.

"Giannis wanted out, but he was a Buck," Rivers said.

"He didn't want to be the bad guy.

"To me, that was the game that was being played."

Rivers, who coached Milwaukee from 2024 to 2026, then went a step further, opening up on the difficulties he faced coaching the two-time MVP.

"He's not easy," Rivers told Simmons.

"He plays at this crazy downhill pace, he's really a difficult guy.

"He has this great passing ability, but he doesn't have a super-high IQ at the same time."

The former Bucks coach didn't stop there, suggesting Antetokounmpo still had plenty to improve on when it came to his decision-making and execution.

"I wish he'd learned how to execute better," Rivers said.

"The thing he still needs to learn is the value of execution how important it is, when you're in practice and at shoot around, to lock in on execution."

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Despite his criticism, Rivers admitted Antetokounmpo was now in a strong position to improve that side of his game under Miami coach Erik Spoelstra.

"Now he has a coach who's as good as there is at execution," Rivers said.

But whilst Rivers didn't hold back in his assessment, another of Antetokounmpo's former coaches was quick to come to his defence.

Jason Kidd, who coached the Greek superstar in Milwaukee from 2014 to 2018, disagreed with Rivers' comments about his basketball IQ.

"Giannis' superpower is to get downhill and he makes plays," Kidd said.

"So, understanding Doc saying that his IQ, I disagree with that.

"I think Giannis understands how to play the game.

"He's one of the top five players in the league"

ESPN insider Brian Windhorst also weighed in on the comments, suggesting that managing the challenges that come with coaching a superstar is simply part of having one of the best players in the NBA.

"When you have a top 5 player, there's sometimes a baggage you got to deal with but it's always a great bargain...it all balances out when you're a top 5 player," Windhorst said on ESPN's NBA Today.

The comments come at a difficult time for Antetokounmpo and the Heat, who have struggled to find consistency since bringing the superstar to Miami.

Their latest setback came in a 120-100 defeat to the Golden State Warriors, leaving the Heat with a 3-6 record through their opening nine games.

Antetokounmpo also elected to skip his mandatory post-game media session following the loss, adding further attention to what has been a frustrating start to his time in Miami.