Bucks rumors: Doc Rivers called out Kyle Kuzma before benching in meeting that ‘rubbed locker room wrong way’

For the first time in a decade, the Milwaukee Bucks are not playoff-bound, and tensions appear to be high.

Amid a contentious battle between the Bucks and superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo over an injury that sparked an NBA investigation, more alleged details of Milwaukee’s dysfunction have been reported. Specifically, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania detailed a disastrous team meeting in which head coach Doc Rivers cited his past success and targeted Kyle Kuzma.

“Rivers showed clips of forward Kyle Kuzma’s miscues in recent games. Kuzma was a DNP-Coach’s Decision later that night in the Bucks’ 27-point home loss to the Celtics. It was the first DNP-CD of Kuzma’s career,” Charania wrote.

“The session was among a number of instances that rubbed large parts of the locker room the wrong way and continued the theme of a season-long disconnect between Rivers and the players, according to team sources. When asked by ESPN to characterize his relationship with his team, Rivers declined to speak on the record.”

Rivers is in his third season as the Bucks’ head coach, having taken over after the midseason firing of Adrian Griffin in 2024. Under Rivers, Milwaukee lost in the first round of the playoffs in both 2024 and 2025, and, sitting in 11th place with a 31-47 record this year, the Bucks were eliminated from playoff contention late last month.

Before arriving in Milwaukee, Rivers had head coaching stints with the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Boston Celtics, the latter of whom he led to an NBA championship in 2008.

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