Newly signed head coach Doc Rivers and the Milwaukee Bucks limped into the All-Star break this weekend in Indianapolis, losers of two straight games, first in blowout fashion at home against the Miami Heat, and then in a shocking road defeat against what was left of the Memphis Grizzlies. The Bucks as a whole have struggled since Rivers took over for the shockingly fired Adrian Griffin, but the hope is that the former NBA championship coach with the Boston Celtics will be able to lead his team back to their championship heights of 2021.

Evidently, Rivers–who began this year as an analyst for ESPN following his firing by the Philadelphia 76ers–had no intentions of coaching again this soon. However, the former Atlanta Hawks point guard is now shedding light on just how he was convinced to take over in Milwaukee.

“I had committed to taking a year off,” said Rivers, per Rachel Nichols on X, the social media platform previously referred to as Twitter (via Open Run with Rachel Nichols). “I had two other teams that had already called during the season that we wouldn’t even take the interview. When this one came about I thought, the team’s from where I went to school at, and the type of team – it was just a lot.”

The start that the Bucks has gotten off to under Rivers' direction certainly hasn't been an entirely convincing testament to his decision to return to the profession. However, it's better to peak in April than it is in January or February.