Heat rumors: Doc Rivers texted Giannis Antetokounmpo to clear the air after basketball IQ comments

Heat rumors: Doc Rivers texted Giannis Antetokounmpo to clear the air after basketball IQ comments appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Giannis Antetokounmpo was dealt a torrid surprise when he was asked about Doc Rivers’ comments about his exit from the Milwaukee Bucks . The former Milwaukee Bucks coach had claimed that the Miami Heat player did not want to be seen as the villain during his trade saga, and instead wanted the Bucks’ front office to come out and trade him. That was in addition to the comments about Giannis’ basketball IQ, as Rivers claimed the 31-year-old was not the easiest to coach. Giannis, in response, had expressed disbelief over the comments , claiming that he was instead focussed on his new team. Now however, it seems as if Rivers ended up texting the Greek Freak to clear the air, and ended up apologizing at least in part for the way his comments came out, per Marc J. Spears, according to a post on X by Heat Culture HQ. “I asked Doc and he said he actually texted Giannis and explained some things to him,” he said. “Doc did acknowledge that that’s where he made a mistake.” Antetokounmpo had initially expressed his desire to leave in July 2025, and had publicly maintained at different points of time that he remained steadfastly committed to the Bucks. He was eventually traded a year later after a comprehensive breakdown in communication with the franchise, and is now traversing through a mixed start to the season with the Miami Heat, who are currently down 4-6 for the season. Regardless, Rivers had suggested that Antetokounmpo was a “really difficult guy,” and despite the praise about his game, said that he was not “easy to coach.” Further, Rivers claimed that Giannis had a tendency to “force every play,” and that other players had to learn how to play with him. Antetokounmpo had not heard about the comments when he was quizzed by a reporter, but was quick to push back. “But God, that’s crazy,” he said. “Never let bitterness or pettiness get in front of your goals and dreams. Never let bitterness or pettiness get in front of your goals and dreams.” Of course, there is no doubt that Antetokounmpo was the model professional during his tenure with Milwaukee, and was the biggest reason why they won the NBA championship in 2021, only their second title, after winning their first-ever way back in 1971. Related: ‘Speechless’ Giannis Antetokounmpo left fuming over Doc Rivers’ criticism of Bucks partnership Related: Mitchell Robinson added to injury report for Bucks game