Rivers Apologized to Antetokounmpo Over IQ Remark

Doc Rivers privately apologized to Giannis Antetokounmpo for questioning the Miami Heat forward’s basketball IQ, according to ESPN analyst Marc Spears, who said Rivers acknowledged that the remark was a mistake.

Spears reported that Rivers sent Antetokounmpo a text after the former coach’s comments drew attention. Rivers said he had meant to discuss Antetokounmpo’s feel for the game, not his intelligence, and felt bad about raising the subject of IQ. The text and apology were described by Spears; neither was independently presented in the accounts.

The dispute followed Rivers’ appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast, where he discussed coaching Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. Rivers said the two-time MVP’s fast, downhill style could make him difficult to coach, and questioned how consistently he executed within a structured offense. Rivers also said Antetokounmpo had strong passing ability but did not necessarily have a “super IQ.”

Rivers’ criticism included the view that Antetokounmpo needed to focus on execution in practice and at shootaround. In his later explanation to Spears, Rivers said his concern was Antetokounmpo’s feel for the game and described the challenge as creating...