New Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin makes good first impression

Several Milwaukee Bucks players, employees and supporters packed inside a corner atrium of GATHER, the social event facility in the heart of the Milwaukee Bucks Deer District, to meet the next head coach.

Adrian Griffin settled into a tall chair for his introductory news conference when his microphone tipped over and crashed to the floor. He made the joke: turnover by me.

As first impressions go, Griffin made a good one Tuesday for being real and relatable in a pep rally-style setting.

It took the Milwaukee Bucks 31 days after firing their championship-winning head coach Mike Budenholzer on May 4 to officially name the successor, Griffin, on Monday.

And during the introduction of Griffin, by the man who hired him, Bucks general manager Jon Horst, a few things were made very clear:

Horst used what he called "advance analytics on coaching profiles and staff profiles" to identify Griffin as one of 20 first candidates, 15 of whom had first-round interviews. Six advanced to a second round. Assistant GM Milt Newton said Griffin was a head coach who hadn't been given an opportunity yet, said Horst.

"We all landed on Adrian being the candidate that we recommend to take this job," Horst said.

Horst used analytical statistics to look at the coaching staffs and teams Griffin worked with in his 15-year, 11-playoff appearance assistant coaching career with the Toronto Raptors, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls and the Bucks (2008-10).

"Scott Skiles, who I had a chance to work with, is really a brilliant basketball mind," Horst said. "Tom Thibodeau... Billy Donovan, Nick Nurse. These guys have all approached the game in really unique, creative ways and that will show up in their analytical profiles.

"It could be their willingness to offensive rebound against a smaller lineup. It could be their willingness to switch or to double against an individual player who is having a great series.

"And so we really look for those trends that we think translate to winning in the playoffs."

History showed that Griffin was part of coaching staffs that had what Horst called variability – or winning basketball with different approaches, and that his NBA experience was enough for the Bucks brass to trust him with a team that is just two years removed from winning the NBA title.

"You want to see a history of either being a head coach, or, coaching in a scheme with variability," Horst said. Griffin had the latter.

OPINION:There's a lot to like about the Bucks' hiring of Adrian Griffin as head coach

Griffin walked away from his meeting with Giannis Antetokounmpo in "awe" of the two-time MVP's hunger and humility.

"We have a lot of similar values," Griffin said.

Reports have said that it is important for Antetokounmpo to have a good relationship with his coach – and that that connection wasn't always there with Budenholzer: "To those familiar, Antetokounmpo had been searching for a closer bond with a head coach – one that went beyond hard coaching in practice, in the film room and in-game stratagem. He found he clicked with Griffin, sources said, in his meeting with the 48-year-old former player," reported Journal Sentinel beat writer Jim Owczarski.

But Griffin wasn't going to divulge any of that on Day 1 of the job, protecting the start of this new coach-player relationship.

"Out of respect to Giannis, I won't disclose a lot of the details of the conversation," he said.

Griffin and Nick Nurse, when they were together in Toronto, got their doctorates; Griffin has a PhD in organizational leadership. And he believes that can help him in his first stint as a head coach.

"Leadership is so important today. I think the players deserve the best. It's a little different. Right?" Griffin said. "When I was growing up, it was more command and control, with our coaches.

"I don't even know my name for the first couple years of college, because he called me other things."

Griffin was referring to P.J. Carlesimo, who coached Griffin during his playing days at Seton Hall. The stories about Carlesimo's tough love are legendary.

"I learned so much from him. But you know, today is different," Griffin said. "I think the relationship piece is very important, building those relationships with players first."

This hire feels different right away. There isn't the big-name and game recognition of Jason Kidd, or the sense of knowing exactly what to expect, like the Budenholzer hire. There will be a lot to discover on how Griffin decides to coach the game.

But Griffin, 48, appears to want to have a collaborative partnership with Horst, 40.

"For me, it's just soaking up all this wisdom or knowledge. He's won, and he's won big," Griffin said. "The foundation is strong here. You know, this is not something we got to rebuild. Or uproot. And I told him that the very first meeting. I said, look, you guys are doing some really good stuff here. I just want to add to it. I feel like my experiences can add great value to what we're doing. So it's gonna be a partnership from Day 1."