NBA coach Doc Rivers says ‘we have to support Trump’ after bashing the him throughout election cycle

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers gave his thoughts on Donald Trump’s election win, saying Americans must stand behind the next president. 

“Donald Trump is our president, and we’re going to have to support him. We want him to do the best job for the country at the end of the day,” Rivers told reporters after practice Wednesday. 

“Do I like some of the things that he does? No. But now he’s getting a second chance to be a better president than he was the first time, and I hope he is. I’m cheering for him. I really am.”

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Former President Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, arrives to speak during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla.  (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Rivers has been a vocal critic of Trump and a staunch supporter of Kamala Harris after she became the Democratic nominee in July. Rivers most recently called Trump’s campaign rally at Madison Square Garden Oct. 28 “atrocious.” Rivers even appeared in multiple political ads in support of Harris, providing his voice in one ad that accused Trump of “empty promises.” In another, he appeared in person next to Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff.

“I’ve known Kamala. This is the most involved I’ve ever been in an election, and a lot of it was personal because I’ve known Kamala for over 15 years. I thought she would have been a terrific president,” Rivers said Wednesday. “The problem is 65 million-plus disagreed with me.”

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Doc Rivers calls for a timeout. (Foundation to Combat Antisemitism)

Trump has received more than 72 million votes in the election. 

Rivers is one of many high-profile NBA figures who have been outwardly critical of Trump, joining fellow coaches Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors and Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban. 

That group has publicly acknowledged and accepted Trump’s victory and encouraged other Americans to do the same since Tuesday’s results despite previous partisan criticisms of the president. 

Rivers’ made his comments about Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally when the Bucks were playing the Brooklyn Nets across the East River Oct. 28. 

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Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts during the second half of a game against the Brooklyn Nets Oct. 27, 2024, in New York.  (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

“If you saw Madison Square Garden, I mean come on. … Like, right?” Rivers said, via Sports Illustrated “So, to me, it’s so important to vote. I’m gonna keep it as close to that as possible. But gosh. When I tell people, if the guy was so great, why did 80 million people vote against him the last time he ran.

“I don’t know. I don’t get it. But we gotta do something about — that was atrocious what we saw. If you’re a Black man or woman, Brown, Latino or Puerto Rican or … they hit everybody. And it was awful.”

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