Damian Lillard throws weight behind Antonio Pierce as Raiders HC after Maxx Crosby’s ultimatum
Milwaukee Bucks guard and Las Vegas Raiders superfan Damian Lillard hopes Antonio Pierce becomes their new head coach.
Even after the team moved to Las Vegas, Lillard, who grew up in Oakland, is a big Raiders fan. The NBA star hasn't shied from suggesting what the team should do. And after Pierce has had a successful nine games, Lillard believes he should be the head coach.
“I rock with AP man," Lillard said to Vegas Sports Today. "I’m a super fan of player-coaches cause I feel like they can relate more than anything. They’ve lived it, won at the highest level. You can tell the players respect him and I think in professional sports when you can be a leader of men and they respect you, you can get a lot more out of the team."
The Raiders are yet to interview any candidate for the head coaching role. However, Pierce has interviewed for the Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans coaching role.
Maxx Crosby shares opinion on Antonio Pierce
Apart from Damian Lillard, current Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby said he wants Antonio Pierce to be promoted to full-time head coach.
Speaking on his podcast, Crosby hinted at asking for a trade if Pierce isn't named the Raiders head coach:
"If we go in a different direction, there’s nothing that’s off the table ... Let us build this thing and let’s see what we can do with it. If it doesn’t work, then it doesn’t work, but I believe in him and I know this s— is going in the right direction and I feel like everybody else does as well."
"So, we got to do what’s right and bring A.P. back and bring Champ back, no question about it.”
Star wide receiver Davante Adams also said he wants Pierce to be the head coach next season.
"I mean, he's come in and done a great job and he's continued to win us over," Adams said at a press conference. "It's not just the comfortable thing; I think having A.P. here will be good for this organization. He kind of embodies what it means to be a Raider and that mentality, that swag and all the things that he endorses is the things that I believe in.
"So it's easy for a guy like me, especially having dealt with him a little bit this year now and gotten to know him and see his evolution in front of the team and all those things, all the different fields of being a head coach. So, definitely rooting for him."
Despite the support from the players, the Raiders have yet to promote Pierce to be their next head coach, and whether or not they will is uncertain.