Milwaukee Bucks
Spirited, good jumpers, fast and agile.
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and play home games at Fiserv Forum. Former U.S. senator Herb Kohl was the long-time owner of the team, but on April 16, 2014, a group led by billionaire hedge fund managers Wes Edens and Marc Lasry agreed to purchase a majority interest in the team from Kohl, a sale which was approved by the owners of the NBA and its Board of Governors one month later on May 16. The team is managed by Jon Horst, the team's former director of basketball operations, who took over for John Hammond. The Bucks have won two league championships (1971, 2021), three conference titles (Western: 1971, 1974, Eastern: 2021), 19 division titles (1971–1974, 1976, 1980–1986, 2001, 2019–2024), and the 2024 NBA Cup. They have featured such notable players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Bob Dandridge, Sidney Moncrief, Bob Lanier, Terry Cummings, Glenn Robinson, Ray Allen, Michael Redd, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Damian Lillard among others. Abdul-Jabbar and Antetokounmpo have been named the NBA's Most Valuable Player while playing for the Bucks, for a total of five MVP awards. They both are also the only players to win Finals MVP for the franchise. The Bucks are the only NBA team to have won a championship in both the Eastern and Western Conference.
- division
- Central (Current) / Midwest (Historical)
- conference
- Eastern
- notable_connection
- Bob Lanier Trade (1980)
- peak_era
- 1970s Kareem Era vs. Pistons Rebuild
- status
- Active Divisional Rivals
Lore & Background
The Bucks were awarded to Milwaukee on January 22, 1968. A fan contest named the team the Bucks, referencing Wisconsin's official wild animal, the white-tailed deer. The Bucks' first victory came in their sixth game, beating the Detroit Pistons 134–118. They won a coin flip for the first pick in the 1969 draft and selected Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). In 1970–71, after trading for Oscar Robertson, the Bucks finished 66–16, won a then-NBA record 20-game win streak, and swept the Baltimore Bullets to win their first NBA championship. Abdul-Jabbar was traded to the Lakers on June 16, 1975. In 1977, the Bucks drafted Kent Benson, Marques Johnson, and Ernie Grunfeld. Benson was traded to the Detroit Pistons for Bob Lanier; the source does not specify the exact date of this trade. The Bucks won the Midwest Division title in 1980, then moved to the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They won six straight division titles in the 1980s.
In Their Own Story
The lights hummed overhead at The Palace, casting long shadows across the hardwood where the Pistons' red and blue clashed against Milwaukee's gold and green. Fans in the lower bowl leaned forward as the ball crossed half-court, knowing this game meant more than just a win—it was about divisional pride. A whistle blew, cutting through the roar of the crowd as players reset for another hard-fought possession.
Reader's Guide
The Bucks play at Fiserv Forum. Key figures include former owner Herb Kohl, current owners Wes Edens and Marc Lasry (sale approved May 16, 2014), and general manager Jon Horst. Notable players include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Bob Dandridge, Sidney Moncrief, Bob Lanier, Terry Cummings, Glenn Robinson, Ray Allen, Michael Redd, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Damian Lillard. The Bucks have won championships in 1971 and 2021.
Did You Know?
- The Bucks are the only NBA team to have won a championship in both the Eastern and Western Conference.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the only players to win Finals MVP for the Bucks.
- The Bucks' 29-game improvement from their first season to their second was the best in league history at the time.
- In 1983, the Bucks became the first team to sweep the Boston Celtics in a best-of-seven playoff series.
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