Category: Milwaukee Bucks Blog

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed free agents Tim Frazier, Shabazz Muhammad and Christian Wood to complete their 20-man roster for training camp, which tips-off on Tuesday, Sept. 25 from the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Sports Science Center.

Frazier spent the 2017-18 season with the Washington Wizards where he appeared in 59 games (11 starts) and averaged 3.0 points, 3.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 14.2 minutes per contest. The 6-foot guard from Penn State has played four seasons in the NBA from 2014-18 with Philadelphia, Portland, New Orleans and Washington and holds career averages of 5.2 points, 4.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 186 career games.

Muhammad finished the 2017-18 season with the Bucks, playing in 11 regular season games and four postseason contests, after signing with Milwaukee on March 4. He averaged 8.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game with the Bucks while shooting 55.2 percent from the field. Muhammad began the 2017-18 season with Minnesota where he averaged 3.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in 32 games. The 6-foot-5 guard from UCLA has played in 278 career games, including the first 267 of his career with the Timberwolves, and holds career averages of 9.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest.

Wood most recently played with the Bucks 2018 Las Vegas Summer League team where he earned All-NBA Summer League First Team honors after averaging 20.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 55.0 percent from the field in five games. Wood, a 6-foot-10 UNLV product, played the 2017-18 season with the Delaware 87ers of the NBA G League where he averaged 23.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.1 steals per game and was selected to the All-G League Second Team. He has appeared in 30 games in the NBA with both Philadelphia and Charlotte, and holds career averages of 3.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game.

Milwaukee Bucks play-by-play announcer Jim Paschke, who is entering his 33rd season calling Bucks games, was named the recipient of the NBA’s Todd Harris Spirit Award at the annual NBA Broadcast Meeting on Sept. 14 in New York. The Todd Harris Spirit Award, named in honor of longtime NBA executive Todd Harris, recognizes an NBA broadcaster or executive who is the ultimate team player and inspires people to make every day brighter.

“Jim Paschke is the perfect recipient of the Todd Harris Spirit Award, exemplifying the same dedication and spirit that Todd showed during his life,” said NBA Senior Vice President, Broadcast Schedule Management, Tom Carelli. “As one of the longest tenured announcers in the NBA today, Jim has brought a unique perspective to our game and to our fans throughout his 33 years as the play-by-play voice for the Milwaukee Bucks. He has also been a trusted advisor and friend to the NBA, its teams and its broadcasters.”

“This is such a well-deserved honor for Jim,” said Bucks President Peter Feigin. “Jim is a pro’s pro and we are fortunate to have such a terrific broadcaster and person with the Bucks organization. The team congratulates Jim on this meaningful recognition.”

Paschke is the second-ever recipient of the Todd Harris Spirit Award after the inaugural award was given to Travis Henderson of the Utah Jazz. In addition to broadcasting Bucks game on FOX Sports Wisconsin, Paschke is the Bucks Broadcast Director and works year-round on telecasts, television projects and other team broadcast ventures while regularly contributing video content to Bucks.com. Paschke is also a featured speaker in the community, addressing various civic groups and school assemblies throughout the year, and is a long-time supporter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

The 2018-19 season will be Paschke’s 33rd season as the television “Voice of the Bucks” and 23rd as Broadcast Director for the team.

The Milwaukee Bucks and WTMJ Radio have expanded their long-time partnership, with WTMJ continuing as the radio home of the team. Bucks games this upcoming season will air on 620 AM and 103.3 FM with Ted Davis and Dennis Krause calling the action. WTMJ Radio will remain the flagship station of the statewide BMO Harris Bucks Radio Network.

As part of the new agreement, Bucks games that will not air on 620 AM or 103.3 FM because of conflicts will now air on 94.5 FM WKTI, a partner of WTMJ Radio. New features of the agreement include a one-hour Bucks Weekly Show and a half-hour Coach’s Show that will air on WTMJ Radio each week during the season.

“WTMJ Radio has been a terrific home for Bucks games for 50 years, and we’re excited to extend our relationship as we enter our first season at Fiserv Forum,” said Bucks President Peter Feigin. “This is a great time for the Bucks and our fans, and we are excited to enhance our presence on WTMJ Radio with weekly Bucks shows.”

“The Bucks and WTMJ are proud partners,” said Tom Langmyer, vice president and general manager of WTMJ and WKTI and vice president, news/talk/sports for The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP). “We’re pleased to grow the partnership as the Bucks move into the beautiful new Fiserv Forum – and excited for WTMJ Radio as it segues from Scripps to Craig Karmazin’s Good Karma Brands.”

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed Jordan Barnett to a training camp contract.

Barnett, 22, appeared in all five of the Bucks’ Las Vegas Summer League games in July and averaged 6.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 18.6 minutes per game. The 6-foot-7 forward went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft after playing the final two seasons of his collegiate career with Missouri after transferring from Texas. As a senior in 2017-18, Barnett averaged 13.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 32 games (all starts) with the Tigers while shooting 44.9 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from 3-point range.

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed guard Jaylen Morris to a Two-Way contract.

The team also signed free agent center Brandon McCoy and guard Travis Trice to training camp contracts.

Morris, 22, appeared in six games with the Atlanta Hawks last season and averaged 4.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 16.4 minutes per game. He was called up to the Hawks from their G League affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, after he played and started 39 games for the BayHawks and averaged 12.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals in 31.4 minutes per contest while shooting 51.7 percent from the field.

The Amherst, New York-native originally went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft after four seasons at Division II Molloy College.

McCoy, 20, played one season at UNLV and was named the 2017-18 Mountain West Freshman of the Year after setting conference freshman records in both points (16.9) and rebounds (10.3) per game. McCoy also averaged 1.8 blocks per game for the Runnin’ Rebels, which ranked second in the Mountain West Conference, and shot 54.5 percent from the field, which was third-best in the conference. He was a finalist for the 2017-18 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award and made the 2017-18 John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 list for Player of the Year. The 6-11 center appeared in two games for the Bucks 2018 Summer League entry in Las Vegas.

Trice, 25, averaged 8.8 points, 4.0 assists and 3.2 rebounds in the five Bucks 2018 Summer League games. He played the last two seasons in the NBL (Australia and New Zealand) with the Cairns Taipans (2016-17) and Brisbane Bullets (2017-18). He has also played with the Westchester Knicks of the NBA G League in 2015-16 and 2017. The Springfield, Ohio, native played collegiately at Michigan State (2011-2015).

The Milwaukee Bucks have named Josh Longstaff as an assistant coach on the staff of Head Coach Mike Budenholzer. The team also appointed Vin Baker as basketball operations associate/director of program development.

In addition, the Bucks have made the following hires: Zach Peterson as head video coordinator and Schuyler Rimmer as player development and video assistant.

Longstaff spent last season as the inaugural head coach of the Erie BayHawks, the G League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks, where he led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. He began his NBA career with Oklahoma City in 2010 as player personnel and video coordinator, and then continued as video analyst and player development coach for his final three seasons with the Thunder. In 2014, Longstaff joined the New York Knicks as an assistant coach until becoming head coach of the BayHawks in 2017.

A native of Portland, Maine, Longstaff was a four-year letterman in basketball at Bryant University, graduating in 2005.

Baker remains with the Bucks as basketball operations associate/director of program development after serving in multiple roles including assistant coach and pre- and post-game analyst for team telecasts on FOX Sports Wisconsin.

A 13-year NBA veteran, he was a four-time All-Star who averaged 15.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 791 career games. A graduate of the University of Hartford, he was the eighth overall pick by the Bucks in the 1993 NBA Draft. Along with Milwaukee, Baker also played with Seattle, Boston, New York, Houston and the Los Angeles Clippers. In 2017, he worked as an assistant coach with the Texas Legends of the NBA G League as part of the NBA’s Assistant Coaches Program.

Peterson was most recently head video coordinator for the Hawks. He joined Atlanta in 2014 and served as a seasonal assistant in basketball operations as well as in the video department. Peterson earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising from Michigan State University where he was a manager for the men’s basketball program.

An Orlando, Florida, native, Rimmer worked as a video/player development seasonal assistant last season with the Atlanta Hawks. He attended Stanford and was a member of the men’s basketball team. He completed his collegiate career at the University of Florida in 2017 with a degree in Political Science.

The Milwaukee Bucks have named Darvin Ham, Taylor Jenkins, Charles Lee, Ben Sullivan and Patrick St. Andrews as assistant coaches on the staff of Head Coach Mike Budenholzer.

Additionally, Sean Sweeney has been retained by the Bucks as an assistant coach.

“I’m thrilled to have my staff together again as we work to help improve our players and build sustained success here in Milwaukee,” Budenholzer said. “I am also excited to work with Sean, who is highly thought of in the league. All six coaches are great people and each brings a variety of expertise and experience. They all possess a tremendous work ethic and have great track records in player development. I know our players will benefit from their coaching.”

Ham spent the last five seasons as an assistant coach with Atlanta, including the last two as the lead assistant under Budenholzer. He began his coaching career in 2008, first as an assistant and then as general manager and head coach of the New Mexico Thunderbirds of the NBA Development League. Ham joined the Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff in 2011 where he worked two seasons before joining the Hawks.

Ham played eight NBA seasons for six teams, including three years for the Bucks (1999-2002). He won an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004. Ham played internationally in Spain, the Philippines and Puerto Rico before retiring from the NBA after the 2004-05 campaign.

Jenkins also spent the last five seasons as an assistant coach with Atlanta. Previously he served as the head coach of the Austin Toros of the NBA G League, the San Antonio Spurs affiliate. In 2012-13, Jenkins led the Toros to a first-round playoff victory over the Bakersfield Jam before falling to the Santa Cruz Warriors in the semifinals. Prior to being named head coach, Jenkins served as an assistant coach with the Toros the previous four seasons, including their championship season in 2012 and playoff appearances in 2009 and 2010. Before joining the Toros, Jenkins interned with the Spurs basketball operations department during the 2007-08 season.

Lee spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach with Atlanta. Prior to joining the NBA ranks, he was an assistant coach for two years at Bucknell University, his alma mater. As a player, Lee helped guide the Bison to two straight Patriot League Championships and consecutive NCAA Tournament second round appearances (2005-06). After graduating with a degree in business management, the Gaithersburg, Md., native played professionally in Israel, Belgium and Germany.

Sullivan served as an assistant coach with Atlanta for the last four seasons. Before joining the Hawks, he worked in basketball development and as an assistant video coordinator with the San Antonio Spurs. He played collegiately at Cal-State Northridge and University of Portland, competing professionally in China, Germany and Chile following graduation. Sullivan joined the University of Portland’s coaching staff in 2009, then was an assistant coach at Lewis & Clark College in Portland before joining the Spurs.

In 2014-15, Ham, Jenkins, Lee and Sullivan were all part of Budenholzer’s Eastern Conference All-Star coaching staff, as the Hawks recorded a team-record 60 wins – including a team-best 19-game win streak – en route to the club’s first-ever appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals.

St. Andrews was named an assistant coach with Atlanta in 2017. He began his NBA career in 2013 with the Hawks as a seasonal assistant in basketball operations and moved to assistant video coordinator prior to the 2014-15 season. He was promoted to head video coordinator for the 2016-17 campaign. St. Andrews worked as an assistant coach for the Dominican Republic National Team for the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship in Mexico City. A two-year captain on the basketball team at Penn St. Behrend, St. Andrews earned bachelor’s degrees in Business Economics and International Business, and a master’s degree in Business Administration.

Sweeney returns to the Bucks bench for his fifth season and first under Budenholzer. Before joining the Bucks, he was an assistant coach in Brooklyn for one season and prior to that spent two seasons as the Nets assistant video coordinator.

Before entering the NBA ranks, Sweeney served as the video coordinator for the University of Northern Iowa, and previously held the position of director of basketball operations at the University of Evansville. He’s also held assistant coaching positions at Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Cambridge, Minn., and the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. A native of St. Paul, Minn., Sweeney played one season at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay before transferring home to the University of St. Thomas where he was a three-year starter and earned All-Conference honors as a senior in 2005-06.