The Milwaukee Bucks have a perfectly respectable 4-5 record in the 2014-15 NBA season. Rookie forward Jabari Parker isn’t a star just yet, averaging 10.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game, with 41.8% shooting, but he’s doing better than just about any other rookie so far. Enjoy these video highlights with a look at the his pro career, which began just 2.5 weeks ago.
Category: Milwaukee Bucks Blog
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Bucks waive Michael Eric
As teams around league trim rosters to 15 players, Milwaukee Bucks waive Michael Eric
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The Milwaukee Bucks have requested waivers on Michael Eric, General Manager John Hammond announced today.
Eric, 26, was signed to Milwaukee’s training camp roster on Sept. 27. He appeared in four games this preseason for the Bucks and averaged 5.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14.9 minutes per game.
Bucks exercise contract options on Giannis Antetokounmpo and John Henson
The Milwaukee Bucks have exercised the third-year contract option on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the fourth-year contract option on John Henson, General Manager John Hammond announced today.
Antetokounmpo, 19, appeared in 77 games last year during his rookie season and averaged 6.8 points with 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 24.6 minutes per contest. He ranked among the NBA’s rookie leaders in scoring (11th), rebounds (T-4th), assists (T-10th), field goal percentage (9th), 3-point percentage (4th), free throw percentage (9th), steals (6th), blocks (4th) and minutes (5th). He made the first of his 23 starts on Dec. 18 vs. New York and finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. In four preseason games this season, Antetokounmpo is averaging 7.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 block in 24.7 minutes.
Henson, 23, played in 70 games last season and ranked among the league leaders in blocks per game (1.7, 9th) and field goal percentage (.538, 13th). He also averaged 11.1 points and 7.1 rebounds in 26.5 minutes per game. Henson posted streaks of 21 and 15 consecutive games with at least one blocked shot, joining Serge Ibaka (OKC) and DeAndre Jordan (LAC) as the only players in the league with multiple streaks of 15-plus such games during the season. In his two NBA seasons, Henson has played in 133 games (32 starts), averaging 8.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 20.2 minutes per game. Through four preseason games, Henson is averaging 11.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.5 blocks per game.
Under the terms of the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement, the first two years of a first round draft pick’s contract are guaranteed, while the third and fourth year of the contract are the team’s option.
Milwaukee Bucks waive Chris Wright and Elijah Millsap
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Milwaukee Bucks general ganager John Hammond announced today that the team has requested waivers on Chris Wright and Elijah Millsap.
The 26-year-old Wright appeared in eight games for the Bucks in 2013-14 and averaged 6.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. He also played in 41 games for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA D-League last season and earned an All-Star berth with his 19.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. Wright did not appear in a 2014 preseason game for the Bucks.
And 27-year-old Millsap was signed to Milwaukee’s 2014 training camp roster on Sept. 27. He appeared in one game for the Bucks this preseason, recording four points, one rebound and one assist in seven minutes. Last season, Millsap split time between Maccabi Ashdod of the Israeli League and the L.A. Defenders of the NBA D-League.
Jared Dudley a key veteran for Bucks this season
The Milwaukee Bucks were horrible last season, and although not a lot is expected of them in 2014-15, they do have some nice young pieces, and a deeper bench than before. And with all the young kids on the squad, veteran leadership is important. Enter Jared Dudley. Here’s the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporting:
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Jared Dudley knows he has a vital role to play with a young Milwaukee Bucks team this season.
The 29-year-old veteran is needed to knock down some crucial shots and stretch opposing defenses with his three-point prowess.
And Bucks coach Jason Kidd also is counting on Dudley to be a mentor for the youngsters, including 19-year-olds Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo. It’s no coincidence Dudley is stationed next to Parker, the No. 2 overall draft pick and rookie of the year candidate, in the Bucks locker room.
Dudley played his part perfectly Tuesday night, hitting all 5 three-pointers he attempted in the Bucks’ 106-100 loss to the LeBron-less Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.
Bucks center Johnny O`Bryant has knee sprain
Bucks center Johnny O’Bryant underwent an MRI over the weekend on his right knee, which revealed a grade III sprain of the medial collateral ligament (MCL). O’Bryant initially suffered the injury in the third quarter of Milwaukee’s game at Detroit on Thursday, Oct. 9. No surgery is required, and O’Bryant has already begun the rehabilitation process. No timetable has been set for his return.
O’Bryant had appeared in two preseason games for the Bucks and posted two points and three rebounds in 14 total minutes of action.
Milwaukee Bucks hire Peter Feigin as team president
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Today, the Milwaukee Bucks announced the hiring of Peter Feigin as the team’s new president. Feigin brings decades of sports, corporate management and marketing experience to the Bucks organization. As president, Feigin will spearhead the growth of the Bucks’ business operations and lead the organization’s talented executive team.
Since purchasing the team in May, new owners Wes Edens and Marc Lasry have worked to put together a personnel team they hope will do great things for the team.
Feigin comes to the Bucks with a depth of experience in both in the NBA and the corporate world. As the chief marketing and revenue officer of Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, he managed global business units and handled branding across the international entertainment company. Prior to working at Deluxe, Feigin was president and COO of Marquis Jet Partners and helped lead its acquisition by NetJets. From 1998 to 2004, he worked for the New York Knicks and rose to become vice president of marketing – increasing profits, season subscriptions and suite revenue during his tenure. Additionally, Feigin has served as a senior advisor to the Milwaukee Bucks since the ownership change, helping reorganize and refocus its business operations. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Franklin and Marshall College and completed the University of Chicago Booth School of Business’ Financial Executive Program.
“I’ve known Peter for many years and can’t think of a more capable person to drive growth for the Bucks organization,” said Marc Lasry. “Peter’s been an invaluable advisor and will be a terrific leader for a talented group of people working to build a world-class franchise. He brings a tremendous amount of NBA expertise and management experience to Milwaukee.”
Kidd says to expect Bucks lineup shuffling in preseason
Here’s the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporting on the Bucks:
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Bucks coach Jason Kidd said to expect multiple lineups during the preseason as he tries to find the right combinations with his young team.
The team completed a morning non-contact practice session on Day 2 under Kidd, with a contact session scheduled later Wednesday. The team will be off on Thursday.
“Don’t judge me on preseason because we’re going to play a lot of different combinations and there will be a lot of people starting and playing the role of coming off the bench,” Kidd said. “We’ll figure it out.”
Kidd said he already has been impressed with the way big men John Henson and Larry Sanders have played together in the opening practices.
Free Milwaukee Bucks open practice on October 4
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After a successful debut last fall, the second annual Bucks Fan Fest will return to the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. The Fan Fest will once again be highlighted by the team’s annual open practice, which will take place at 11 a.m. The event is open to the public and FREE!
The Bucks’ annual open practice will tip off Fan Fest at 11 a.m. and provide a rare peek into the inner-workings of an NBA team, including a first look at the new faces on the Bucks squad. The practice will take place on the BMO Harris Bradley Center court and last for approximately one hour. General admission seating in the lower bowl will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ersan Ilyasova aims for bounce-back season
Here’s the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporting on a key Buck:
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Nothing went right for Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova last season.
It started in the opening preseason game when he suffered a severe right ankle sprain, an injury that hampered him throughout the 82-game schedule. His production and shooting suffered, and it wasn’t easy to keep his spirits up as the Bucks struggled to a league-worst 15-67 record.
But big changes happened over the summer. Enter coach Jason Kidd, new owners Wesley Edens and Marc Lasry and a bunch of new players, including No. 2 overall draft pick Jabari Parker.
Amazingly, the 27-year-old Ilyasova is still with the Bucks, the only NBA team he has played for after being drafted in the second round by Milwaukee in 2005. He did go to Barcelona to play two seasons before returning in 2009 to sign a new contract under new Bucks management. He currently is starting the third year of a four-year, $32 million deal signed in the summer of 2012.