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The Milwaukee Bucks are NBA champions after almost a decade of ‘owning the future’
Giannis Antetokounmpo holds the Larry O'Brien trophy and hoists his NBA Finals MVP trophy during the Bucks' championship celebration on July 22, 2021. (Photo: Mike Cianciolo/BVM Sports)

The Milwaukee Bucks are NBA champions after almost a decade of ‘owning the future’

MILWAUKEE (BVM) — Fifty years ago there was no parade when the Milwaukee Bucks won their first-ever NBA championship, but Thursday’s celebration of the franchise’s second league title made up for that, and then some.

The Milwaukee Bucks updated the signage outside Fiserv Forum following their NBA championship from the slogan “History in the Making” to “History Made.” (Photo: Mike Cianciolo/BVM Sports)

In what can only be described as a historic event, tens of thousands of people flocked to Milwaukee to celebrate the world champions. The Bucks’ moniker all postseason had been “History in the Making,” but on Tuesday night, that changed to “History Made,” and on Thursday, that history was celebrated. 

For Bucks fans, they could look at the procession and be brought back to different time periods that all led to this point. Marques Johnson, who was a member of the great 1980s Bucks teams that battled the Celtics and the Sixers and is now one of the voices of Bucks basketball, was in attendance. The ‘80s squads made it to the conference finals twice, but were ultimately turned away by all-time great teams. 

Then to another time period with Vin Baker and Darvin Ham, both now members of Milwaukee’s coaching staff, but were members of the 2001 Bucks team that made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, losing to the Philadelphia 76ers in a thrilling seven-game series.

Fast forward to Michael Redd and Brandon Jennings, who were both great players in their own right and helped keep the Bucks afloat at different times during the 2000s and 2010s. Jennings in particular holds a special place in the hearts of Bucks fans as he was the first to utter the phrase ‘Bucks in Six,’ a saying that was at first a curse following the Bucks’ sweep by the LeBron James-led Heat, but one that has since come to fruition through this year’s title run. 

Even the current team is a reminder of the journey to the mountain top. The two players that can be credited with leading this team to the NBA title, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, started out on a team that only had 15 wins during the 2013-14 season. They kept their heads down, kept grinding, and after eight years of dedication to one another, the franchise and the city of Milwaukee, they got their fairytale ending to the season. 

But none of this would have been possible without former Wisconsin Senator and former Bucks’ owner Herb Kohl’s steadfast loyalty to the region. When he decided to sell the team in 2014, he could have sold it off to an owner across the country, almost certainly sealing its fate as becoming the new Seattle Supersonics or new Las Vegas organization. Instead, he waited for the right ownership group to make an offer, one that would ensure the Bucks’ future in Milwaukee.

He, too, was in the parade Thursday to see what his dedication to the franchise had led to and received the ultimate confirmation that he passed on his beloved Milwaukee Bucks to the right people. 

The Bucks ownership group addressing fans in the Deer District during Milwaukee’s championship celebration on July 22, 2021. From left: Michael Fascitelli, Jamie Dinan, Marc Lasry and Wes Eden. (Photo: Mike Cianciolo/BVM Sports)

Those owners, the pairing of Marc Lasry and Wes Edens, came along and the rest is history. As they said at the championship celebration, “we hired the best president, the best GM, the best coaches.” They built a roster that is championship-ready, paying the luxury tax to make sure they could keep the team intact, and their investment paid huge dividends. 

Regardless of how the Bucks’ following seasons go, nobody can ever take this championship away from them. They did it the good, old-fashioned way, by investing in their city, their players, their staff and remaining true to the process. They didn’t build a super team or give up on the dream; they won it all with a roster they nurtured and believed in, despite anyone else’s opinion. Now, Milwaukee is Title Town. 

SIGHTS & SCENES FROM THE BUCKS’ CHAMPIONSHIP PARADE

Giannis Antetokounmpo

With his brother, and the Bucks’ ultimate hype man, Thanasis Antetokounmpo unable to be with the team due to health and safety protocols, Giannis was asked by Bucks’ sideline reporter Zora Stephenson what Thanasis would want to say to the crowd. As Thanasis watched from afar, on top of his Jeep, Giannis proceeded to give his best Thanasis rendition and get the crowd pumped.

“Milwaukee, we did it baby! We did it! We did it, man. This is our city!” – Giannis Antetokounmpo

PJ Tucker

PJ Tucker holds the Larry O’Brien trophy while drinking champagne during the Bucks’ championship celebration on July 22, 2021. (Photo: Mike Cianciolo/BVM Sports)

A fan-favorite, Tucker has made his mark on the league through his blue-collar style of play. The 6-foot-6 wingman isn’t afraid to match up with the opposing team’s best scorer or even play center when needed, like he did for the Houston Rockets. It’s that “dog-like” demeanor that has made him and his teammates so successful and he was sure to reiterate that to the Milwaukee faithful.

“We got dogs, ya hear me? Milwaukee, we dogs!” – PJ Tucker

Khris Middleton and Michael Redd 

Celebrating the past and the present, Michael Redd was at both Game 6 and the championship parade in honor of his own contributions to the Bucks franchise. He and Middleton share the same jersey number and the same amount of All-Star appearances at one each, but both deserve more. Like Redd, Middleton has become a clutch performer for the Bucks making big shots throughout these playoffs.

Brandon Jennings 

The original creator of ‘Bucks in 6,’ Brandon Jennings was made a prophet after the Bucks won both game six of the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals. Jennings’ impact on the Bucks and the fan base has immortalized him and the official mantra of the Milwaukee Bucks that he created, ‘Bucks in 6.’ 

Bobby Portis

Bobby Portis holds the Larry O’Brien trophy aboard one of the Bucks’ parade buses during Milwaukee’s championship celebration on July 22, 2021. (Photo: Mike Cianciolo/BVM Sports)

In his first Bucks season, Bobby Portis became a man of the people. Despite seeing inconsistent minutes during the postseason, Portis stayed ready and was a spark plug off the bench. In Game 6 of the Finals, Portis scored 16 points as the leading reserve player, etching his name into Bucks’ history. Due to his likeable personality and on-court talents, whenever Bobby is around, you’re sure to hear, “Bobby! Bobby! Bobby!” chants break out. That’s why he was awarded this WWE-style belt: he’s the people’s champ.