Milwaukee Bucks: Five things you need to know

• Perennial Eastern Conference powerhouse
• Home to back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo
• 2021 NBA champions after 50-year title drought

The Milwaukee Bucks are Eastern Conference juggernauts who have risen to NBA glory in recent years. Across almost six decades of competing, the Bucks have won two NBA championships led by Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1971 and led by Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021. The modern-era Bucks have been one of the most dominant forces in the league, with their triumph in the 2024 NBA Cup being the latest of the side’s most recent redecoration of their trophy cabinet.

2024-25 NBA Season Summary

• Record: 48-34
• Finish: 5th Seed (Lost in the First round)
• All-Star Selections: Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Milwaukee Bucks 2024-25 season ended prematurely in the first round of the playoffs, outclassed by eventual finalists the Indiana Pacers in five games. Damian Lillard’s Achilles’ tear in game four was symbolic of the end of the franchise's experiment with the Lillard/Antetokounmpo duo. Despite harbouring top 10 offensive and defensive outfits, the Bucks were ranked in the middle of the pack this season. Coach Doc Rivers was unable to get the best of this Bucks roster and their inconsistent form throughout the season left Bucks fans feeling like they underachieved in 2024-25.

Offseason Moves

Re-signing

• Chris Livingston returns on 1-year deal
• Kevin Porter Jr. returns on 2-year deal
• Bobby Portis agrees to 3-year extension
• Taurean Prince returns on 2-year deal
• Ryan Rollins agrees to 3-year deal
• Jericho Sims agrees to 2-year deal
• Gary Trent Jr. agrees to 2-year deal

Additions

• Cole Anthony agrees to deal
• Amir Coffey agrees to deal
• Gary Harris agrees to 2-year deal
• Myles Turner agrees to 4-year deal

Departures

• Pat Connaughton departs via trade with Hornets
• Damian Lillard waived, signs with Blazers
• Brook Lopez departs in free agency to Clippers
• Vasilije Micić waived

The Milwaukee Bucks front office has put in a shift this offseason, trying to ready the team for the 2025/26 season. With 15 deals being completed this offseason, Damian Lillard’s waiving stood out as the headline move. Following his Achilles tear in the first round, Lillard returned to his beloved Portland Trail Blazers.

The Bucks' decision to waive Damian Lillard marks a decisive move toward prioritising immediate contention. With Lillard expected to miss the entire season, Milwaukee is making it clear they won't let a prime year of Giannis Antetokounmpo go to waste. By reshaping the roster now, the franchise is doubling down on its commitment to winning, recognising that the window to compete for a championship is wide open, and the time to act is now.

While losing two core members of their 2021 championship roster in Brook Lopez and Pat Connaughton, the Bucks pulled off one of the most underrated acquisitions of the offseason with Myles Turner signing a four-year deal. As a younger, more mobile big who can stretch the floor, Myles Turner fits perfectly into the system that aims to facilitate Giannis’ top class paint scoring. Coming off the back of a trip to the finals, Myles Turner’s game could play a huge part in advancing the Bucks’ hopes in the coming season.

Crucially, the Bucks were able to lock down core members Gary Trent Jr, Bobby Portis and Kevin Porter Jr on great deals, with their versatility a essential assets that the side have relied on to game plan against a plethora of opposition. Throughout Doc Rivers tenure, a feature of the Bucks has been their ability at times to show quality on both sides of the ball, but the patchy form of the side has had coach Rivers face some scrutiny.

2025-26 Predicted Lineup

1. Point Guard: Kevin Porter Jr
2. Shooting Guard: Gary Trent Jr
3. Small Forward: Taurean Prince
4. Power Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo
5. Centre: Myles Turner

Australians who have played for the Milwaukee Bucks

Andrew Bogut: Selected as the first overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, Bogut played for the Bucks from 2005 to 2012. He was known for his defensive prowess and rebounding skills.

Matthew Dellavedova: After winning an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, Dellavedova joined the Bucks and played from 2016 to 2018. He returned to Milwaukee for the 2018–2019 season, providing veteran leadership and defensive tenacity.

Joe Ingles: In July 2022, Ingles signed a one-year contract with the Bucks. He made his debut on December 19, 2022, after recovering from an ACL injury, and played through the 2022–2023 season.

History of the Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks joined the NBA in 1968 as an expansion team, setting the league alight, winning a championship in their first three seasons and becoming one of the fastest expansion teams to win a championship in American sports history. In the franchise’s greatest era, their 1971 championship team featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson is considered one of the greatest in NBA history.

Becoming the first NBA team to record three consecutive 60-win seasons, the Milwaukee Bucks were the franchise who defined the era spanning the early to mid 70s. Embodying utter dominance the Bucks booked another trip to the NBA Finals, where Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s legendary sky hook shot in double overtime became one of the NBA’s most iconic moments. Despite their best efforts, the Hall of Fame filled Boston Celtics side proved too much for the Bucks going down in seven games.

Since their 1974 NBA Finals trip, the Bucks have been characterised by various defining eras, where star studded players like Sidney Moncrief, Ray Allen and Michael Redd have guided the team to continued success. Their “let it fly” era revitalised the franchise, with their high scoring and elite three-ball system getting the team within one game of a return to the NBA Finals in 2001.

The Milwaukee Bucks reached their second prime after selecting Greek superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo with the 15th pick in the 2013 draft. Winning two MVP’s and a Finals MVP, Giannis led the Wisconsin franchise to their first NBA Finals in almost 50 years in 2021. Averaging 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks in the final’s series against the Phoenix Suns, Giannis delivered the Bucks their second NBA Championship. The “Greek Freak” also led the Bucks in their NBA Cup triumph last season, taking home tournament MVP.

Identity

The Bucks have built their identity around Giannis Antetokounmpo, one of the most dominant and unique players in NBA history. Their philosophy centres on surrounding Antetokounmpo with shooters and defenders to maximise his strengths. Under head coach Mike Budenholzer from 2018-2023, the Bucks played an up-tempo style focused on spacing the floor, defending at a high level, and unleashing Antetokounmpo in transition.

The Bucks have cultivated a winning culture built on player development, smart drafting, and strategic trades and signings. They've become one of the model small-market franchises in the NBA. The franchise’s embodiment of dominance through their profiling of dominant players has built a team culture reliant on physical and mental toughness. From Oscar Robertson’s dominance of the stat sheet to Giannis’ dominance when attacking the rim, the Bucks have forged an identity steeped in a mindset of superiority and authority that allows them to control their own destiny.

Five Fast Facts

1. The Bucks selected Giannis Antetokounmpo 15th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft
2. They won 66 games in 1970-71, still a franchise record
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won three MVP awards with the Bucks from 1971-1974
4. The Bucks made the playoffs 12 straight seasons from 1980-1991
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the franchise's all-time leader in points, blocks, and triple-doubles

Bucks Timeline

• 1968: Franchise founded as an expansion team
• 1971: Win first NBA championship led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson
• 1974: Lose NBA Finals to Boston Celtics
• 1979: Draft Sidney Moncrief, ushering in era of 1980s success
• 2013: Draft Giannis Antetokounmpo 15th overall
• 2019: Win 60 games for first time since 1980-81 season
• 2021: Win second NBA championship, defeating Phoenix Suns
• 2024: Bucks defeat the Thunder in the NBA Cup final

After moving on from superstar Damian Lillard, the Bucks have quickly turned to rejuvenating their roster with fresher and younger players. With the acquisition of Myles Turner, we could be looking at one of the deals of the offseason. Myles Turner’s game is perfectly suited to the system ready to help unlock Giannis’ 2021 form after a little dip in production in the 2024-25 season. With Giannis at the helm, it's impossible to rule out the Bucks in the 2025-26 season, although their investment on younger players to initiate a new era could prove risky.