Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer gets contract extension after leading Milwaukee to first NBA championship in 50 years
Eight days after ending a five-decade NBA championship drought, Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst said extending the man who captained the 2020-21 title was a priority.
Coach Mike Budenholzer had one year left on his original contract inked in 2018, and the club announced Tuesday they added more to it. ESPN originally reported an additional three years were tacked on.
“Doesn’t mean that we’re going to do it again next year or that we’ll ever do it again, but collectively I think we’ve proven that we can work really well together,” Horst said July 30. “We can accomplish big things. We have a mission, we’re all pulling in the same direction and Bud’s an incredible partner, someone I want to work with for as long as I possibly can, the player’s want to work with and our ownership trusts and believes in.”
In Budenholzer’s three seasons, he has guided the Bucks to the NBA’s best regular season record (162-65, .714) and the most playoff wins (31).
“What an incredible journey we’ve been on and winning the NBA championship this season makes us appreciate how difficult it is to win and how grateful we are to have the best players and coaches in place to get the job done,” Bucks owners Marc Lasry, Wes Edens and Jamie Dinan said in the announcement.
The Bucks had changed their offense this year and experimented with different defenses. The offense set a franchise record for points per game at 120.1, a number not seen in the league since 1984-85.
Budenholzer was officially hired by the Bucks on May 17, 2018. He reached 100 and 150 victories the fastest in franchise history.
Under Budenholzer’s direction, Giannis Antetokounmpo developed into a three-time first-team All-NBA selection, a two-time MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. Khris Middleton became a two-time All-Star, while Eric Bledsoe, Brook Lopez and Jrue Holiday joined Antetokounmpo as All-Defensive team members.