4. Mike Budenholzer is a proven winner
Besides having a franchise player with the potential to be the cornerstone of a dynasty on their roster, the Milwaukee Bucks have something else every organization needs, a proven coach. In each of his first two seasons in Milwaukee, Mike Budenholzer has led the team to the best regular-season record in the league. It’s also no coincidence that Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named league MVP in each of those seasons.
Budenholzer is from the Greg Popovich coaching tree. Coach Pop is a man who knows about balancing team success while allowing an all-time great player to shine as an individual. Tim Duncan won back to back league MVPs in the early ought’s under his guidance.
During that stretch, Duncan was clearly the best player in the league. However, the San Antonio Spurs did not abandon the need for a balanced attack. This allowed players like David Robinson, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli to shine on a team clearly built around The Big Fundamental. This ultimately led to championships for the franchise in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.
It’s this approach, taught to him by his mentor, that has allowed Budenholzer to make teams equate to more than the sum of their parts. In 2015, he won Coach of the Year at the helm of a 60-win Atlanta Hawks team that did not boast a single superstar. He now has a player who not only meets the criteria to be considered a superstar but is on the trajectory to one day being a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
When Popovich drafted Duncan, the result was five NBA championships. Folks in Milwaukee are hoping that Budenholzer and Antetokounmpo can achieve a similar result. When Giannis looks at the NBA landscape for possible destinations, he’ll be hard-pressed to find an organization with a better head coach than the one he’s already got.