Complex? Somewhat. All-encompassing? Yes. Personalised? Definitively. This week, following all the change the Milwaukee Bucks have undergone this offseason, we asked you who you want them to become. More specifically, we sought clarification regarding what identity you want for this new era of Bucks basketball. Well, it turns out the ghost of P.J. Tucker still lingers over Milwaukee.
We want dawgs.
Yes, with 43% of the vote, fans want a return to the days where playing against the Bucks was tough.
Think 48 minutes of Eric Bledsoe hounding every dribble. Then upgrading to Jrue Holiday. Think Wes Matthews getting into your chest. Think getting by perimeter defenders only to meet Brook Lopez at the rim—and then watching as he directs the scorers to record his block. Think Giannis tracking you on the fast break, prepping to eviscerate your dreams. And, yes, think P.J. Tucker’s fleet feet, quick hands, bruising physicality—and dawg mentality.
Of course, these Bucks aren’t those Bucks. But they certainly have some defensive upside. On the court, this mainly comes in the form of moldable youth and athleticism—Kel’el Ware, Jericho Sims, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Ousmane Dieng, Brayden Burries, Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., and even Nate Ament—but they also have one of the league’s best rim protectors in Myles Turner. Kyle Kuzma, Pete Nance, and AJ Green are all willing, albeit limited, defenders too.
More importantly, in Taylor Jenkins they’ve got a self-proclaimed “teacher” who prioritises effort and accountability, winning the possession battle, and working as a team, things the Bucks, much to the chagrin of fans, have struggled with in recent times. And in case you missed it, all of this is captured in the team’s new mantra: Compete. Together. Get Better.
But it’s not just a defensive identity fans want from the Bucks. In fact, 33% of voters long for a game predicated on ball movement and fluidity, while 12% would like to see Milwaukee push the pace. Notably, just 2% want to see the Bucks imitate the Lob City Los Angeles Clippers. Given their lack of success in comparison to the other stylistic examples—those Clippers never made it past the Western Conference semifinals—this is completely understandable.
Beyond these stylistic archetypes, 10% of fans want something else, a sentiment captured in the comments:
Mitchell Maurer: There is no one existing model to adopt that would make sense to emulate; Coach Jenkins needs to see what he has and what he can make work, knowing that there will be some trial-and-error.
retired janitor: One of my biggest mistakes as an early coach was trying to have the players fit my system, vs finding the system that fits them best. It is the coach’s job to nurture improvement, and put them in the best situation to succeed. Basketball is a game of unconscious competence. Do, don’t think… To the question of what I want to see? The staff figures out the strengths and weaknesses of the clay, and small victories are repeated through good habits.
GBFanBoy: It has to be a blend of all of those if it makes sense. 7 seconds is ideal, but we have the versatile pieces that can defend at a high level.
Lockdown terrors, offensive maestros, or something else, the good news is we don’t have long to wait to start to see who these Bucks are—preseason ball begins Monday!
