Budenholzer, formerly the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, joined the Bucks prior to the 2018-19 season and led them to a championship.
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Mike Budenholzer has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks, the team announced on Tuesday night. Budenholzer, formerly the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, joined the Bucks prior to the 2018-19 season. He has led the franchise through one of the best periods in its history. Milwaukee had the best record in the NBA in his first two seasons at the helm. Last season, he helped them win their first championship in 50 years.
If he had failed to do so, it is unclear whether or not Budenholzer would still be leading the Bucks. After consecutive playoff disappointments in 2019 and 2020, many questioned Budenholzer’s abilities as a postseason coach. His slow adjustments and hesitance to play his best players extended minutes cost the Bucks against the Toronto Raptors in 2019 and against Miami Heat in 2020.
The Milwaukee Bucks have signed head coach Mike Budenholzer to a multi-year contract extension.https://t.co/GHrXthq7SG
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 25, 2021
Budenholzer was named the 2018-19 coach of the year after leading the Bucks to a regular-season-best 60-22 mark in his first year on the bench. However, the Bucks surrendered 2-0 Eastern Conference finals lead to Toronto and eventually lost in six games. The Bucks marched to a 56-17 regular-season mark in 2020 before exiting the playoffs in the second round against Miami in the NBA’s COVID bubble in Florida.
Heading into the 2021 postseason, Budenholzer was reportedly on the hot seat.
But an excellent run through the postseason helped him secure the championship. And also his post in Milwaukee for the long term. The Bucks played Giannis Antetokounmpo 38.1 minutes per game in the postseason after he had previously averaged only 33 in his first two seasons under Budenholzer. Also, Khris Middleton made a similar jump from 34.8 to 40.1 minutes per game. His critical adjustments helped the Bucks overcome a 2-0 deficit against the Brooklyn Nets. Also clinch the Eastern Conference finals against the Atlanta Hawks despite a knee injury to Antetokounmpo.
Budenholzer’s time with Atlanta featured many bright moments. Including four playoff appearances and the No. 1 seeding in the East in the 2014-15 NBA season. Postseason success still eluded him as the squad went 17-22 in playoff games with the Hawks, including a sweep in his lone trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.
In Milwaukee, Budenholzer found instant success while guiding Giannis Antetokounmpo to back-to-back MVP awards. The losses in the conference finals and semifinals still left the Bucks wanting more.
Now Budenholzer is under contract through the 2024-25 season. Only Antetokounmpo has a longer commitment from the Bucks, and with Middleton and Jrue Holiday also locked up for the long haul, Milwaukee has its core in place for the foreseeable future.
