Mike Budenholzer Is Out After Five Seasons Leading The Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks are in the market for a new head coach.

Less than two weeks after their championship hopes were derailed by a stunning first-round upset at the hands of the eighth-seeded Miami Heat, the Bucks fired Budenholzer who’d led the team for the last five seasons.

“The decision to make this change was very difficult,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a statement released by the team. “Bud helped lead our team for five incredible seasons, to the Bucks’ first title in 50 years, and into an era of sustained success. We are grateful for the culture of winning and leadership that Bud helped create in Milwaukee.

“This is an opportunity for us to refocus and reenergize our efforts as we continue building toward our next championship season.”

It’s the last sentence of that statement that may best explain the decision.

No team in the National Basketball Association won more games over the last five seasons than Milwaukee did under Budenholzer’s watch. The Bucks compiled a 271-120 record during that stretch, won five straight Central Division titles and finished with the league’s top overall record three times.

But despite also winning more playoff games (39) than any other team during that stretch, the Bucks have just one title to show for all their efforts.

Aside from that 2021 title, Milwaukee blew a 2-0 lead to Toronto in the Eastern Conference Finals following Budenholzer’s first season and failed to advance past the second round in three of those five seasons (2020, ‘22, ‘23) including this year’s 4-1 upset by the Heat.

Budenholzer’s Bucks tenure ends with him third on the franchise’s all-time list for victories trailing Don Nelson (540) and Larry Costello (410) but holds the franchise record with a winning percentage of 69.3.

This story will be updated.