Established
1968
City
Milwaukee
League History
1968 - Present / National Basketball Association
Team History
1968 – Present / Milwaukee Bucks
Nickname
Bucks – If you’re a sports fan, there’s no doubt that you know about the Milwaukee Bucks. The team has been around since 1968 and is one of the most successful in the history of the NBA. But have you ever wondered where their unique name comes from?
The story behind the Bucks' nickname origin dates back to their establishment in 1968. At that time, Milwaukee was known as “the Cream City" due to its brick manufacturing industry which produced cream-colored bricks for buildings all over Wisconsin and beyond. So it was only fitting that when it came time to choose a nickname for their new basketball team, they chose something related to this iconic city feature: bucks!
Milwaukee Bucks Origin
Bucks are male deer found throughout North America and are renowned for being powerful yet graceful creatures - qualities that perfectly embody what an NBA team should strive towards on the court each night! Plus, with such an iconic animal already associated with Wisconsin's culture (think hunting season), it made sense for them to become part of the local sports scene by taking on this moniker too!
Furthermore, not only does having "Bucks" as your mascot make perfect sense, but it also makes excellent marketing material – how many products can use antlers or buck heads within their logo design?! It's certainly helped keep them at the top of mind amongst fans across both stateside & internationally alike over recent years, thanks mainly due to its memorable & easily recognizable brand identity created through clever wordplay here!
All in all, then, we can see why choosing ‘bucks’ was such an intelligent decision back then; more than 50 years later, though, we now know just how much impactful this choice has had upon shaping who they've become today - one of America's premier basketball franchises who will continue fight tooth & nail against any opposition put before them until victory is achieved every single night out there on court wherever possible...Go Bucks!!
Championship
NBA Championships 2
2021, 1971
Arena
2019 - Present / Fiserv Forum
2012 – 2018 / BMO Harris Bradley Center
1988 – 2012 / Bradley Center
1968 – 1988 / Milwaukee Arena
Owner
2014 – Present / Wesley Edens & Marc Lasry
1985 – 2014 / U.S. Senator Herb Kohl
1976 – 1985 / Jim Fitzgerald
1968 – 1976 / Milwaukee Professional Sports and Services, Inc.
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
- 1968
- 1968
- 1971
- 1975
- 2015
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Milwaukee Bucks Team Formation
The Milwaukee Bucks were formed in January 1968 when the NBA awarded a franchise to Milwaukee Professional Sports and Services, Inc. (Milwaukee Pro), a group headed by Wesley Pavilion and Marvin Fishman. In October, the Bucks played their first NBA regular-season game against the Chicago Bulls before a Milwaukee Arena crowd of 8,467. As is typical with expansion teams, the ... -
Coin Flip for Lew Alcindor
The Bucks’ record that year earned them a coin flip against their expansion brethren, the Phoenix Suns, to see who would get the first pick in the upcoming draft. It was a foregone conclusion that the first pick in the draft would be Lew Alcindor of UCLA. The Bucks won the coin flip but had to win a bidding war ... -
NBA Finals Winner 1971
NBA Finals – 1971 The following season, the Bucks got an unexpected gift when they acquired Oscar Robertson, known as the “Big O”, in a trade with the Cincinnati Royals. Subsequently, in only their third season, the Bucks finished 66–16—the second-most wins in NBA history at the time, and still the most in franchise history. During the regular season, the ... -
Abdul-Jabbar Trade
When the season ended, Abdul-Jabbar made the stunning announcement that he no longer wished to play for the Bucks, stating that he needed the big city, requesting a trade to either Los Angeles or New York. The front office was unable to convince him otherwise and on June 16, 1975, the Bucks pulled a mega-trade by sending Abdul-Jabbar to the ... -
Arena and City is Up in the Air
On July 6, 2015, Bucks president Peter Feigin stated if public funding for a new arena falls through, the NBA may buy the team and move it to Las Vegas or Seattle. The latter city could be the frontrunner, as the city had a proven fanbase with the Seattle SuperSonics (a name the Bucks would more than likely pick up ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
Milwaukee Bucks History
The Milwaukee Bucks history began as an expansion franchise in 1968 when the NBA awarded the team to a group led by Wesley Pavalon and Marvin Fishman. Their name—reflecting Wisconsin’s white-tailed deer—won a fan contest, giving Milwaukee its new Milwaukee Bucks basketball team. The Bucks played their inaugural game that fall and, after winning a coin flip for the No. 1 draft pick, selected Lew Alcindor—later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar—setting the stage for immediate impact.
In just their third year, the Milwaukee Bucks history made headlines as they captured the 1971 NBA Championship by sweeping the Baltimore Bullets—becoming the fastest expansion team to win a title. Oscar Robertson joined Lew Alcindor to propel Milwaukee Bucks basketball to historic heights.
After reaching the Finals again in 1974, the team entered a post-Kareem rebuilding phase. In 1975, Kareem was traded to Los Angeles, and the Bucks relied heavily on their next star, Sidney Moncrief, drafted in 1979. His leadership propelled Milwaukee Bucks basketball through a strong 1980s run, including six straight division titles under coach Don Nelson.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, the team faced challenges, including regrettable trades—most notably Dirk Nowitzki for Robert Traylor—and inconsistent success despite acquiring Glenn Robinson, Ray Allen, and Sam Cassell. These missteps became part of Milwaukee Bucks history, reminding fans how decisions can alter a franchise’s trajectory.
Rebuilding continued into the 2010s. In 2013, the Bucks drafted a then-unknown Giannis Antetokounmpo. Over the next years, he became the cornerstone of Milwaukee Bucks basketball, earning MVP honors and transforming the team's identity. The organization also showed leadership off the court by boycotting a playoff game in 2020 to protest social injustice, reinforcing the Bucks’ broader impact as part of their history.
Milwaukee Bucks Achievements
The Milwaukee Bucks history includes two NBA championships (1971, 2021)—notably making them the only NBA team to win titles in both the Western and Eastern Conferences. Wikipedia They have also secured three conference titles (1971, 1974, 2021), 19 division championships, and the 2024 NBA Cup.
The 2021 championship ended a 50-year title drought, with Giannis Antetokounmpo earning Finals MVP and delivering a moment of redemption and joy for long-suffering Milwaukee Bucks basketball fans. The team also plays a key civic role: in 1985, Senator Herb Kohl purchased the franchise to keep it in Milwaukee—a pivotal chapter in Milwaukee Bucks history.
Sports Fan Products
From Underdogs to Champions: Exploring the Bucks Rich History
Attention all Bucks fans! Did you know our team has a rich history of overcoming odds and rising to the top? From underdogs to champions, the Bucks have proven time and time again that they are a force to be reckoned with.
I Witnessed Giannis Antetokounmpo's RISE TO FAME!
In the inspiring video of Giannis Antetokounmpo's RISE TO FAME!, viewers are taken on a captivating journey through the life and career of the NBA superstar, from his humble beginnings in Greece to becoming a global basketball icon. This compelling narrative highlights Giannis's challenges,
Retired Number
1 / Oscar Robertson
2 / Junior Bridgeman
4 / Sidney Moncrief
8 / Marques Johnson
10 / Bob Dandridge
14 / Jon McGlocklin
16 / Bob Lanier
32 / Brian Winters
33 / Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
*Blue is this team’s history