It looks like the Milwaukee Bucks have a huge job opening.
The team confirmed Thursday night that it “parted ways” with head coach Mike Budenholzer, the 53-year-old Arizona native who has held the position for the past five seasons.
The decision came about a week after the top-seeded Bucks’ fell to the eighth-seeded Miami Heat in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. According to ESPN, it was only the sixth time in NBA history that a No. 1 seed has been eliminated by a No. 8 seed.
“The decision to make this change was very difficult,” Bucks president Peter Feigin and general manager Jon Horst said in a joint statement. “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.”
Since joining the Bucks in 2018, Mike Budenholzer compiled a 271-120 regular season record, winning nearly 70 percent of their games. He also led the team to its first NBA Championship win in 2021, marking the team’s first title in 50 years. His immediate success with the Bucks earned him the Coach of the Year Award in 2019, an honor he had also received during his time with the Atlanta Hawks.
According to ESPN, the coach had two years left on his Bucks contract, which was reportedly worth $16 million.
