Mike Budenholzer suffered family tragedy in middle of Bucks’ playoff series
Mar 9, 2020; Denver, Colorado, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Some sad family news has emerged about Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer.
Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham revealed Friday that Budenholzer’s brother recently died. Ham, a one-time Bucks assistant under Budenholzer, remains close with the former Coach of the Year.
Darvin Ham on the Milwaukee Bucks, Mike Budenholzer and Giannis Antetokounmpo losing in the first round: “Coach Bud is going through a lot on a personal level. He just lost a brother. He and I have been texting. I love those guys. They’re a part of my basketball family.” pic.twitter.com/yqVzLw9FVH
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) April 29, 2023
Joe Vardon of The Athletic confirmed in a report that Budenholzer’s brother died just before Game 4 of the first-round series between the Bucks and the Miami Heat. Vardon adds that Budenholzer’s brother died as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident.
Milwaukee, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, got upset by the eighth-seeded Heat in five games (including losses in Games 4 and 5 of the series to end their season). During the series, Budenholzer had been heavily criticized for some of his coaching gaffes (without knowledge of the personal tragedy that it turns out he was going through at the time).
There was talk in recent days that Budenholzer’s job with the Bucks might be in danger. But all that chatter should now take a backseat in favor of sympathy for Budenholzer and his family during this difficult time.