SUMMARY
- In April 2023, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer lost one of his brothers in a car accident.
- Despite the personal tragedy, the Milwaukee Bucks controversially fired Budenholzer.
Milwaukee Bucks played game 4 of the first playoff round against the Miami Heat on April 24, 2023. The game in the 2022-23 season finished in favor of the Miami side, who walked away as the winner at the Kaseya Center with a scoreline of 119-114.
The match was important for the series as Miami gained a 3-1 lead. But for the head coach of Milwaukee Bucks, Mike Budenholzer, the match was the least of his concerns due to a life-changing incident before Game 4 of the series.
Mike Budenholzer lost his brother in a car accident in 2023
Mike Budenholzer revealed to the Athletic that he lost one of his brothers in a car accident before game 4 of the series. The news first broke when Lakers head coach, Darvin Ham, who was a former assistant of Budenholzer at Milwaukee, revealed the tragic news to the reports.
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
Budenholzer was comfortable in addressing the report after it was confirmed by Ham. The news about the accident gave some breathing space to Budenholzer, who was under pressure from the media, fans, and experts after losing to the eighth-seeded, Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. However, losing focus due to personal tragedy didn’t save Budenholzer from losing his job at Milwaukee.
The Bucks were criticized for firing Mike Budenholzer after his brother’s accident
Milwaukee Bucks sacked Mike Budenholzer as the head coach of the franchise in May 2023. The news drew criticism from the fans and media as the sacking came only 10 days after the tragic accident of the brother of Mike Budenholzer.
Budenholzer’s job wasn’t secure after he lost the first round in the playoffs against the Miami Heat. However, fans questioned the trimmings of the sacking considering that Budenholzer recently went through a personal tragedy. Social media fans threw dirt on the management of the franchise who couldn’t respect their head coach who brought them success on the court.
Budenholzer joined the Bucks in the 2018-19 season after moving away from the Atlanta Hawks after five seasons. In the first session, the head coach led the side to an incredible finish of 60 wins and 22 losses in the regular season. However, the terrific first season couldn’t be capped off with an NBA Championship.
The NBA Championship came in the 2020-21 season, where the Milwaukee side lost 26 games in a 72-match regular season. Budenholzer completed his fifth and last season with the Bucks with an impressive regular season record of 58 wins and 24 losses, but the playoff loss against the Heat put a full stop to Budenholzer’s stint as the head coach of the Milwaukee franchise.