Bucks Zone

Former Milwaukee Bucks owner Herb Kohl passes away

The basketball world mourns the loss of Herb Kohl, former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Jonas Panerio

© Michael Sears / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The Milwaukee Bucks lost one of its most ardent defenders and supporters, former owner Herb Kohl, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 88 after a brief illness.

The former United States Senator and philanthropist owned the Bucks for 29 years, from 1985 to 2014, and was instrumental in keeping the team in Milwaukee during a time when relocation seemed imminent.

Kept the Bucks in Wisconsin

Kohl purchased the Bucks in 1985 for $18 million, keeping the team from being sold to out-of-state interests. Kohl was determined to keep the team in its home state and invested significant funds into improving both the team and their arena. Three years after he purchased the Bucks, the team moved into a brand-new $90-million arena, The Bradley Center.

“It’s nice to even think about the time that we spent together and what he did,” Bucks owner Wes Edens said in The Athletic.

“In many circumstances, whether it’s business or friendship, my dad would say, ‘Don’t pay attention to what people say, pay attention to what people do.’ And there’s no better example that I can think of than what he did to ensure that the Milwaukee Bucks stayed in Milwaukee. That’s extraordinary.”

A genuine individual

Kohl eventually sold the team in 2014, but one of his main prerequisites before completing the transaction was to ensure the Bucks would be kept in Milwaukee.

“We spent a couple of days with the Senator, and the word that comes to mind is just authentic. He was so authentic in his love for the Bucks and his love for Milwaukee and the people in Wisconsin,” Edens said.

“His goal was to ensure that if we bought the team, the team stayed in Milwaukee. That was the requisite for us owning the team,” Team owner Marc Lasry shared.

“He cared deeply about the city, about the people, and he cared deeply about the Bucks.”

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Jonas Panerio
JONAS PANERIO