"We accomplished something unbelievable, and I'm forever grateful"- Giannis Antetokounmpo pays tribute to ex-Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer

The Greek Freak and Coach Bud had a great run with the Bucks.

Matthew Dugandzic | May 10, 2023

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Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo paid tribute to former Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer, whose stint with the Bucks ended abruptly after their shocking first-round exit.

Antetokounmpo expressed his gratitude to Budenholzer through a heartfelt message that he posted on his social media accounts.

"Thank you for five meaningful years, Coach. We accomplished something unbelievable, and I'm forever grateful," Antetokounmpo wrote.

Thank you for five meaningful years Coach. We accomplished something unbelievable and I’m forever grateful. 🙏🏾💪🏾
Posted by Giannis Antetokounmpo on Monday, May 8, 2023

Great run with Coach Bud

The post was accompanied by a touching photo showing Giannis hugging Budenholzer during the team's championship in 2021.

It was expected for Giannis to speak highly of Budenholzer. After all, he flourished under Budenholzer into one of the league's top players.

Antetokounmpo became a two-time MVP under Budenholzer, who transformed the Bucks into one of the best teams in the league.

Under Budenholzer's five-year stint as a coach, the Bucks went 271-120 (.693) during the regular season. The record was the best in the league across that span.

Budenholzer also steered the Bucks to a championship in 2021, ending the franchise' 50-year title drought.

Bitter ending

Budenholzer rose from the ranks. He started as a video coordinator with the San Antonio Spurs in 1994. He then moved to the Atlanta Hawks, who hired him as a head coach in 2013.

Budenholzer then joined the Bucks in 2018. The Bucks headed to another top finish this year when they racked up a league-best 58-24 record in the regular season that netted them the overall top seed in the playoffs.

But things went south for the Bucks in the playoffs. Milwaukee got ambushed by the No. 8 seed Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs.

The Heat dismissed the Bucks in just five games, and that paved the way for Budenholzer's unceremonious exit.

Published May 10, 2023

MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.