The Milwaukee Bucks should be thankful for loyalty this Thanksgiving

For a team that won their first NBA championship in 50 years just a few short months ago, the Milwaukee Bucks have plenty to be thankful for this holiday. Ultimately, fans could sit there all day and come up with a laundry list of reasons. However, it all boils down to loyalty and how the Bucks have managed to establish this championship-winning culture because of it.

Loyalty has been a massive factor for the Milwaukee Bucks as they have built this title-winning team

The most significant factor in this is obviously Giannis Antetokounmpo. Not long ago, the MVP faced one of the biggest decisions of his life with free agency on the horizon. He could either sign the supermax extension and remain with the Bucks, or play out the final year of his deal and look at other options in free agency. In the end, he decided to sign the extension because he wanted to remain loyal to the team that drafted him all those years ago and prove that he could win with the organization. Of course, that is precisely what happened as the Bucks won the title the following season, and Antetokounmpo’s championship promise was fulfilled.

Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez also have shown their loyalty to the franchise as the pair signed extensions in the summer of 2019 to cement their long-term futures in Milwaukee. Jrue Holiday, who proved to be the ultimate needle-mover for the Bucks in their playoff run, also showed that he was ready to commit to Milwaukee as he signed a massive contract extension with the team in April of this year. As Holiday put it in his own words, “I’m a Buck for life.” The loyalty from this core has helped put the Bucks back on the map and build something special in Milwaukee.

Who could forget about Bobby Portis? The big man signed a cheap deal with the Bucks during the 2020 offseason because he wanted to win, which is just what he did. Portis instantly turned into a fan favorite for the franchise due to his everlasting hustle and determination, leaving everything he had out on the floor each and every night. After the title-winning season, Portis received offers far more desirable than what the financially-limited Bucks offered him, but he decided to take yet another team-friendly deal to stay in Milwaukee. Right now, that deal looks like one of the best values in the league as Portis is playing the best basketball of his career. Portis’ loyalty to the Bucks is just another reason why fans love The People’s Champ.

For small-market teams in the NBA, loyalty is oftentimes hard to come by. Antetokounmpo could have easily played out his contract and went elsewhere to win. Portis could have taken a far more lucrative deal with another contender. Middleton, Holiday, and Lopez could have opted to go to a different franchise with brighter lights and warmer climates if they wanted. However, this Bucks team is loyal from top to bottom. Even coach Mike Budenholzer and general manager Jon Horst are signed on for the long term after agreeing to contract extensions this past offseason. All of this puts the Bucks in a great position to contend over the next several years, and fans should be grateful for it.

Hopefully the Bucks can add a few more championship banners to Fiserv Forum thanks to this loyalty from everyone, which is the goal.