Advantage of Being In an NBA Town

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

What are you
Talking about?

I think he was objecting to TallEllenson's use of the phrase "get aids and die"

[🏀]

Get AIDS and die?

Ok we're done.

Some just don't appreciate references.

[🏀]

I've seen the Bulls and Knicks at the Al. Granted they had MU players on them at the time. There was always the story about Crowder and Carlos Arroyo getting into it at the Al when the Heat played there.

A lot of NBA teams have been to the Al. Usually only publicized when MU players return.

[warriorchick]

If the Bucks start winning, players will want to play in Milwaukee. 

Exactly.  That's what happened in Green Bay.

[MU82]

I know that one reason I chose Marquette was because it had the NBA and MLB.

And how MU history would have changed for the worse had I matriculated elsewhere!

[martyconlonontherun]

Unfortunately, like every other star, he will probably want to leave Milwaukee as soon as he proves himself.

I don't think is as bad as people think. Yeah, you will get the Todd Day saying "Damn...Milwaukee" after getting drafted. But a lot of players genuinely like it here. Ray Allen, Des Mason, CBell, etc were all guys that said they liked living in Milwaukee. I think a lot of the negative attitude had to do with the old regime looking to constantly be mediocre. I think the new owners bring a lot of positive PR to the team and you see excitement slowly start to build.

[Freeport Warrior]

Unfortunately, like every other star, he will probably want to leave Milwaukee as soon as he proves himself.

I don't think Jabari is your typical young NBA star player.

He wanted to come to Milwaukee to be close to his family. His dad has a liver condition which requires frequent dialysis, so MKE was second only to Chicago. There were even rumors that he blew his Cleveland workout so they wouldn't take him because he preferred MKE so much more. He and his family are also very comfortable and familiar with the city. He has been playing 5/6 tournaments a year up here since he was a young teen. I recall reading somewhere that he used to take the train up here by himself to attend the NY2LA basketball camps and considers Milwaukee his second home.

He is also a devout Mormon -- you won't see him smoking, drinking or clubbing. Maybe he can knock some sense into Sanders! I am hoping that he helps revive the Bucks franchise and eventually becomes the Robin Yount/Paul Molitor type of icon this city has been missing for the last two decades. That picture of Jabari with Heldt is f'n awesome and hopefully just the beginning.

[Coleman]

You were thinking of the Cubs.

They are too.

I'm a Cardinals fan.

[Johnny B]

Jabari said he may want to spend his whole
Career with one team, for now he's here to stay.

[wadesworld]

Jabari's listed at 6'7", which mean's he's 6'1", which means Heldt is only 6'3"!  Another 6'3" center?!  Why can't Wojo recruit bigs?!  I thought he coached bigs at Dook!

[Johnny B]

Jabari's listed at 6'7", which mean's he's 6'1", which means Heldt is only 6'3"!  Another 6'3" center?!  Why can't Wojo recruit bigs?!  I thought he coached bigs at Dook!

And derricks only 5'4!

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

Yeah--got it.
I think you have to be at the top in order to collapse.
As for the cubbies....... Well we all know that story.

that is some creative bragging.

[mr.MUskie]

Unfortunately, like every other star, he will probably want to leave Milwaukee as soon as he proves himself.

But they end up sorry they left.

http://youtu.be/ShrV43xB6yY

[MUHoopsFan2]

I don't think Jabari is your typical young NBA star player.

He wanted to come to Milwaukee to be close to his family. His dad has a liver condition which requires frequent dialysis, so MKE was second only to Chicago. There were even rumors that he blew his Cleveland workout so they wouldn't take him because he preferred MKE so much more. He and his family are also very comfortable and familiar with the city. He has been playing 5/6 tournaments a year up here since he was a young teen. I recall reading somewhere that he used to take the train up here by himself to attend the NY2LA basketball camps and considers Milwaukee his second home.

He is also a devout Mormon -- you won't see him smoking, drinking or clubbing. Maybe he can knock some sense into Sanders! I am hoping that he helps revive the Bucks franchise and eventually becomes the Robin Yount/Paul Molitor type of icon this city has been missing for the last two decades. That picture of Jabari with Heldt is f'n awesome and hopefully just the beginning.

You could have left Larry Sanders out of it...but otherwise a good post. But let Larry Sanders alone.

[Freeport Warrior]

You could have left Larry Sanders out of it...but otherwise a good post. But let Larry Sanders alone.

My point was that I don't think Parker is your typical NBA star. In contrast, I think Sanders is. I think Sanders is very key to the rebirth of the Bucks. He is one of the best defensive centers in the league when he is "on." If he can "grow up" a little this year and avoid trouble, these guys could be well on their way and primed to be in the upper echelon in the next 3-4 years.

[4everwarriors]

Sanders is one can short of a 6 pack

[GGGG]

Sanders, Parker, Greek Freak (whose family now lives here) are a good start to a base of a franchise.  Again, if they can start to win, even like they did in the late 90s, players will want to be here.

I heard the same excuses about the Packers and Brewers.  Winning cures all.

[GB Warrior]

chicken and egg thing

Yes and no. That's why Giannis, Henson, Parker, and Sanders are so important. As draft picks, they're stuck here. The Bucks have a period of time to turn this around and begin scrubbing away the losing culture while they don't have the power to negotiate. The next three years will be crucial.

[wadesworld]

Sanders, Parker, Greek Freak (whose family now lives here) are a good start to a base of a franchise.  Again, if they can start to win, even like they did in the late 90s, players will want to be here.

I heard the same excuses about the Packers and Brewers.  Winning cures all.

I'd argue you could switch Henson in for Sanders.  In my opinion, if you could get a game ball for Larry Sanders you do it for all I care.  I like Henson, though.

[WarriorFan]

No team with Larry Sanders on it will ever win consistently.  He's just too dumb to add any value.  Go to a game some time and just watch him.  He just has no clue.

[Freeport Warrior]

No team with Larry Sanders on it will ever win consistently.  He's just too dumb to add any value.  Go to a game some time and just watch him.  He just has no clue.

I hope you are wrong. This is an interesting read about the Bucks:
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/we-have-to-get-eric-bledsoe-on-the-bucks/

[wadesworld]

I hope you are wrong. This is an interesting read about the Bucks:
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/we-have-to-get-eric-bledsoe-on-the-bucks/

So basically what he is saying is that because Phoenix is Phoenix and may actually attract players worth a max contract they should get rid of Bledsoe because he wants a max contract but is not worth it, but because Milwaukee is not Phoenix it will not attract a player who is actually worth the max contract, so they might as well overpay and offer someone who is not worth the max contract a max contract just to get him into Milwaukee.  Sounds like some horrible reasoning to me.

Not to mention, Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight play the same type of game and put up almost identical numbers last year, and Knight has had a better overall career.  So I'm not sure I see any positive in this at all.  I personally don't care for the way either of them play the game as point guards and hope Kendall Marshall and Nate Wolters get most of the minutes at the point.

Trade Sanders early if he proves to other teams that he is worth anything, take your bumps this year, get another quality draft pick in, and try to sign a player or 2 that are worth signing (unlike OJ Mayo).

PS A borderline Playoffs Bucks team is not going to convince people to pay for a new arena.  Heck, an NBA Championship team may not even help much.  I don't think taxpayers are going to budge much on that issue regardless of on court results.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I think this picture tells it all. It is a big plus for MU to be in an NBA town and share an arena. I think Wojo understands this and is using it to our advantage.
https://twitter.com/MarquetteHoops/status/510862879349039104/photo/1

If we didn't have an NBA town, you leverage something else.  At the end of the day, it's basically marketing.  All in how one wishes to trump what they think will help the program.   I remember a time 10 years ago when the idea of playing on blue turf for football was considered stupid and people made fun of it.  Wojo is smart, take what you think will help.  Just as Duke and UNC did just fine without a NBA team within 2+ hours.  If the Bucks leave, MU will be just fine.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Exactly.  That's what happened in Green Bay.

Don't think so, NFL is a lot different than NBA.  Team game vs individual.  NBA guys are looking to see how they can maximize their brand, which is a lot different scenario for a NFL player coming to a Green Bay.  In the long run anyway.

[MU82]

If we didn't have an NBA town, you leverage something else.  At the end of the day, it's basically marketing.  All in how one wishes to trump what they think will help the program.   I remember a time 10 years ago when the idea of playing on blue turf for football was considered stupid and people made fun of it.  Wojo is smart, take what you think will help.  Just as Duke and UNC did just fine without a NBA team within 2+ hours.  If the Bucks leave, MU will be just fine.

For the record, I don't think we should replace the Bradley Center floor with blue turf!