The day has finally come to announce something that has been long in the works.
I’m thrilled to announce my upcoming book, “Building the Milwaukee Bucks: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson and the Rapid Rise of an NBA Franchise, 1968-75.” Published by McFarland & Co., the book explores the franchise’s origins and the many key figures that helped steer them to championship heights three years after they were born.
That’s not all. You can preorder the book right here! Yes, YOU!
The start of this project stems back to July 20, 2021 — the day the Bucks ended their 50-year championship drought. Seeing the Bucks do what I never thought could be attainable brought such joy to me, Bucks fans and the city of Milwaukee.
I felt after seeing the Bucks win on their home floor, seeing 65,000 fans packed within the Deer District and a championship parade instilled such pride in me that transcended just sports. Naturally, Adam McGee and I thought there was never a better time to look back on how that moment in time compared and contrasted to when the Bucks won their first championship back on April 30, 1971.
It became very clear that what started out as curiosity would end up being an all-consuming venture. The excitement with each and every trip to the Milwaukee Public Library, time spent reading an autobiography or about the history of the NBA peeled back layers upon layers. I was so happy to go back in time and immerse myself in that world day after day.
Nearly 10 years ago, my life changed when I first started writing about the Bucks. It’s where friendships were formed between myself, Adam McGee, Ti Windisch, Rohan Katti and Andrew Snyder as we all found each other at Behind the Buck Pass and would eventually form GSPN. (A special shoutout to Numac, who served as special editor over the course of this project, in addition to being the shining star of Talk of the Tundra). It was at BTBP where my interest in Bucks history was stoked and this book is just a manifestation of that.
Never in my wildest years could I have imagined that I would ever write a book. But the many hours, days and years spent writing, talking and thinking about the Bucks and their significance as a franchise have led to this moment.
This project has been a labor of love and I am so excited to share it to the world. All I wanted to do with this book is share the history of a Bucks franchise that means a lot to me and this golden era, in particular. This book is about the Bucks, but it’s about so much more.
It tells the story of Wisconsin sports, the history of the NBA, the city of Milwaukee and the legendary figures that have made their mark on the team’s history. You can’t tell the history of the Bucks or of giants like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson without how the world around them informed how they came to Milwaukee, became NBA champions and left with complex legacies.
Get ready to follow me on this journey, Bucks fans. There is much more to come.
P.S. For any questions, comments or press inquires, email me at buildingthebucks@gmail.com. I’d be more than happy to talk about this project!
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