The “optimistic” “optimistic” team can take a playoff running despite Damian Lillard Injury

MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Bucks held their second sixth annual Soirée man at the Filed Forum Monday.

The event benefited from Milwaukee Bucks Foundation, offering guests the opportunity to support the Foundation and his anchor program, Bucks Health and Wellness. The fundraising effort this year has supported the latest initiative of the Foundation to combat obesity in the Milwaukee community. More than 500 people participated in the program since its launch in 2024, according to the Bucks.

“We started this program more than a year ago,” said the co -owner and current governor of Bucks Wes Edens. “The real purpose was to take these drugs, truly miraculous, these drugs, which are expensive and are out of the reach of many people, and therefore creating a program around that to take into practice those drugs and drugs, they give them people who could not afford them otherwise, and then, above all, bring a health and well -being program to support it.

“So we work with the group of sports sciences here in The Bucks, which is worldwide, to provide a nutrition and fitness program for them. And in doing so, we have almost 600 people in the program right now, and have collectively lost as 8,000 pounds. We are talking about all things in the world, probably your pressure. Pre-diabetes, but also your mental health.

A Bucks spokesman said 550 people attended the fundraising on Monday and the team raised over $ 2.5 million in the night.

While talking to the journalists of the event and fundraising efforts, Edens also spoke of basketball and his expectations for the Bucks in the post -station, the latest news on the ownership of the NBA and the reasoning at the base of the Milwaukee commercial expiry moves.

(Note of the editor: this interview was slightly treated for clarification and length.)

The playoffs are two weeks later. This team has faced some unexpected injuries and absences this year and it is difficult to know when Damian Lillard will return. So what are your expectations and the level of excitement that are heading towards the post -station?

Health is all in the NBA and we have been a little Snakebit around the playoffs in the last four years. The goal n. 1 Dame, our goal for him, is to be healthy as a person. He is a fantastic basketball player, but he is also an extraordinary person. We want it healthy. And so I have no idea what it means for him shortly or long term. And you can only play with people who adapt to this. In a few days we will return Bobby (Portis) here. We have a great team, I think, otherwise.

You saw us having good results. The last two weeks have not been what we wanted, but it is a long season, and I am optimistic that with Giannis (Antetokounmpo) and his leadership and the other players we have, we have a strong nucleus and therefore we play with it. The only thing I learned in this sport is that nobody is sorry for you. Everyone had an agreement with their injuries and perhaps we had more than our share (with) some of the stars in the last three, four years.

But I am optimistic that this team can make a real series, so let’s see.

Junior Bridgeman purchased a 10 % share in the club in September, but with his sudden disappearance on March 11, is there a process in terms of research of clarity on what will happen with that part of the property?

I am thus saddened by The disappearance of Junior Bridgeman. I was just knowing it. He has been around the team for some time, but knowing him in recent months. I went to the service in Louisville and was incredibly touched on to the impact he had on so many people. I think there is a saying: “Difficult to make a dollar, much more difficult to make the difference” and made the difference for a huge number of people. He and his family deserve so much credit for (their) impact.

It is such a tragedy that it has not been able to achieve its full expression as owner. He was entering it. He is a rather discreet person, almost shy, especially if he considers all his numerous results. But it’s only … life is not always right and therefore I’m sorry for him and his family who has not experienced it. And I’m sorry for us as owners and for the organization Bucks and for fans who was unable to be an owner longer.

I presume (Bridgeman’s estate must work through his business). Clearly he did not expect to pass and still have many things to solve, their … significant resources and anything else. So, they will work through that.

What do you think that the Boston Celtics are sold for $ 6.1 billion, the highest value for a North American sports franchise?

(Governor of Celtics) WYC (Grousbeck) is a dear friend and I am so happy for him and his family. I mean, I think the The evaluation has exceeded everyone’s expectations they were. Celtics are an incredible franchise and deserve the whole evaluation they have achieved. It is a good time for the NBA.

We had our championship meetings last week e We talked a lot about the European opportunityThat I think will develop in the next two years. This is a monumental step. Because if you look around the world, I am an investor in the Premier League (with Aston Villa) and nobody has World Soccer. There is the Premier League, then there is La Liga, then there is Serie A, there is Bundesliga and so on. In basketball, the NBA can somehow its basketball all over the world and be the set brand for all this.

I think going and starting a league in Europe is a bold step. I think he has a huge promise. If you look at the number of athletes (which) come out of Europe, it is a very long list. Many of our most recent MVPs are out of there, but there is so much talent there and I think putting a league with this type of imprint with the NBA on the continent is exciting. I think it is an exciting moment for the NBA, in general, and I think that the Celtics evaluation will reflect it.

Where could the expansion of the NBA be with the conversation of a European alloy?

I don’t think it’s not even/or from my point of view. There has not yet been a decision. There have been many speculations. I think it is a very healthy thing when people impatiently look for franchises. It only shows you where it is and could be some fantastic cities that you can imagine that they are out there. I don’t think it’s mutually exclusive.

There have been many changes in the All-Star game: what are your feelings about this and where is Milwaukee with his possibilities to land one?

There have been many attempts (to the changes) and it did not work as well as we wanted. It is not due to the lack of attempts. I think when you look at the impact on social media, it is like a billion opinions. A billion opinions on anything should not be considered a failure in my opinion. There is very good about it. We would all like to see the competitive games that we saw in the 80s and 90s, but the world went in many different ways.

There is talk of different things that can do and of different formats. They will continue to try. But it’s not just us. NFL Football is now a football game of the flag. There is a lot. To have the opportunity to show your best athletes, give fans the opportunity to approach them, this is the part in this regard: the celebration of the game and I think it is very successful. The game itself needs some work.

As for Milwaukee, I think we have a worthy place. While adding other hotel rooms in the city here – this is an important part – can you stage it? I would be a big fan and I would be honored if there was a game here. Next year, they have returned to Los Angeles and is probably a little kinder, at the time of time, in the middle of the winter of Milwaukee, but that’s fine. There have been places of cold climate that have done really well in Chicago, and Toronto and in other places. So we’ll see.

The Bucks made a four -team exchange at the deadline in February which brought the team under the second apron. How has the basketball operating group be hit by the new penalties of the apron?

For the first time, they included both financial penalties and sports penalties and therefore you do not want to be in the second apron if you can avoid it. We came out of our pockets to put in place the best team we can on the field and we spent a lot of money and we have a championship to show for this and many wins. But we want more and more.

The moves we made on the expiry were the basketball moves. And the financial was part of it, in consideration of the second apron, but I think (general manager) Jon Horst and his organization did and recommend what they thought would be the best for the basketball team and I think they did an excellent job.

So, let’s see. The season is not over.

So was there no mandate from the property to fill the (second) apron for financial reasons?

No. No. Not at all. None of this.

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(Photo by Wes Edens: Michael McLoone / USA Today Sports through Imags images)