Wednesday night’s win over the Brooklyn Nets was a tribute to late, great former Milwaukee Bucks owner Herb Kohl. News broke about Kohl’s death right before tipoff, and this unexpected development weighed heavily on the hearts of the players when they took the court.
Kohl had an undying love for the Bucks, and the team gave him the perfect sendoff when they defeated the Nets on Wednesday night. Giannis Antetokounmpo had another tremendous outing against the Nets, finishing with 32 points on 10-of-12 shooting, 10 rebounds, eight assists and two blocks. Right now, there’s no denying that the former back-to-back MVP is one of the most dominant players in the NBA.
Giannis probably wouldn’t be in the position he is in right now had it not been for Kohl. According to Antetokounmpo, the former Bucks owner played a key role in his transition into the NBA, particularly when it came to helping out his family: “I’m praying for his family,” Antetokounmpo said, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “It’s a guy that took care of me when I came in and made me feel comfortable, but most importantly, he made my family feel comfortable. He helped a lot with the process of bringing my family over.
“He’s done so many things for the city of Milwaukee, so many things for the Milwaukee Bucks organization. He’s definitely going to be missed.” It’s a known fact that Giannis is all about family, and when he first came to America more than a decade ago to join the Bucks, the support he had from his family was the most important thing. It was Kohl who was sitting at the helm when Milwaukee drafted Antetokounmpo, and as owner, he made sure that it wasn’t just Giannis who was comfortable with his transition in the United States, but the rest of his family as well. This gesture is clearly appreciated by the Bucks talisman to this very day.
