Milwaukee Bucks: 3 most likely replacements for head coach Mike Budenholzer

The Milwaukee Bucks made the shocking decision to fire head coach Mike Budenholzer just two years after he helped the team win an NBA Championship and are now looking for a new face to take over the team.

The timing of their decision–eight days after their first-round playoff exit–leaves them with precious quality candidates available on the market. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported they would take their sweet time hiring Budenholzer’s replacement and noted this wouldn’t be a quick process.

Furthermore, he feels the Bucks could be looking at a coach who is currently under contract with another team in the NBA. He didn’t mention whether that’s a current head coach or an assistant, but it’s an interesting report.

With Giannis Antetokounmpo drawing severe interest from coaches across the NBA landscape, here are the three most likely Budenholzer replacements.

As the Milwaukee Bucks begin their intense search, these are the three most likely replacements for head coach Mike Budenholzer.

Kenny Atkinson

Atkinson is currently an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, where he’s been for the last two years. He’s one of the most sought-after assistant coaches in the NBA, even turning down a head coaching job for the Charlotte Hornets last summer in favor of staying on the Warriors’ bench.

He was an assistant coach under Budenholzer in Atlanta for three years from 2013-14 to 2015-16 and was the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets from 2016-17 to 2019-20. That head coaching experience is probably an essential quality for Milwaukee, who will want to minimize the growing pains at the position. On the other hand, Atkinson has only been the head coach for one playoff series in which his team was the victim of a gentleman’s sweep.

He was known for creating a good locker room culture in Brooklyn, using the same tactics Budenholzer used in Milwaukee. He’s an analytics-focused coach, who has served under Budenholzer, Steve Kerr and Ty Lue.