"Compete. Together. Get better." How Taylor Jenkins and the young Bucks are living up to their new culture

Compete. Together. Get Better. That's the mantra head coach Taylor Jenkins has drilled into the minds of this upstart Milwaukee Bucks squad as they embark on a new era, both for the franchise and on their own basketball journeys.

We've heard the ideology from Jenkins repeatedly since he became the first head coach hired in the 2026 NBA offseason cycle — months before the Bucks affirmed their trajectory and traded the franchise star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, for a haul headlined by four young, promising new players, and the draft pick that became standout rookie Nate Ament.

Six months after Jenkins took over, and nearly two weeks into the regular season, Milwaukee sits near the bottom of the Eastern Conference with only one win in six games. Even so, there's a general feeling shared by Jenkins, his coaching staff, and the players themselves that, despite their record, the Bucks are embodying the mindset they set out to embrace months earlier.

"I think our guys are setting a solid foundation, [but] we can always get even better there," Jenkins told Dairyland Express. "No matter what film we show you, no matter what we're doing to prepare for any given opponent, any given night, this is the behavior that matters the most right now: is how competitive we are."

The groundwork is set, but it takes a lot of long hours in the gym and internal dedication to embrace a new mindset. Jenkins, who once built a similar culture for a young Memphis Grizzlies team that eventually made playoff runs, feels like the new-era Bucks are on track to reflect the change they want to see.

How are the Bucks progressing in their journey to embrace Taylor Jenkins' locker room philosophy?

Jenkins broke down the team's progress from Summer League through training camp and the preseason, and finally, through the first six games of the 2026-27 NBA season. According to Jenkins, the first step for everyone was to get a realistic grasp of what they're trying to accomplish.

"It's gotta be our daily mantra. Like, we can always improve in how we compete, on and off the floor, [on] practice days, game days. I think the guys understand it," Jenkins explained. "We're in the understanding phase."

Despite what their 1-6 record says, competing hasn't been much of a challenge for the Bucks so far this season. This team has held leads in four of their six games so far this year, including matchups they had no business competing in. They're also playing at the second-fastest pace in the league and are the second-best rebounding team in basketball — two clear indicators of a team's hustle.

Of the six games they've played thus far, three of those opponents (Philadelphia, Houston, and Cleveland) are considered top contenders in their respective conferences, and Milwaukee beat Indiana with both stars, Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, on the court. Even without stacking up wins, the players are trying extremely hard and focusing on long-term growth.

As for togetherness, Jenkins feels like they've got that covered.

"I think our togetherness is there. I mean, our spirit's gotta be something that holds us tight in adverse moments, in great, moments, and day-to-day, how we collectively work," the Bucks coach said. "Our togetherness has been something I've seen all summer long. Hopefully, it translates to the on-court unselfishness."

From group boating trips and voluntary training camp in Austin, TX, to team Halloween costumes and visits to watch the Brewers in the World Series, this Bucks team has been seen everywhere for the last six months, and they're always together. Nearly the entire roster returned to Milwaukee long before they were due for the start of training camp to embrace their mentality of togetherness.

Last, but almost certainly most important for a young team, is getting better. If they can't do this, there won't be anything to compete for, and fewer opportunities to stay together. Here's what Jenkins had to say when he was asked about how the team is living up to that aspect of the mantra:

"Getting better... You know, regardless of our record, I think our guys are showing that over the course of a four-quarter game. We're showing resilience," Jenkins said. "We have a lead, we lose a lead, we're playing from behind, we're chipping away." Obviously, we want to get better in that department over the course of a game."

Aside from the overall group contributions, Jenkins also pointed to the individual player development plans laid out for the team by the Bucks' coaching staff. Although the specifics of those plans haven't been divulged, they are providing crucial benchmarks to establish the best version of Milwaukee's lineup on and off the court.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither were the 90s Bulls. Young teams need to go through stages like this to develop into something greater than we imagined. For a team in Milwaukee's position, without a pick to tank for or a superstar to build around, there's no better option but to work hard, embrace the growing pains, and never lose sight of the goal: Compete. Together. Get Better.

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