Milwaukee Bucks: Five Hawks assistants reportedly joining Mike Budenholzer’s staff
By Adam McGee
According to reports from Atlanta, Mike Budenholzer will be joined at the Milwaukee Bucks by five of his six former Hawks assistants.
It looks like Mike Budenholzer is getting the band back together as his staff with the Milwaukee Bucks begins to take shape.
Since Budenholzer was announced as the Bucks’ new head coach, much of the conversation has focused around his famed Atlanta Hawks assistant coaches and player development staff, and where they’ll be coaching next season.
With news from Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution arriving on Wednesday afternoon, it seems as if there’s finally some clarity on their futures.
Mike Budenholzer will indeed bring five of his six Hawks assistants with him to Bucks - Darvin Ham, Taylor Jenkins, Ben Sullivan, Patrick St. Andrews and (previously reported) Charles Lee.
— Chris Vivlamore (@CVivlamoreAJC) June 6, 2018
More from Bucks News
- Bucks 2023-24 player profile: Can MarJon Beauchamp take a leap?
- Piecing together the Milwaukee Bucks’ dream starting 5 in 5 years
- Predicting Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s 2023-24 stats for the Bucks
- Grade the trade: Bucks land reputable backup guard in swap with Pacers
- New workout video should have Milwaukee Bucks fans excited
Charles Lee was reported to have signed a contract with the Bucks last week, but details regarding the others had remained under wraps prior to Vivlamore’s report.
Darvin Ham served as Budenholzer’s lead assistant following the departures of Quin Snyder and Kenny Atkinson respectively, and will likely be a popular choice for assuming the same role in Milwaukee due to his status as a cult hero from his playing days with the Bucks.
Taylor Jenkins moved to Atlanta with Budenholzer when he was appointed as head coach in 2013, with Jenkins previously working alongside the then Spurs assistant through his capacity as a coach with San Antonio’s then D-League affiliate, while also contributing as an advance scout.
Ben Sullivan also arrived from San Antonio having spent time as a video co-ordinator with the Spurs, and in the time since he has developed a reputation as one of the league’s best player development coaches, with a particular emphasis on shooting.
Patrick St. Andrews is the youngest member of the staff having worked his way up through Atlanta’s video room in recent years, and spending his first year on the sideline as an assistant last season.
The only Hawks assistant from last season reported to be remaining in Atlanta is Chris Jent. That may not be a coincidence as Jent was the only member of the staff hired during Travis Schlenk’s time as general manager in Atlanta, and the only coach without a significant long-term connection to Budenholzer at this point.
Of course, there’s still a possibility that a former Bucks assistant or two could remain, with Sean Sweeney rumored to be a candidate to stick around under the new regime.
Next: Milwaukee Bucks: What can Mike Budenholzer’s assistants offer?
In the not too distant future, it will be interesting to see what coach or combination of coaches will be given the task of overseeing the Bucks’ Summer League entry in Las Vegas this summer.