At long last, the Milwaukee Bucks' 2026-27 schedule is out, and the game everyone is waiting for won't happen until Thursday, January 28, when Giannis Antetokounmpo returns to Wisconsin for the first time as a visitor since being traded in June.
It's one of two Milwaukee games that will be nationally televised, shown on Amazon Prime with an 8:30 p.m. CT tip. Unsurprisingly, the first televised game will be several months earlier, on Nov. 18, when the Bucks travel to Miami to play against Antetokounmpo for the first time since the trade, and that will be broadcast on ESPN with a 6 p.m. CT start time.
At least the first game is just a month into the beginning of the season, though it'd be nice if Bucks fans didn't have to wait three whole months to watch Antetokounmpo at Fiserv Forum again. Maybe that's the NBA's way of giving fans enough time to prepare for what will be an emotional night.
Giannis Antetokounmpo won't return to Milwaukee until January
By the time January 28 rolls around, nearly a full year will have passed since Antetokounmpo last played in Milwaukee, as his final game with the Bucks was on March 15, a 134-123 win over the Pacers. That's when he hyperextended his knee, which led to the drama over whether he would play again, and he, obviously, did not.
At that point, the writing was on the wall that Antetokounmpo was nearing the end of his time in Milwaukee. After weeks of rumors following the end of the regular season, the Bucks agreed to a deal to send the superstar to the Heat.
It will probably take Miami's new-look roster some time to gel once the regular season starts, which shouldn't be an issue by the time the Heat travel to Milwaukee. Perhaps that was also something the league was considering when constructing the schedule, though they could've just wanted to let the anticipation build.
Of course, Antetokounmpo will be the headliner, and the evening will be a chance for fans to show their appreciation for everything he gave to Milwaukee. You can expect a video tribute and a standing ovation, but by the time the ball is thrown up at the center of the court, it won't be all about Giannis, but about the Bucks fighting to earn a win over their former franchise cornerstone and his new team.
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