Every single person on the Milwaukee Bucks has something to prove next season, and that has to give them constant motivation. Whether it's driven by financial motives, a quest to silence doubters, earn a greater role, or something else, everyone from top to bottom has a chip on their shoulder, including the team's new lead option, Tyler Herro, who alluded to this new mindset over the weekend.
"I probably have the biggest chip on my shoulder I've had in my career... We all have chips on our shoulders. Coach Jenkins himself has a chip on his shoulder. The guys who came in the trade with me. It's not just about me. I think everyone on the team has a chip."
#Bucks Tyler Herro is excited to set a nice culture in Milwaukee:
— Lily Zhao (@LilySZhao) August 8, 2026
"I probably have the biggest chip on my shoulder I've had in my career... obviously there's gonna be people who probably don't think we're going to win many games, but that's the opposite of what we're thinking." pic.twitter.com/j99Kzm3blf
Bucks are full of hungry names
Where to start? Of course, everyone outside of Kyle Kuzma is looking to win their first championship, so that is the primary goal. However, everyone has their own individual tasks at hand.
Herro is looking to prove he can be a top option on a team while also setting himself up for a massive payday. Jaime Jaquez Jr. is also looking to earn himself a nice check. Gary Trent Jr. is looking to make his doubters eat their words following all of the controversy that has come his way after he signed his contract this summer.
Myles Turner should be more than motivated to bounce back after playing like a shell of himself last season. Kel'el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis will fight to prove they can be rotational players at the NBA level. Ryan Rollins will look to build off of last season's success and pave the way for himself to earn a substantial raise.
There are many more, but you get the idea. Everyone has a chip on their shoulder, and this team must use it to band together and shock the world next season.
Bucks' doubters are lined up everywhere
After years of running with the contenders league-wide, there aren't many people high on the Bucks heading into next season. John Schuhmann's latest power rankings for NBA.com have Milwaukee at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Bleacher Report NBA writer Greg Swartz predicts the Bucks' starting five will be the worst in the entire league this coming season. Ouch.
Yes, the Milwaukee Bucks traded their former superstar this summer, and when a team loses a player of that caliber, they usually regress. However, the Bucks players and coaches should have something to say about everyone predicting they will fall off the face of the earth. All of this chatter gives them an infinite amount of bulletin board material to work with.
They need to bring that mindset into training camp and then into the season.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
Add us as a preferred source on Google