The first-round series between the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks produced one of the most stunning results in NBA history, as the No. 8-seeded Heat defeated the top-seeded Bucks in only five games. But Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer is dealing with something far more significant.
Budenholzer lost one of his brothers in a car accident before Game 4 of the series.
The tragic news was reported by Joe Vardon of The Athletic on Friday night.
“One of Budenholzer’s three brothers died just prior to Game 4 of the series, Budenholzer confirmed to The Athletic on Friday through a Bucks spokesman,” Vardon wrote. “Two team sources said the brother died as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident.”
The report added that “It is not immediately clear which of his three brothers died.”
Darvin Ham, coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, spoke about the tragedy ahead of his team’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.
“Coach Bud is going through a lot on a personal level,” Ham said, per Vardon. “He just lost his brother, so, my apologies Bud if I wasn’t supposed to let anybody know. He and I’ve been texting. I love those guys.”
Others in the NBA world also sent their best wishes to Budenholzer.
Gosh, this is just unfathomable. You really don’t know what people are going through. https://t.co/lcp5jVzeun
— Lindsay Gibbs (@linzsports) April 29, 2023
Prayers for Coach Bud and his family. Life is more important than basketball 🙏🏾 https://t.co/kBOXWg0NMp
— PJ Hoops (@RealPjHoops) April 29, 2023
💔💔
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) April 29, 2023
Man… Feel awful for him and his family. Can’t imagine how tough it was to coach after that and then have to deal with the media and everything else as well. https://t.co/42tOY1VedF
— Spencer Michaelis (@smichaelis234) April 29, 2023
🙏🏼🙏🏼
— KnicksNation (@KnicksNation) April 29, 2023
This helps put that Giannis answer in perspective now.
Some things are bigger than winning at the sportsball contest.
Condolences to the Budenholzer family. 🙏🏻 https://t.co/ezgOb0IOo1— Faron (@FaronLE) April 29, 2023
