Milwaukee's Mike Budenholzer earns spot as head coach of Team Giannis in 2019 NBA All-Star Game
NEW YORK — Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer and his staff will coach Team Giannis in the 2019 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 17 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.
The 68th NBA All-Star Game, with Team LeBron taking on Team Giannis, will be broadcasted live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio across the United States. Furthermore, the NBA All-Star 2019 is set to reach fans in over 200 countries and territories, available in more than 40 different languages.
With Thursday’s 105-92 victory over the Toronto Raptors, the Bucks (37-13, .740) clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference through games played on Sunday, Feb. 3. As a result, Budenholzer earned the spot to coach Team Giannis over the 13 other eligible Eastern Conference head coaches. The Detroit Pistons’ Dwane Casey was ineligible because he coached Team LeBron in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game as head coach of the Raptors.
Each NBA All-Star Game head coach will lead the team that includes the captain from the same conference. Budenholzer and his staff will coach the All-Star team captained by their own player, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The head coach of the team holding the best record in the Western Conference as of February 3rd will coach the All-Star team led by LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers. Mike D’Antoni, head coach of the Houston Rockets, won’t be eligible as he coached Team Stephen in the previous year’s All-Star Game.
Budenholzer has received his second NBA All-Star Game head coaching honor. Previously, he led the Eastern Conference in 2015 as the Atlanta Hawks’ head coach. He is the second All-Star Game head coach for the Bucks, following Larry Costello who coached in 1971 and 1974.
This is Budenholzer’s inaugural season with the Bucks, having previously spent five seasons as the head coach for the Hawks. He led Atlanta to a track record of 213-197 (.520) and four appearances in the playoffs, even making it to the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals. Budenholzer earned the title of NBA Coach of the Year in 2014-15, after guiding the Hawks to a franchise record of 60-22.
