New Milwaukee Bucks owners Marc Lasry and Wes Edens sent out a letter to fans and supporters of the organization on Wednesday afternoon, marking the occasion of their first participation as owners (the NBA Draft Lottery) and what it means for the organization going forward.
"This is a real opportunity," Bucks general manager John Hammond said Wednesday. "I don't think it can be any better timing right now for the new owners to come in, have a top tier pick like this, that we really think can be a building block piece for the future of this organization."
The full letter from Edens and Lasry is below:
Bucks stakeholders,
Last night marked a key moment in Bucks history.
As many of you know, we received the 2nd pick in the 2014 NBA Draft Lottery. This is our first milestone as owners, and a huge step forward in bringing a championship to Milwaukee.
We believe that the 2014 Draft class has the potential to be one of the best classes in the past decade. We could not be more excited to have one of the most talented players in the world, whoever he may be, join our team and call Milwaukee home. We are building a young core of players who will be the foundation of our future. We anticipate the skills and basketball acumen of this newly drafted player together with our current roster of talented young men will assist us in rebuilding the Bucks to become a team that does not earn a Draft Lottery position in coming years.
As we have said before, our mission in Milwaukee is plain and simple:
- Become an NBA Championship caliber team
- Reengage fans by reinvesting in the game-day experience
- Further integrate the Bucks and the greater Milwaukee community
We hope to have your support as we make this a reality and we can’t wait to see you at games come the fall!
It’s time for a Bucks comeback! Fear the Deer!
Wes & Marc
Jim Owczarski is an award-winning sports journalist and comes to Milwaukee by way of the Chicago Sun-Times Media Network.
A three-year Wisconsin resident who has considered Milwaukee a second home for the better part of seven years, he brings to the market experience covering nearly all major and college sports.
To this point in his career, he has been awarded six national Associated Press Sports Editors awards for investigative reporting, feature writing, breaking news and projects. He is also a four-time nominee for the prestigious Peter J. Lisagor Awards for Exemplary Journalism, presented by the Chicago Headline Club, and is a two-time winner for Best Sports Story. He has also won numerous other Illinois Press Association, Illinois Associated Press and Northern Illinois Newspaper Association awards.
Jim's career started in earnest as a North Central College (Naperville, Ill.) senior in 2002 when he received a Richter Fellowship to cover the Chicago White Sox in spring training. He was hired by the Naperville Sun in 2003 and moved on to the Aurora Beacon News in 2007 before joining OnMilwaukee.com.
In that time, he has covered the events, news and personalities that make up the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, NCAA football, baseball and men's and women's basketball as well as boxing, mixed martial arts and various U.S. Olympic teams.
Golf aficionados who venture into Illinois have also read Jim in GOLF Chicago Magazine as well as the Chicago District Golfer and Illinois Golfer magazines.
