Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer handles police shooting in Kenosha

While the Milwaukee Bucks prepared for Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against Orlando, coach Mike Budenholzer handled a situation more than 1,000 miles outside the NBA bubble, where protests erupted in Wisconsin following the police- shooting of a Black man identified as Jacob Blake

“Just as my thoughts and prayers were sent out to Jacob Blake and his family, another young Black man was kicked by a police officer,” Budenholzer said. “We need to change. We need to get better. And I hope for the best for him and his family. I hope for the best as we work this out in Wisconsin and Milwaukee and Kenosha. So thoughts and prayers for Jacob Blake.”

The Bucks published a statement on Monday about the shooting.

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– Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 24, 2020

Blake is in serious condition. The incident happened Sunday night in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Police responded to a domestic disturbance shooting Blake seven times in the back as he tried to enter his car. The incident was captured on social media and recently shared by his lawyer, Ben Crump.

Budenholzer said he has chosen not to watch the graphic video, but says he has read about it and has been engaged in in-depth conversations. He sees it as another reason to push for social justice during the NBA reboot.

“It’s on the head of our players, it’s on the head of our coaches, it’s on the head of our staff and on the spirit of our organization,” said Budenholzer.

“We have a playoff game that is very important to us, but an incident like this is more important than anything we do in Orlando. And I think there was a lot of talk before we came here that we need to continue this conversation. We need to be better as a country and not have any more of these incidents and understand that Black life matters. “

The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.

“While we do not yet have all the details,” said Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers in a statement, “what we do know for sure is that he is not the first Black man or person who has been shot or wounded or mercifully murdered at the hands of individuals in law in our state as our country.”