MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer had more on his mind than just basketball during the Bucks' series against the Miami Heat.
According to The Athletic, Budenholzer's brother died in a car accident just before Game 4 of the series. Two Bucks sources confirmed the news to The Athletic, saying his brother died due to injuries he sustained in the crash.
Budenholzer is the youngest of seven children: three brothers and four sisters. It's unclear which of his brothers died.
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The Bucks' head coach did not disclose the news during the series, but it has since come to light after Darvin Ham, coach of the Lakers and a former assistant under Budenholzer, mentioned it during a press conference.
He was asked about Giannis Antetokounmpo's reaction to the team losing its series against the Heat. According to The Athletic, his response was, "Coach Bud is going through a lot on a personal level. 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."
Following that press conference, The Athletic reached out to a spokesman for the Bucks who confirmed the news and said Bud, "loves and respects Ham and was comfortable confirming what Ham told reporters."
The Bucks lost Game 4 against the Heat, as well as Game 5, which eliminated them from the playoffs.
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