Milwaukee celebrates the Bucks with parade, party decades in the making

Watch TMJ4's live coverage of the parade beginning at 11:00 a.m. here

MILWAUKEE (AP/TMJ4) — Hundreds of thousands of people squeezed into the streets of downtown Milwaukee to catch a glimpse of the Milwaukee Bucks in a parade that celebrates the city’s first NBA championship in half a century.

The team’s ascendance has invigorated a Midwestern city that is far from the league’s more cosmopolitan venues, like Los Angeles or Boston. And fans have embraced NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who decided to stay with the team that selected him eight years ago with the 15th overall pick in the draft when he was just 18 years old.

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The players and owners boarded five double-decker buses Thursday as they rolled through the heart of the city. They finished with a celebration outside Fiserv Forum in the city’s Deer District.

Latest updates:

1:36 p.m. -- Celebration, parade have ended

That's all, folks! What a party. You can re-live all of today's special moments at TMJ4.com/Bucks.

1:21 p.m. -- 'Milwaukee, we did it!' Jubilant Giannis addresses crowd at championship celebration

"Milwaukee, we did it baby! We did it! We did it, man. This is our city." Giannis had simple but powerful words to share Thursday at the Bucks championship celebration.

1:07 p.m. -- 'Best fans in the world': Bobby Portis gets the Bucks celebration crowd hyped

BOBBY! BOBBY! Bobby Portis got the crowd hyped during the Bucks championship celebration, calling the crowd the "best fans in the world."

12:46 p.m. -- Street cleaners descend on downtown Milwaukee after parade moves through

This is impressive: DPW crews are hard at work cleaning up trash after the championship parade moved through downtown Milwaukee.

12:20 p.m. -- Gov. Evers throws up 'W' hand symbol during parade

"Gov. Evers, let us know: Is that the 'w' for win, or are you part of the Wu-Tang Clan?" 😂

12:03 p.m. -- Brandon Jennings is at the parade

"For the culture!" The originator of the Bucks in six chant, Brandon Jennings, is at today's parade.

11:44 a.m. -- Freeway ramps closed for parade

Heads up! If you were brave enough to try driving around downtown right now, there are multiple freeway ramps closed, according to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office.

11:36 a.m. -- Giannis hoists Larry O'Brien trophy during parade

This is the moment you've waited 50 years for, Milwaukee! Giannis Antetokounmpo held the Larry O'Brien trophy high above the crowd during Thursday's parade.

11:02 a.m. Catch live coverage of the parade

The parade has stepped off in downtown Milwaukee at Wisconsin and Prospect! Watch live right here.

10:53 a.m. -- Fans can take photo with replica Larry O'Brien trophy

How cool is this? At the corner of Water and Knapp, there is a photo booth where fans can pose with a replica Larry O'Brien trophy.

10:30 a.m. -- Milwaukee billboard supporting the Phoenix Suns replaced with Bucks in Six congratulatory message

A Milwaukee billboard bought by a Phoenix law firm to support the Suns against Bucks is no more!

Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP/Lamar

The billboard bought by Warner Angle was displayed near downtown and it riled up Bucks fans.

But that billboard is no longer up, instead now replaced with a congratulatory one for the Bucks Championship win.

The new billboard was purchased by Milwaukee law firm Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP.

10:20 a.m. -- Fan goes all-out with Bobby Portis body paint 'jersey'

Now this is dedication! Not only did these fans get here early for the parade, they constructed a full Bobby Portis body paint "jersey."

9:54 a.m. -- Hop streetcar service suspended due to parade

You won't be able to catch a ride on The Hop anytime in the next few hours - service has been temporarily suspended due the parade and celebration.

9:34 a.m. -- Timelapse video shows fans lining parade route

Things are starting to pick up downtown. Reporter Ben Jordan took this awesome timelapse video of hundreds of fans lining the parade route, with an hour and half to go until showtime.

8:54 a.m. -- Gov. Evers issues proclamation making July 22 'Bucks in Six' Day

July 22 is officially "Bucks in Six" Day, thanks to a new proclamation by Gov. Tony Evers.

Evers issued the proclamation Thursday morning, ahead of the Bucks Championship Parade in Milwaukee.

"The Milwaukee Bucks fulfilled the prophecy of former Bucks guard, Brandon Jennings, which has become their longtime rallying cry of 'Bucks in six!'" said the governor in a press release.

8:39 a.m. -- Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett arrives at parade

First the governor, now the mayor -- Mayor Tom Barrett arrived at the parade route and gave our Delaney Brey a hearty "Go Bucks!"

8:32 a.m. -- Gov. Tony Evers in attendance at parade

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is already here along the Bucks parade route. He is expected to be one of many dignitaries attending the parade today.

8:16 a.m. -- Bucks buses are ready to go

After briefly getting stuck on the freeway yesterday, Delaney Brey has confirmed that the double-decker buses that will carry Bucks players during today's championship parade are ready to go!

7:35 a.m. -- More joggers than Bucks fans downtown so far

There are plenty of good spots still available along the Bucks parade route! Digital Reporter James Groh says he has seen more joggers than Bucks fans downtown so far.

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