Video: Brook and Robin Lopez read books to kids in January 2024
Video: Twin brothers and former Milwaukee Bucks teammates Brook and Robin Lopez read books to kids in January 2024.
Brook Lopez’s potential jersey retirement by the Milwaukee Bucks is under consideration, but a decision will be made after his retirement.A Journal Sentinel reader poll showed that 75% of participants believe Lopez’s number 11 should not be retired.Arguments for retirement include his contribution to the 2021 championship team and his adaptation to a modern NBA playing style.Arguments against retirement include his time with other teams and the belief that other Bucks players are more deserving of the honor.
Getting your jersey retired to the rafters of an NBA arena is a high bar.
The Milwaukee Bucks in recent years had a number of key players from the 2021 championship team depart the city for new teams, including Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez.
All three accomplished personal achievements during their time in Milwaukee, in addition to team success. The Bucks have recognized nine former players in the rafters and a 10th if you include NBA icon Bill Russell (retired for all teams in 2022).
1: Oscar Robertson2: Junior Bridgeman4: Sidney Moncrief8: Marques Johnson10: Bob Dandridge14: Jon McGlocklin16: Bob Lanier32: Brian Winters33: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The recognition, reserved for an elite handful of players, may come for Middleton, Holiday or Lopez, but that decision won’t be made until after their retirement, the Bucks told the Journal Sentinel.
“It’s a decision we make after a player retires,” Bucks Chief Communications Officer Barry Baum said.
Lopez, 37, recently signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Journal Sentinel recently conducted a reader poll asking whether Lopez was worthy of being immortalized in the rafters and about 75% of readers said Lopez’s No. 11 should not hang in the rafters. No. 11 was recently chosen by free agent signee, veteran guard, Gary Harris.
After nine seasons for the New Jersey and Brooklyn Nets, where he is still the franchise’s leading scorer, Lopez played one season for the Los Angeles Lakers. He signed with the Bucks in 2018, where he played seven seasons, winning an NBA Finals and NBA Cup.
At 7 feet tall, he changed his game from a dominant post player to a 3-point shooting threat, and secured two-all defensive team nods along the way and runner-up for defensive player of the year in 2022-23. He played 469 regular season games (466 starts) in seven seasons with the Bucks, shooting 35.7% from behind the 3-point line while averaging 13.0 points per game. He also averaged 2.1 blocks per game for Milwaukee.
Lopez finished his career in Milwaukee second in franchise history in blocked shots, third in blocks per game and fourth in 3-pointers made and attempted.
In the Milwaukee community, Lopez encouraged childhood literacy, often joining groups of children for story time.
Readers in the poll were encouraged to make the case on why or why not No. 11 should be retired. Here’s what they had to say:
The case for Brook Lopez’s No. 11 to be retired
“He was a long-term Buck who was an integral part of ending a long championship drought,” Dennis Hippert said. The Bucks’ 2021 championship was the first championship in the city of Milwaukee in 50 years.
“11, 22, and 34 should hang in the rafters,” Hippert added. Middleton wore No. 22 for the Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo wears No. 34.
Other readers said some of the jerseys that already hang at Fiserv Forum weren’t players who contributed the highest value in statistical categories, but Milwaukee honors them anyway.
“Yes with the caveat that they un-retire some of the other numbers,” Glenn True said. “Lopez’s contributions as a Buck far exceeded many of those players who have their numbers retired.”
“(Lopez) was never the top dog, but neither was Jon McGlocklin or Bob Dandridge or Junior Bridgeman,” Daniel Schnur said. “He deserves this and we owe it to him. The Bucks would not have won that championship without him.”
Lopez adapting his game to fit this era of basketball, where the center can also shoot threes, was also recognized by readers.
“It’s very tough,” Karl Fiasca said. “At times no better than the fourth best player. However a unicorn in many ways. A winning skillset hard to find. What the heck, retire it. There are plenty other numbers to use.”
“In the age of stretch centers, Brook Lopez was able to change his game and adapt as were 20-something year olds with ten years less experience than ‘Splash Mountain,'” another reader who didn’t provide his name wrote.
The full picture of finishing at the top of the Bucks’ all-time statistical categories while being involved in the community and being an overall good person puts him over the top, other readers said.
“He is top 4 in blocks and 3 pointers made for the Bucks all time + all the reasons stated in the article,” one reader said. “He seemed like a genuinely good dude on and off the court.”
“He helped to bring us a championship,” Matt Price said. “Plus he never disgraced the city of Milwaukee.”
“Brook was an extremely reliable and productive member of the team through its most competitive era,” James Welch said. “He was a perfect complement to Giannis and did whatever the team asked of him. He is totally unselfish, yet if the team needed a high point game from him, he delivered. And he was a model ‘citizen’ for the team and I’m sure a terrific locker room guy. The Bucks don’t win an NBA championship without him, Giannis or not!”
The case for Brook Lopez’s No. 11 not to be retired
Some readers suggest that Lopez’s No. 11 shouldn’t be retired until other players from past eras are recognized.
“Qualifications are not even close to players like ‘Big Dog’ (Glenn Robinson Jr.), Paul Pressey, or even Ricky Pierce,” Jim Petrovich said. “Yes, he won a title, but so did Lucius Allen.”
“Did great things on a Championship team but does not deserve a retired jersey honor,” Jamie Conom said. “Many former Bucks much better. Terry Cummings and Paul Pressey come to mind just didn’t play for a Champion.”
“His contributions were meaningful but pale in comparison to those jerseys already retired,” Steven Krueger said. “Once Ray Allen and Glen Robinson’s jerseys are retired, the question will then become more relevant.”
“No other jerseys should be retired right now other than Giannis and Middleton or players before this era, like Glenn Robinson, Michael Redd, or Terry Cummings. Maybe even Quinn Buckner and Ray Allen,” Michael Waite said.
Reader John Jacobs, and others, suggest that Lopez has been with too many teams. “Lopez should have his jersey retired by the Nets but not the Bucks,” Jacobs said.
“Although Mr. Lopez helped the Bucks, no doubt, he has been with four teams now,” one reader said. “He is not a Bucks lifetime player, so retiring his number is not an option. The Bucks cannot simply retire a number for anyone who played well – there must be a major commitment by the player to stay through good times and bad. Then, one has earned the right to have a number retired. Certainly, a player’s desire to remain with one team is out of his control. But, if one is good enough, then he is worthy.”
The Bucks, who have two championships all-time, already have too many jerseys in the rafters and Lopez doesn’t meet the criteria, readers said.
“Brook is probably just as worthy as some others whose numbers have been retired, but it’s my opinion that the Bucks have already retired too many,” one reader said. “They need to be more discriminating.”
“That would be the 10th player to have their number retired for the Bucks,” Brian K. said. “The Lakers have retired the numbers of 13 players. The Lakers have won 17 championships – the Bucks have 2.”
“I love Splash Mountain. Everybody loves Splash Mountain,” Steve Plamann said. “But his play doesn’t rise to the level of the other players whose numbers have been retired. He was the fourth best player on the championship team.”
“Giannis is the only one that deserves this recognition in the last 20 years,” one reader said.
“He is good but not great,” said Patrick McBride, a ball boy with the 1971 Bucks championship team. “Too many jerseys there now. I was on the bench with the Bucks from 1969-1975 and some jerseys don’t belong there. Only true greatness.”