The Bucks drafted Duke F Jabari Parker with the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft Thursday night, but local viewers saw the debut of a new TV commercial that “harks back to the glorious history of the 45-year-old franchise that has fallen on hard times in recent years," according to Rich Kirchen of the MILWAUKEE BUSINESS JOURNAL. The ad shows footage of HOFers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson, as well as some "less-distant-past stars including Glenn Robinson and Michael Redd.” The spot then “shifts to present-day Bucks players" including Fs Giannis Antetokounmpo, John Henson and Larry Sanders. The narrator: “We will once again hold court. The future is here.” The message of the spot is for fans to "go buy tickets to see the franchise that new owners Marc Lasry and Wes Edens promise to revive." Bucks Senior VP & Chief Revenue Officer Ted Loehrke said that team execs will “run ad campaigns throughout the coming months around summer league, training camp, new ownership initiatives, and ultimately the start of the season” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 6/26).
A NEW FACE OF THE FRANCHISE: ESPN's Rece Davis said the selection of Parker is "what the Bucks needed," as he is a "star to revitalize their franchise." Parker is "going to be a guy that the Bucks try to re-energize their franchise around." ESPN's Jalen Rose noted Parker is a Chicago native, and he is "going to get a lot of the fan base to come up there and watch him play" in Milwaukee. ESPN's Bill Simmons said Parker is "somebody you build the personality of the franchise around," and he immediately "becomes an ambassador" for the team. ESPN's Jay Bilas said the Bucks decided to draft Parker over Kansas C Joel Embiid in part because of injury concerns over Embiid, but also because the Bucks "need somebody right now that come in so they can sell tickets and get their fan base excited" ("NBA Draft," ESPN, 6/26). In Milwaukee, Michael Hunt writes Parker is a player who can "help reenergize this franchise ... a 19-year-old potential superstar who just might sell tickets to an ensured future." Parker playing alongside Antetokounmpo "just might be the start of something," as the "athletic, exciting, young and energetic forward tandem dusting away all the accumulated cobwebs from an atrophied franchise." With Parker, Antetokounmpo, Henson and a "hopefully redirected Larry Sanders, they might be on their way to entertaining reluctant ticket buyers back into the seats" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 6/27). SPORTS ON EARTH's Shaun Powell writes Parker's selection is "wonderful news for the Bucks, who want to remind Milwaukee that the city does have a team." Antetokounmpo could "bond with Parker and form something special" in Milwaukee (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 6/27).
