The Milwaukee Bucks had one of the worst records in the NBA last season.

With the second pick in the draft, the Bucks picked rookie Jabari Parker, who previously played for Duke University. He is now named ‘Rookie of the Year,’ according to ESPN. After years of upsetting games, the changes of the team should make Milwaukee a bigger competitor. “With Parker on the team, I think [the Bucks] will end the season strong,” Justen Newby, junior, stated.

After owning the Milwaukee Bucks for 29 years, former Senator Herb Kohl sold the team to Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens for $550 million, part of which will be used toward a new multi-purpose arena. It came as a shock that Kohl decided to sell the team, but his decision came down to providing what is best for the team and for the new building. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Kohl had one condition for selling: keeping the Bucks in Milwaukee.

Various other investors were interested in buying the Bucks; however, Kohl chose Lasry and Edens based on their commitment to staying in Milwaukee.

The BMO Harris Bradley Center is not only used for the Milwaukee Bucks, but also for hosting Marquette basketball games and major concerts as well. It is 26 years old, and the design and structure no longer conform to the NBA standards for modern professional basketball.

According to Mark Marotta, president of the Bradley Center, “A new arena will have to be well on its way to opening by 2017 or 2018 or else the NBA will move the Bucks. A new arena is expected to cost around $450 million.”

The location of the new arena is yet to be determined. Mr. Marotta said, “Most people involved want to see the arena downtown in order to enliven the downtown area and facilitate other related development in the downtown area. Many have discussed tearing down the former US Cellular arena (now Panther arena) and the Journal Sentinel building and building it out over that footprint. Some have advocated for putting it in the Park East. Some have argued for Grand Avenue to be the site of the new arena.”

Hiring a new coach was another change the Bucks undertook this year. Jason Kidd, former Brooklyn Nets coach, was hired in July to replace Larry Drew, previous coach. As stated in an ESPN article, Lasry and Edens chose Kidd as head coach because he “is a determined leader, a tough-minded competitor and a great teammate.”