'We Needed This': Fans Celebrate Milwaukee Bucks In First-Ever Championship Parade

Tens of thousands of Milwaukee Bucks fans welcomed the world champions back to the Deer District in downtown Milwaukee Thursday.

The city hosted a parade and party for the team, which won its first NBA Championship in 50 years on Tuesday when they defeated the Phoenix Suns 105-98 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

Bango sits on top of a fire truck. — Bango sits on top of a fire truck at the front of the Bucks parade Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Milwaukee, Wis. *Angela Major/WPR*

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Salena Grady and her 13-year-old grandson Brayden Cox were among the throng of fans Thursday. While they waited to see their favorite players — Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton — they played basketball together.

Grady said people often try to discount Milwaukee and the Bucks, but now the entire world is watching the team’s first victory parade.

“I always dreamed this — when I would see the Warriors with their parades and the Lakers with their parades, and I was like, one day we’re going to be here, and here we are,” Grady said.

A Bucks player holds the trophy above his head from on top of a bus. — Bucks forward Bryn Forbes holds the NBA Championship trophy during a parade Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Milwaukee, Wis. *Angela Major/WPR*

The Bucks’ last won an NBA Championship in 1971. The team hadn’t been in the finals since 1974.

Before the parade, Gov. Tony Evers issued a proclamation making Thursday, July 22, 2021 “Bucks in Six” Day.

“History has been made and the prophecy fulfilled!” Evers tweeted, referring to former Bucks guard, Brandon Jennings’ 2013 prediction that the Bucks would win the championship in six games that season. While his prophecy didn’t come true that year, “Bucks in Six” became a rallying cry throughout the 2020-2021 season.

Donte DiVencenzo shotguns a beer on top of a bus. — Donte DiVincenzo splashes beer into the crowd Thursday, July 22, 2021, during a parade to celebrate the Bucks’ NBA Championship in Milwaukee, Wis. *Angela Major/WPR*

Bob Gintoft, a life-long Bucks fan, watched the team win in 1971. He said he believes this Bucks team has more talented players.

“I think the coach kinda lets them do what they do a little bit more than maybe the old coach would have done,” Gintoft said. “It’s terrific (the NBA Finals win) helps build community pride.”

Yoshi Hamilton spent Thursday afternoon celebrating after the parade with her girlfriends and daughter. She said people didn’t think the Bucks could do it, but with Antetokounmpo, the team could do anything.

“It’s so beautiful and I love to see our city come together and just be comrades and just be happy for our city,” Hamilton said. “We needed this. Maybe this will make everything else that’s been happening terrible for us, make it a good thing.”