MILWAUKEE — "A couple guys said they were crying, and you know, I got emotional a little bit. I mean, I still get emotional about it," George Karl says.
Those are the feelings of former Bucks Head Coach George Karl, who still has friends on the coaching staff and with the Bucks of 20 years ago.
"After Game 5, this year, I went to YouTube and looked at and watched the final five minutes of Game 5 against Philadelphia. You know, we were a 10-foot-wide open jump shot by Glenn Robinson, probably away from going to the NBA Finals," Karl says.
As someone who sat in the seat, Karl can't understand the venom toward the current head coach.
Sports reporter Lance Allan: "The fire Bud campaign started up. Is this guy just misunderstood or explain to the average fan, how good he is?"
"It's so easy to say, we want a new coach. But the guy that makes that decision, you got to promise the fans that you're going to get a better coach," Karl says. "I thought Coach Bud got wrongly criticized early and throughout these playoffs. I thought he did a great job of evolving their offense," Karl says.
Karl makes no bones about his favorite player, Giannis.
"Last couple years, he's probably been my favorite player," Karl says of Giannis. "And it's more on how he plays, as much as how well he plays. I just like how he plays."
Lance Allan: "So where is he starting to rank among the pantheon of NBA greats?"
"You know, for me he's a top five player and he's moving up into the top 3," Karl says. "I love him because he plays both ends of the court. He's going to some day make the 3 at 35 percent. But I don't know how you cover him if he makes the 3."
Spoken like a true coach.
