Phoenix Suns coach Mike Budenholzer met with the media before Monday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks — his first game against his former team since he was fired in 2023. And according to at least one Milwaukee writer, Bucks reporters were not permitted to ask any questions.
Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shared what happened on Bluesky.
“Phoenix PR didn’t allow us to ask Mike Budenholzer any pregame questions,” Owczarski said. “But their sideline reporter did.”
Owczarski then shared a video of Budenholzer briefly answering a question from Phoenix’s sideline reporter, Amanda Pflugrad.
Phoenix PR didn’t allow us to ask Mike Budenholzer any pregame questions.
But their sideline reporter did.
— Jim Owczarski (@jimowczarski.bsky.social) March 24, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Responding to a question, Owczarski later clarified what happened.
“Yup. Raised my hand twice, was looked at, ignored. Looked at main PR person and they shook their head no, it’s over,” Owczarski said.
He also later clarified that “Budenholzer also was not available after a Suns practice on Sunday, either.”
Yup. Raised my hand twice, was looked at, ignored. Looked at main PR person and they shook their head no, it’s over.
— Jim Owczarski (@jimowczarski.bsky.social) March 24, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Budenholzer also was not available after a Suns practice on Sunday, either. CC: @howardbeck.bsky.social
— Jim Owczarski (@jimowczarski.bsky.social) March 24, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Budenholzer coached the Bucks for five seasons, from 2018-19 through 2022-23. In 2021, he led the Bucks to the franchise’s second NBA championship when they defeated his current team, the Suns, in six games. Milwaukee returned to the playoffs in 2022, losing in the second round to the Boston Celtics.
In 2023, the Bucks were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Before Game 4 of the series against the Miami Heat, Budenholzer’s brother was killed in a car accident. Additionally, a Game 1 injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo caused him to miss two games and be limited in the others.
Milwaukee was subsequently upset by the Heat, who went on to reach the NBA Finals. Shortly after the series, Budenholzer was fired.
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