It appears that Oshkosh will land the Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA Development League franchise, as team and city officials will participate in an announcement on Wednesday.
The Bucks have been looking to add their own entry to the D-League, targeting locations within Wisconsin for the franchise. At one point, there were as many as five cities in the mix for the team, but the Bucks eventually narrowed that list to three. It now looks that Oshkosh is primed to emerge as the victor, beating out Racine and Sheboygan.
It has been apparent in recent months that Oshkosh has a considerable amount of momentum. In January, Oshkosh signed off a proposal that calls for the Fox Valley Basketball Group, led by Greg Pierce, to construct a 3,500-seat, $15 million arena on the former Buckstaff Furniture Company property.
Additional details are expected to be presented on Wednesday. More from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
The Milwaukee Bucks will own and operate an NBA Development League franchise in Oshkosh, starting in the 2017-’18 season, sources close to the team said Tuesday.
The Bucks have scheduled a 3 p.m. news conference in Oshkosh on Wednesday.
A new 3,500-seat arena is being built in Oshkosh and is expected to be ready in time for next season.
For the D-League, the arrival of the Bucks–who do not currently have an affiliate in the circuit–represents the continuance of a few trends. This is another example of an NBA franchise getting more involved in the D-League, while pursuing a new or renovated venue for a team. Another is proximity, as the Bucks and franchises such as the Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, and Atlanta Hawks are planning to place affiliates close to their NBA operations.
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