Close Menu
WI Sports HeroicsWI Sports Heroics

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot
    Milwaukee Brewers, Orlando Arcia

    “Reunion?” Milwaukee Brewers Fans Want Former Fan-Favorite Signed After Release from Braves

    May 23, 2025
    Green Bay Phoenix guard Ben Tweedy

    “It Just Doesn’t Make Sense” – Green Bay Basketball Pushing For Huge Changes With Proposed $1 Million Tournament Entry

    May 23, 2025
    Green Bay Packers Bo Melton

    “Savion Williams In the Fold”: Green Bay Packers Wide Receivers Bo Melton And Malik Heath In Danger Of Making 2025 Roster (Report)

    May 23, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter)
    Trending
    • “Reunion?” Milwaukee Brewers Fans Want Former Fan-Favorite Signed After Release from Braves
    • “It Just Doesn’t Make Sense” – Green Bay Basketball Pushing For Huge Changes With Proposed $1 Million Tournament Entry
    • “Savion Williams In the Fold”: Green Bay Packers Wide Receivers Bo Melton And Malik Heath In Danger Of Making 2025 Roster (Report)
    • “Musgrave’s Rocky First Two Years”: Green Bay Packers Tight End Luke Musgrave Needs To Stay Healthy In Season 3
    • “Van Ness Must Prove This Season”: Green Bay Packers Lukas Van Ness Facing Pivotal Season (Report)
    • “Love Has Both The Talent And Mindset”: Green Bay Packers Quarterback Jordan Love Gets In Surprising PFF Quarterback Tier Entering 2025 NFL Season
    • “It’s Not Part Of The Conversation”: Pittsburgh Pirates General Manager Shuts Down Paul Skenes Trade Rumors Before Milwaukee Brewers Series (Report)
    • Green Bay Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur Explains How Important Divisional Games Are After They Failed to Win NFC North in Last 3 Years
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Our Writers
    Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
    WI Sports HeroicsWI Sports Heroics
    SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES
    • Packers
      • Aaron Rodgers News
      • Jordan Love News
      • Matt LaFleur News
      • Packers News
      • Packers Rumors
      • Packers History
    • Bucks
      • Giannis Antetokounmpo News
      • Bucks News
      • Bucks Rumors
    • Brewers
      • Brewers News
      • Brewers Rumors
    • Badgers
      • Wisconsin Badgers Football
      • Wisconsin Badgers Basketball
      • Wisconsin Badgers Women’s Basketball
      • Wisconsin Badgers Volleyball
      • Wisconsin Badgers Hockey
      • Wisconsin Badgers Wrestling
    • Marquette
      • Marquette Basketball
    • Draft
      • 2023 NFL Draft Big Board & Scouting Reports
      • 2023 NFL Mock Drafts
    • Milkmen
      • Milwaukee Milkmen News
      • Milwaukee Milkmen Rumors
    • Podcasts
      • CheeseDads Sports
      • Packers Podcast
      • Wickett On Wisconsin
    • Fantasy
    • NFL
    WI Sports HeroicsWI Sports Heroics
    You are here Home » Milwaukee Bucks: 3x All-Star Khris Middleton Reveals Secret Reason Why He Has Not Been Practicing with Team
    Bucks

    Milwaukee Bucks: 3x All-Star Khris Middleton Reveals Secret Reason Why He Has Not Been Practicing with Team

    Robin M AdamsBy Robin M AdamsOctober 5, 20232 Comments5 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Milwaukee Bucks, Khris MIddleton
    Apr 22, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (22) shoots the basketball over Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) in the second quarter during game three of the 2023 NBA Playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    The Milwaukee Bucks have started training camp as they prepare for the 2023-24 NBA season. This particular camp certainly has a great deal buzz surrounding it. Of course, that is because Milwaukee recently acquired seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard from the Portland Trailblazers in exchange for Jrue Holiday and a 2029 first round draft pick (Grayson Allen was sent to the Phoenix Suns as part of the deal as well).

    As practices have begun, Bucks media members have noticed that one player is missing on the practice floor: three-time All-Star Khris Middleton. Over the last few days, head coach Adrian Griffin has been cryptic in his responses to questions regarding the reason Middleton was not practicing. So, today, the media simply asked Middleton himself.

    Milwaukee Bucks Star Khris Middleton Is Following the Recommended Timetable for His Recovery

    Milwaukee Bucks star Khris Middleton
    Mar 19, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (22) drives for the basket against Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) in the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

    After the Bucks were eliminated in the first round of the NBA Playoffs by the Miami Heat, Middleton underwent another surgery on his injured knee. The knee injury, combined with wrist surgery last season, kept him out for most of last season. When he was healthy, he was severely limited in what he could.

    Eric Nehm of The Athletic asked Middleton about his recovery and if there is anything that he thinks will keep him from being ready for the start of the regular season:

    “Nah. I feel great. It’s just a progression. You can’t just get thrown into the fire. That’s how you don’t heal properly or you reinjure yourself, so just taking it step-by-step, like I’ve been saying and they’ve been telling us what to do. As players, we’re anxious to get back out there as soon as we can, as soon as we feel like we can, but sometimes we’re just not ready yet and they know that.”

    The Bucks tried to rush Middleton back last season. He missed the first 20 games of the season before making his debut. However, he played in just seven of the next eight games before missing 18 more consecutive games.

    Milwaukee, obviously, is trying to avoid that this year, and bringing Middleton along slowly is part of their plan to keep him healthy all year.

    Nehm later asked Middleton if this was an injury that the team would have to “manage” going forward, but Middleton did not think so. He is of the opinion that this course of recovery is going to help him be strong enough to play a full season without much load management.

    Believe It Or Not, the Milwaukee Bucks Are Better with Khris Middleton Than They Are Without

    Milwaukee Bucks, Khris Middleton
    MILWAUKEE, WI – JULY 20: Khris Middleton #22 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrate with the Larry O’Brien Trophy after winning Game Six of the 2021 NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns on July 20, 2021 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

    Of course, Middleton was the second option on the Bucks team that won the 2021 NBA Finals. Still, there were plenty of fans that wanted Milwaukee to move on from the three-time All-Star this offseason. Instead, the Bucks signed him to a three-year $102 million contract.

    And there is good reason they did, too. The best players elevate their games in the NBA Playoffs, and Middleton has done that consistently over the course of his career. During the regular season, Middleton holds career averages of 17.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.

    During the postseason, however, Middleton holds career averages of 20.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. In five of his last six playoff series, Middleton has averaged at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game. The only series of these in which he did not was the Chicago Bulls series in 2021 when he was injured and ruled out for the rest of the Playoffs.

    How Good Are the Milwaukee Bucks If Khris Middleton Is Their Third Option?

    Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton
    Oct 2, 2023; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34), guard Damian Lillard (0), forward Khris Middleton (22), and center Brook Lopez (11) pose for a picture during media day in Milwaukee. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

    Now that Milwaukee has acquired Damian Lillard, Middleton no longer is the team’s second scoring option. Rather, he is the third scoring option behind two players that each averaged over 30 points per game last season.

    And it is not like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard are scorers who do not share the ball. Lillard has not averaged less than 7.3 assists per game in any of his past four seasons. Giannis has not averaged less than 5.6 assists in any of his past five seasons.

    To be sure, Lillard will take more shots than Holiday did, but his outside scoring ability mixed with Giannis’ inside scoring ability is going to open up so many more opportunities for Middleton and other shooters. Last season, Middleton attempted just 18 uncontested jumpers all season.

    With Lillard and Giannis on the floor with him, he should get plenty of more open shots. And when that happens, well, the rest of the league should watch out.

    For More Great Wisconsin Sports Content

    Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19 and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!

    Get the latest Wisconsin sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Packers, Bucks, Brewers, Badgers and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Wisconsin teams.

    Khris Middleton
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Robin M Adams
    • Facebook
    • X (Twitter)
    • LinkedIn

    Robin M Adams is an author, journalist, and writer of significant sports-related articles. Robin is also the co-owner of Wisconsin Sports Heroics, a sports news website that covers Wisconsin sports. He covers all things Wisconsin sports, but mostly the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Milwaukee Brewers.

    Related Posts

    Doc Rivers, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

    Bucks News: Doc Rivers Has Direct Answer When Pressed by TMZ About Trading Giannis Antetokounmpo For Project No. 1 Pick Cooper Flagg

    May 23, 2025
    Donte Divincenzo, Milwaukee Bucks

    2 Players Being Linked to Milwaukee Bucks – 1 is a Donte Divincenzo Prototype, the Other One’s A Big Man Comparable to Jericho Sims

    May 22, 2025
    Los Angeles Lakers Giannis Antetokounmpo

    “Does He Want To Join Luka Doncic?”: NBA Insider Lists Los Angeles Lakers As Dark Horse For Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade

    May 22, 2025
    Milwaukee Bucks Brook Lopez

    “There’ll Be Plenty Of Interest”: Brook Lopez Drawing Interest From the Los Angeles Lakers And Other NBA Teams (Report)

    May 22, 2025
    View 2 Comments

    2 Comments

    1. Ron Witt on October 6, 2023 3:10 pm

      It’s a fiction to say they rushed him back last year. He missed 20 games. He was given the ok to return by the medical staff and was able to play 7 of 8 games.
      He then got ANOTHER injury that wasn’t related. And missed another month and a half.
      I seem to recall he delayed surgery after the injury the previous year. It sounds like he didn’t do that this year, BUT this is also the first time we are hearing of that minor surgery after the play offs (which sounds on the order of a slight meniscus clean up or something, which actually should have been ok after just a month or so).
      Not comparable situations for sure. The prior injury was very bad and had a long progression. This wasn’t an injury and the progression seems off to me. Maybe just an older star who doesn’t need to practice?

      Reply
      • Ron Witt on October 6, 2023 3:21 pm

        I would add that it’s an erroneous use of stats to say he’s a clutch performer in the playoffs.
        He was a developing player early in his career and they didn’t make the playoffs the first two years (one with DET).
        If you throw out his first two years as a developing player–maybe even his third, since it was the other guy’s development and a weirdly effective roster that got them there–you’ll find that since he began making the playoffs, his career numbers also got much better and would average very close to the same as his playoff numbers during that period.

        So, it’s a bit of an unfair comparison if you include his first two seasons. As far as playoff KM and regular season KM ONLY during the period they’ve made the playoffs, he’s the same guy.

        Reply
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    WI Sports Heroics
    Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
    • Contact Us
    • Advertisement
    • Privacy Policy
    • Corporate
    © 2025 WISportsHeroics All Rights Reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    x