MILWAUKEE — Without a doubt, the Bucks playoff drought has been a long one, and a lot can happen in 47 years, which means a whole bunch of people are seeing a championship run for the very first time.
That group includes some leaders who call 'Cream City' home, and have been waiting for their whole lives for a playoff run like this one.
Having grown up in Milwaukee's 53206 zip code, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes knows what this moment means for the city.
“People don't always appreciate working-class cities like Milwaukee,” Barnes said. “People don't always appreciate our roots.”
Barnes is far too young to remember the 1971 championship, but as a kid, he remembers going to games with his dad at the Mecca, then the Bradley Center, and now Fiserv Forum.
“I certainly remember the last time we were even close to this was when we had Sam Cassell, Ray Allen, and Big Dog, and that an exciting time in and of itself, like to see the Bucks play at that level and now we've sort of exceeded that,” Barnes said.
State Rep. David Bowen also grew up in Milwaukee.
“We believe in our community, we believe in our city, we believe in our team,” Bowen said.
Like Barnes, having Milwaukee on the national stage feels like a Cinderella story.
“This is about bragging rights, and what better chance do we get when so many people doubt us, doubt our team, doubt what we can do, but here we are at the NBA finals,” Bowen said.
It's a shot those who know the city best, know won't be missed.
“This team is something special, but what's important is the city,” Barnes said. “This city is something special. This city is a very unique place, and I think that, again, this playoff run exemplifies all of that.”