Not only have the Milwaukee Bucks been known as one of the best teams in the NBA for the better part of the past decade, but their team has become synonymous with postgame prayer circles.
The tradition dates back to at least 2018In early April 2024, a video of the Bucks’ prayer circle went viral after New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley was filmed joining the opposing team after a game.
In 2018, fans were confused when Golden State Warriors’ all-time great player Stephen Curry emerged from a crowd-like area along with fellow superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and others.
“Can someone please explain what was going on here? I’m surprised Steph is part of the group here,” a fan asked.
“Please believe this is a prayer.[er] Circle. All the glory goes to the person who gave them these skills,” another viewer responded.
It turned out to be a prayer circle, with nearly every Bucks player participating and a tradition that resonates throughout the team organization.
according to sports spectrum, much of the Christian inspiration on the team comes from the team’s pastor, Kenneth Locke. He also reportedly frequently joins and leads prayers himself.he was especially seen Lead post-game prayer After losing in the playoffs to the Miami Heat in 2023.
“We always pray on center court at the end of every game,” Lock recently told Sports Spectrum. “Whether we win, lose or draw, we have embraced the habit of just saying, “Thank you, God, for the opportunity.”
Locke humbly said he didn’t know if he was doing “anything special” other than preaching about Jesus. He also said that because of his years of working with Bucks players as a barber, he felt the players trusted him.
The pastor said part of his role is to regularly ask players what they can do to become better people.
“There’s so much pressure on them. Part of my job is to say, ‘Hey, how do I find a way to glorify Christ? How can I be more like Jesus in every way? ‘How can I find it?’
There’s also some religious inspiration in the Bucks’ front office culture, starting with general manager Jon Horst.
GM told local media. WTMJ-TV He said he was grateful for the opportunity to help people understand that he is a faithful man and that his family is Christian.
“It’s a big part of our lives,” he said. “Faith is great in that it can humble you when you need to be humble. It can energize and motivate you when you need motivation,” he continued.
As the Bucks will have more players in the circle in 2024, Bucks stars are starting to post about it, too.
“One thing. Teamwork makes dreams come true.” bobby portis Posted in X.
A simple search of point guard Pat Beverley’s X page reveals a steady stream of posts that simply say “.Glory to God. ”
It’s safe to assume that a team prayer circle will remain consistent with its successful core group of athletes and could grow in popularity as more athletes participate.
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