Milwaukee Bucks History: Jon McGlocklin Player Profile
Jon McGlocklin has been involved with the Milwaukee Bucks longer than anybody, and has been instrumental throughout the history of the franchise.
Apr 30, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; A Milwaukee Bucks fan holds up a sign prior to the game against the Chicago Bulls in game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs. at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
The Milwaukee Bucks lose a lot of their greatest stars. Franchise cornerstones like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Ray Allen, Marques Johnson, Sidney Moncrief and Glenn Robinson all ended their careers with other NBA teams.
That’s not necessarily on those players, but the fact remains that a lot of Bucks leave at some point or another.
Jon McGlocklin is not most Bucks. He’s been with Milwaukee in some way shape or form since the Bucks first season in 1968. He was on the team that won Milwaukee’s only title in franchise history.
Even after his playing days were numbered, McGlocklin stuck around. He’s been announcing games for the Bucks since the 1970s. Jonny Mac may not be the best player in Milwaukee Bucks history, but there’s no doubt he’s been the one most connected with the team.
It’s only right that the first historical player profile we do here to commemorate Milwaukee Bucks History Month at Behind the Buck Pass is Jon McGlocklin. He was there at the beginning, and he’s still in Milwaukee.
Believe it or not though, there was a time when Jonny Mac wore a different team’s uniform.
McGlocklin’s Career Before The Bucks
McGlocklin grew up in Indiana, and attended Franklin High School. From there he joined the Indiana Hoosiers, where he had a solid if not spectacular career. McGlocklin averaged 11.7 points per game in his Hoosiers career, and was good enough to get picked in the 1965 NBA Draft.
The Cincinnati Royals picked him up in the third round, and Jonny Mac would remain a Royal for two seasons. McGlocklin got up to nearly 20 minutes per game by his sophomore season, but only managed to produce 8.5 points in that playing time.
He then got selected in an expansion draft…but not by the Milwaukee Bucks. Not yet, at least. McGlocklin was also on the first-ever San Diego Rockets team after they picked him in the 1967 NBA Expansion Draft. He got nearly 29 minutes per game with the Rockets but that apparently wasn’t enough for San Diego’s front office, as they left McGlocklin unprotected for the 1968 NBA Expansion Draft.
Jonny Mac must’ve been expecting the worst when he went in his second expansion draft in two years, but luckily for him his new team would not let him go like his last couple had.
McGlocklin’s Career With The Bucks
For the purposes of this piece, we’ll only consider McGlocklin’s playing days as his career with the Bucks. Otherwise this slide would be currently ongoing, and there would be nothing to write concerning his time after the Bucks.
Jonny Mac’s Milwaukee Bucks tenure began in 1968, when the Bucks picked him up in their expansion draft. It ended in 1976, with him retiring and getting his number retired by the Bucks.
In the time between those two events, all Jon McGlocklin did was: score the first basket in franchise history, lead the first Milwaukee Bucks team in scoring and wins added, become the first Buck to be an All-Star, play a pivotal role on the 1971 Championship squad, and outlast every Buck from that title team aside Dandridge.
Milwaukee struck gold by getting McGlocklin in the 1968 NBA Expansion Draft. Not just the Milwaukee Bucks, but the entire city of Milwaukee. Jonny Mac has done great things for both parties, both during and after his playing days with the Bucks.
McGlocklin’s Career After The Bucks
Again, there really is no such thing as Jon McGlocklin’s post-Bucks career. But he has had a post-Bucks playing days career, and it’s been a fantastic one. In McGlocklin’s own words according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Gary D’Amato, Jonny Mac stands alone as an NBA statesman.
McGlocklin said he figured out recently that he has spent 11 years of his life on the road, playing and broadcasting NBA games.
“I’ve thought about this: Who in the league has done that?” he said. “You could go with Tommy Heinsohn, but Tommy was out for a while. Pat Riley came in behind me. I can’t think of anyone else who has done it so long. I’ve never not been in the NBA since I got out of college. That’s a tremendous blessing.
McGlocklin instantly went from decorated Bucks player to rookie Bucks broadcaster at his retirement, and hasn’t really looked back since. He no longer covers the majority of Bucks games, but signs seem to indicate that he’ll be around for at least some of Milwaukee’s contests next season.
In addition to his broadcast work, McGlocklin has contributed something even more important to Milwaukee. On the night of his retirement he announced the foundation of the MACC Fund, a charity determined to fight childhood cancer. Since it’s formation, the MACC Fund has raised $55 million that’s gone to research cures to cancer.
Jonny Mac has been a Milwaukee Buck for nearly 50 years, and both the franchise and city couldn’t be happier that he’s decided to stick around for so long.
McGlocklin’s Legacy
More from Behind the Buck Pass
In this case, there’s not much difference between Jon McGlocklin’s NBA legacy and his Milwaukee Bucks legacy. He played three seasons before the Bucks existed, but none of them were particularly memorable ones compared to what he accomplished as a Buck.
As far as a player, McGlocklin will be remembered as the first Milwaukee Buck to do a whole host of things. He’ll also be remembered for forming a devastating two-man game with Kareem for a few years, and being a key piece of the Bucks 1971 title team.
McGlocklin’s legacy extends far beyond his playing days. He’s quite possibly one of the longest-tenured NBA broadcasters ever, and he’s been in Milwaukee for literally everything that’s happened with the Milwaukee Bucks since the team’s expansion draft.
Even beyond basketball, Jonny Mac’s legacy will be tied to the MACC Fund forever. He used his retirement to found it, and it’s only grown since then. McGlocklin is a name that cannot ever be forgotten in Milwaukee.
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