"Wow! This is our team!" Bucks owners visit Milwaukee; plan to have a beer with fans

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A warm welcome to the city of Milwaukee! The new owners of the Milwaukee Bucks spent all day Thursday, May 29th making the rounds in the city. On Thursday night, Marc Lasry and Wes Edens met with Bucks fans at McGillycuddy's Bar and Grill on Water Street.

Earlier Thursday, Lasry and Edens were busy focusing on what is now their team.

"I still think I can play basketball and Wes reminds me all the time that I can't," Lasry said.

Lasry and Edens on Thursday took some time to shoot some hoops at the Bucks practice facility -- and that might be as close as Lasry will get to shooting baskets in the NBA.

"I'd be there, other than lack of talent," Lasry said.

Lasry and Bucks co-owner Wes Edens spent Thursday on a whirlwind trip through the city of Milwaukee -- that included talking on radio shows and visiting the Miller-Coors brewery.

"It's a chance to get out and see a little bit more of the city and be little bit more a part of the community," Edens said.

At the Bucks practice facility on Thursday afternoon, Lasry and Edens took in practice for college hoops players that are NBA Draft hopefuls.

"It's fun. It's basketball. That's the whole point right?" Edens said.

"It's a little bit surreal because wow, this is our team. So I think we're as excited as people can be," Lasry said.

Edens and Lasry are hoping their excitement is shared by the fans as they push for a new arena to replace the Bradley Center.

"That's really going to kick off in high gear now. I think we're going to meet with a number of the big design firms," Edens said.

Lasry and Edens recently made an appearance on their first big basketball stage -- during the NBA Draft Lottery in New York.

The Milwaukee Bucks received the second overall draft pick -- and Edens' daughter, Mallory took center stage.

"I'm officially Mallory's dad now," Edens said.

On Thursday evening, Lasry and Edens wrapped up their whirlwind day as they meet with fans at McGillycuddy's and watch the NBA playoffs.

"We thought 'hey let's go to a bar, have a few beers and watch the game.' And somebody said 'why don't you invite some of the fans?' We said 'that's a great idea,'" Lasry said.

It was a mob scene the moment Lasry and Edens walked through the door.

"Oh my God I love them! I'm glad they're taking over the team," Cheryl Easley said.

"I wanted to meet the guys -- the heroes in town," Max Ziker said.

"We're still kind of on Day One as owners in this and we've got our hands full on a bunch of different fronts. We want to see the community. We've been in Milwaukee many times, but when you come in here on business, you're here for a day and you're kind of out of here. So it's a chance to get out and see a little bit more of the city and be a little bit more of the community," Edens said.

"I just wanted to meet them, tell them I love them, I'm glad they're here and hope they're here a long time," Dan Nowak said.

Both Edens and Lasry say they''ll be in and out of the city a lot as the NBA Draft approaches.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the Milwaukee Bucks' visit to London to take on the New York Knicks.

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