Serge Ibaka is not happy with the way his time with the Milwaukee Bucks ended. After leaving, he accused the Bucks of not communicating with him and of putting him through a potentially career-ending season. Ibaka signed with the Bucks in 2022 after spending the previous four seasons with the Toronto Raptors. 

He was expected to be a key contributor to the team, alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo but he saw his playing time reduced as the season progressed. Ibaka is a seasoned NBA veteran who has a net worth of over $50M. He has shown a championship mentality throughout his career. He believes he can still contribute significantly to any team.

A promising start that turned sour

When Serge Ibaka signed with the Bucks, there was optimism surrounding his arrival. Head coach Mike Budenholzer expressed confidence in his abilities. However, what seemed like a promising start soon turned sour for Ibaka.

He recalls Mike telling him, “Listen, you come here and I’m not promising you anything,'” Ibaka said. “But you never know, the season is long, guys can get injured, you have to stay ready’. I was like, ‘Cool. I’m going to hang in there, I’m going to work, stay professional, help the team on the bench, cheer on my teammates, train hard, help my teammates in training”.

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But Ibaka’s playing time never materialized. He averaged just 11.2 minutes per game in the regular season and 8.8 minutes per game in the playoffs.

To make things worse, there was a lack of communication from both the Coach and management that left Serge frustrated and confused about his future. He had hoped for better clarity regarding his role within but received none. 

He says in the interview, “The guys get hurt and I don’t get called up, yet that’s why you brought me here. I will play 1 match then none for 3 weeks.”

Ibaka said that he tried to talk to the Bucks about his playing time, but that they were not receptive.

Departure from Milwaukee

After enduring months of uncertainty and feeling undervalued, he finally parted ways with the Bucks. While some may have assumed that his departure was solely driven by a desire for more playing time; Ibaka clarified it was primarily due to the lack of communication and conflicting messages he received from management.

He says, “So that’s the main reason I left. It wasn’t what people think, like, ‘Oh, I want to play more, I’m asking for more.’ No. You can ask anyone I’ve played with. Then there was no problem in the locker room. I got on well with everyone.”

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Ibaka is now a free agent and is looking for a new team. He is still passionate about the game and he wants to play for a team that will give him a chance to contribute.

“I’m still hungry,” Ibaka said. “I still love the game and just want to be in a situation where I’m respected and where I can play.”

The Bucks have not yet responded to Ibaka’s accusations.

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