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Jrue Holiday wants to play remainder of NBA career with Bucks

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Updated26 Sep 2023

Jrue Holiday wants to play remainder of NBA career with Milwaukee Bucks

Jrue Holiday has no retirement plans in the foreseeable future, and the two-time All-Star is also interested in playing the remainder of his NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks. Holiday, 33, hopes to sign an extension this winter.

“Would love to,” he told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in a recent interview. “Before I even won here, I think I said I’m a Buck for life and I mean that like deep in my heart. I don’t want to play for any other team.

“I think we have a chance to continue to do great things as the Bucks team and organization, so I want to be in Milwaukee. … No, I don’t plan on retiring. I don’t plan on retiring.”

Referring to a couple of NBA betting sites, the Milwaukee Bucks hold fourth-shortest odds to win next season’s championship in 2024. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and Phoenix Suns.


“Just them being my friends and we’ve talked about stages in basketball and sometimes you go through modes or hard spots where like, even with my family, maybe the best thing to do is retire or even just being tired and being exhausted, playing a lot of basketball,” Jrue Holiday added. “But no. My answer is no, I’m not retiring.”

The 6-foot-3 guard was selected 17th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2009 NBA Draft out of UCLA. The five-time All-Defensive member spent his first four seasons (2009-13) with the Sixers and next seven (2013-20) with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Jrue Holiday plans to spend rest of NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks, hopes to sign a new extension this winter

In November 2020, the Pelicans traded the California native to the Bucks.

Last season, Holiday made 65 starts in 67 appearances with Milwaukee in 2022-23. He averaged a career-high 19.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.

Moreover, the guard reached the minimum number of games threshold to receive a $331,000 bonus. Additionally, the incentive is part of the four-year, $135 million contract the 14-year veteran signed with Milwaukee in April 2021.

Including bonuses, his deal is worth up to $160 million.

In the Bucks’ 149-136 win over the Indiana Pacers on March 29, 2023, the guard scored a career-high 51 points in 33 minutes as a starter. Along with tallying eight boards and assists, the UCLA product shot 20-of-30 (66.7%) from the floor and drained three 3-pointers.


Furthermore, Holiday received a $1 million bonus after helping Milwaukee win the 2021 NBA Finals.

On Jan. 23, 2023, Holiday was named the NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for Week 14, his second career Player of the Week award. The Bucks guard averaged 33.3 points, 4.7 boards, 9.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Plus, he shot 56.9% from the field and 47.8% from 3-point range.

Equally important, Holiday became the NBA’s all-time leader in blocks for a point guard, with a total of 453. Among active players, the two-time All-Star ranks 45th overall. He trails centers Serge Ibaka (1,759), Brook Lopez (1,700), DeAndre Jordan (1,524), and others.

However, considering his position, the milestone is significant. A number of centers and forwards rank ahead of Jrue Holiday on the list. Though, the only other active guard that comes close to him is ex-Los Angeles Clippers’ John Wall, who ranks 47th with 439 blocks.

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