Milwaukee, WI

Nickel: There’s a lot to appreciate about Bobby Portis this season, including how he reworked his jump shot

Published

2 years ago

April 18, 2024

Nickel: There’s a lot to appreciate about Bobby Portis this season, including how he reworked his jump shot

There’s a lot to appreciate about Bobby Portis this year, and 82 things to appreciate about him this week. But there’s one thing that maybe has been overlooked a little bit this whole time he’s been in Milwaukee: his shot.

The 6-foot-10 power forward actually changed it a lot, with the help of someone he affectionally call an “OG.” Marcus McCarroll, who first met Portis almost 20 years ago, has two winter coats. One for his hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas, and another for Milwaukee.

“The Arkansas one doesn’t work well enough in Milwaukee,” McCarroll said with a laugh.

In February during the all-star break, Portis didn’t rest – though he had every reason to. Instead, he met up with McCarroll, his longtime friend, mentor, fitness trainer and former youth coach. McCarroll came to Wisconsin to work with Portis, taking advantage of the down time by putting in the extra work, even if it meant sneaking out to the gym late at night after rest.

Bobby Portis played in every game this season

And that work is partly why, for the first time in his career, Portis played in all 82 regular-season games this season.

“It’s been cool, man, just to be available for my team,” Portis said after practice early this week. “Knowing that I’m going to be out there, ready to go.”

During the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season with the New York Knicks, Portis played all 66 games, but this year really stood out. For a Bucks team riddled with injured players, Portis was reliable, always there, always ready to contribute.

As the Bucks spent Tuesday and Wednesday preparing for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against Indiana on Sunday, they were without injured Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo. So coach Doc Rivers focused on two scorers and playmakers, Khris Middleton and Portis.

More: Game times, schedule set for Bucks vs Pacers in first round of 2024 NBA playoffs

And Portis, who averaged 24.5 minutes per game, embraced the opportunity. He’s ready for the postseason. He credits the Bucks training staff, his work ethic and playing with Team USA in the national basketball program last summer as his reasons for playing in peak form all year.

“I’ve been hoopin’ since July,” Portis said, “you feel me; I’ve been hoopin’ for a minute. Came into training camp already ready to roll. I was in the best shape of my career. And I think it kind of showed throughout the season.

“You know I play hard, so … to play with energy every night. It was great.”

Putting in the work to improve his shot

But McCarroll emphasizes that Portis’ work journey goes way back before then, back to when he started strength training at age 15 seriously.

The best way to tell Portis’ progress, especially offensively, is in his shot. Portis used to sometimes put the ball almost over his head – in his college days, his early days as a pro and even when he got to the Bucks for his first season in 2020.

Now, Portis’ shot is pretty, whether coming from the post or outside. He’s shooting 40.7% on three-pointers and 54.5% on twos. Remember when he said he used to work on that baby sky hook to exhaustion until he hated it? Well it’s part of his shooting arsenal now.

“It was like a reverse process for us,” McCarroll said. “We had a trial and error, we were trying to understand the shot before, instead of studying the shot and trying to tweak it. We did it backwards, but I like it now.”

All that work took years.

“Absolutely had to tweak his shot just a little bit,” McCarroll said this week in a phone call. “He had the on-top-of the head release. And it wasn’t so much about his accuracy, but he would let it go at different points a lot of times, or he wouldn’t have his hips under the ball. So the timing mechanism was off a little bit.”

Portis and McCarroll sought outside help and opinions. They tried a lot of different things.

“We really focused on that that year that we came into Milwaukee to work on our shot,” McCarroll said. “It took years to get to that point where we could go in and change a shot, you know. I tell kids it’s hours and hours you got to put into it to make it feel natural and be able to do it repetitive times over and over and over and over and over again.”

Portis also does a good job of bending his knees with that shot, especially when he’s open.

“It’s more of a balance thing – I try to make sure that I’m on balance best as I can,” Portis said. “Shooting is all about form and balance, not leaning to the left or right.

“Nine years ago when I come into the league, it was kind of funky. I was bringing it over my head to shoot. … My form is way different.”

Nickel: Cool, calm and collected, Bucks coach Doc Rivers adapts to a practice without Giannis and Damian Lillard

Rivers, who has openly coached Portis from Day 1, it seems, on how he wants him to approach his shooting against various defenses – and not rushing – also seems impressed by Portis. He said he always thought highly of him, but coaches and players form opinions about others in the league, and those opinions could be misguided at times.

“It’s an example of you don’t know a guy until you play with him or coach him. I knew he could shoot; I didn’t know he could shoot, you know what I mean?” Rivers said.

NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award

As for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award, Portis will probably get a lot of votes again this year. Will it be enough to finally win it? That’s unclear.

“I’m cool with who I am and I impact winning at the highest level,” he said.

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Milwaukee, WI

10 months after fatal hit-and-run that killed motorcyclist, Milwaukee man charged

Published

48 minutes ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

10 months after fatal hit-and-run that killed motorcyclist, Milwaukee man charged

A 23-year-old Milwaukee man has been charged in a hit-and-run crash that killed a 44-year-old motorcyclist during the summer last year.

Jarvis L. Walker was charged March 7 with four counts: hit-and-run resulting in death, knowingly operating a vehicle without a valid license causing death, fleeing an officer and first-degree recklessly endangering safety.

The crash occurred June 7, 2025, at the intersection of North 76th Street and West Florist Avenue. Walker crashed into Wyman Kemble on his 2002 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and fled the scene, according to a criminal complaint.

Kemble suffered severe injuries in the crash and died at the scene.

Police said nearby security footage video shows Kemble was traveling northbound on 76th Street and had a green light when Walker, traveling southbound on 76th Street, crashed a rental car into Kemble while trying to make a left turn onto Florist Avenue.

Walker then exits the vehicle, grabs a backpack from the backseat and leaves the scene, the complaint said.

But a witness’ cellphone footage shows Walker return, yell something, and turn around and walk away before getting into another vehicle that just pulled over, according to the complaint.

The rental car came back to a person only identified in the complaint with the initials EW. The rental car customer told police that Walker had the vehicle during the time of the crash and Walker called him and told him that he had just been in a crash after a motorcycle ran a red light.

Ten months would pass before investigators zeroed in on Walker to arrest him.

On March 3, police had reason to believe that Walker was in the area of the 7200 block of West Marine Drive, the complaint said. Two undercover officers observed Walker get into an SUV, which exited a nearby parking lot and then immediately pulled over because the trunk was open, the complaint said.

Different officers in full uniform and an MPD squad moved in to try and arrest Walker, who was at the rear of the vehicle in the trunk, according to the complaint.

Walker then made his way back to his seat before one officer activated the squad lights and siren and exited the squad to say “Hey Jarvis, don’t do it” and “Jarvis get out of the car,” the complaint said.

But Walker fled the scene and led police on a nearly 10-mile pursuit in excess of 115 miles per hour, according to the complaint.

Police lost visual sight of Walker’s vehicle near North Teutonia Avenue and North Green Bay Avenue, but Glendale police observed the vehicle traveling southbound on West Green Bay Road and another short pursuit ensued before officers lost sight of Walker again, the complaint said.

Later that evening, Walker’s vehicle was observed unoccupied and running in the 4800 block of North 19th Place, according to the complaint. Police found Walker inside a nearby residence and arrested him.

Walker made his initial appearance in court on March 9, where bail was set at $25,000. If convicted on all counts, he faces decades behind bars.

Wyman Kemble remembered as mother’s rock

Leanne Kemble, Wyman Kemble’s mother, previously told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel at the time of the crash that Wyman was her oldest child and her “rock.”

She said her son loved the motorcycle he was riding at the time of his death. She described him as one of the most “kind, caring and fun-loving people you’d ever meet.”

Leanne Kemble said her son graduated from Riverside High School, where he played on the football team, and was a graduate of Milwaukee Area Technical College. Volleyball was now his sport of choice, and he played year-round, she said.

“He was always helping people with their car repairs, or just doing odd jobs to help out our neighbors,” she said. “He was an all-around great person. Everybody loved him.”

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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Public Schools budget proposals; board meeting Monday

Published

13 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Milwaukee Public Schools budget proposals; board meeting Monday

MILWAUKEE – MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius proposed cutting more than 263 non-classroom positions to help bridge a $46 million structural budget deficit.

A special meeting of the Milwaukee Board of School Directors is scheduled to take place on Monday night, March 9, to vote on this proposal.

Shifting resources

What we know:

The district said the reductions, which would take effect for the 2026–27 school year pending school board approval, would save about $30 million.

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“It is an extremely difficult day for us here in Milwaukee Public Schools, but in the end, I’m still hopeful. I’m hopeful for our students, I’m hopeful for all of the employees we have, and every single employee matters to us,” said Cassellius. “This is hard, and we’ll get through it.”

Officials said no classroom teacher positions are being cut to close the budget gap. That said, the district may need fewer teachers where there is lower enrollment. About 40 of the 263 positions being eliminated are already vacant, meaning that not all reductions will result in layoffs. Affected employees eligible for classroom-based roles will be encouraged to apply for available positions.

Cassellius stressed that MPS faces rising costs while receiving a $0 state increase in general aid for 2026-27 public school students. While the recent referendum has helped to support arts, physical education, mental health services, and career exploration, the superintendent indicated it does not make up for the lack of state-funded inflation increase

Proposed reductions

By the numbers:

The approximately 263 position reductions include the following, according to the school district:

MPS Central Services: About 116 positions from the offices of Academics; Communications; Family, Community, and Partnership; Finance; Human Resources; Operations; Schools office; and the Superintendent’s office
Non‑classroom school‑based roles: About 147 positions, including assistant principals, deans of students, and implementers.

The Source: Milwaukee Public Schools released information about its proposal.

Milwaukee Public SchoolsMilwaukeeNewsEducation

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Milwaukee, WI

Black joins Giannis, KPJ as out, How To Watch Orlando Magic-Milwaukee Bucks Lineups, Injuries, Betting Lines & More

Published

1 day ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Black joins Giannis, KPJ as out, How To Watch Orlando Magic-Milwaukee Bucks Lineups, Injuries, Betting Lines & More

The Orlando Magic put together one of its strongest efforts of the season in Minnesota on Saturday, squashing one of the West’s best 119-92. They’ll look to continue a road win streak that began in L.A. with wins over the Clippers and Lakers.

Milwaukee also won on Saturday, pulling away from the Utah Jazz 113-99 to snap a two-game skid that coincided with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return from a 14-game absence due to a calf injury.

Antetokounmpo’s presence was necessary deep into the fourth quarter due to the game being tight, so that prevents him from participating in this one. Kevin Porter Jr. is also out.

The Magic are even with the Miami Heat atop the Southeast Division, although they hold a tie-braker since they have defeated Miami all four times they’ve played. The Magic’s upset of Minnesota has pushed them up to sixth place in the East.

Orlando is 14-15 on the road 20-19 against Eastern Conference foes. Milwaukee is 15-16 at home and 19-23 against Eastern Conference competition.

Vitals – How to Watch Magic at Bucks

Game date, time and location: Sunday, March 8, 8:10 p.m. EST, Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Florida (Magic), FanDuel Sports Wisconsin (Bucks)

Radio: FM 96.9 The Game/AM 740 WYGM (Magic), WTMJ (Bucks)

Magic look to extend road win streak to four by ending Bucks’ run

The Orlando Magic (34-28) visit the Milwaukee Bucks (27-35) in the third and final matchup between these teams this season.

The Magic last won a season series from Milwaukee in 2011-12, but have gone 14-35 since, which includes an upset loss (116-108) in the final game prior to the break. Cam Thomas, having just been signed after getting his release from the Brooklyn Nets, scored 34 points to complement a Kevin Porter Jr. triple-double (18 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists), so the Bucks are still in position to win this year’s series 2-1 if it can pull an upset on Sunday night.

The Bucks have opened up a 77-57 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 1989-90. Milwaukee won the first nine matchups.

Betting Lines (via DraftKings)

Spread: Magic -6.5 (-112), Bucks +6.5 (-115)

Moneyline: Magic -218, Bucks +180

Total: 216.5 (Over -112, Under -108)

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

PROJECTED STARTERS

MAGIC

F Tristan da Silva

F Paolo Banchero

C Wendell Carter Jr.

G Jalen Suggs