MILWAUKEE, WI – JULY 22: Sam Merrill #15 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrates during their Victory Parade & Rally of the 2021 NBA Finals on July 22, 2021 at the Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledg
MILWAUKEE – Sam Merrill played just one minute in the NBA Finals during the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2021 championship run, but he says the experience helped shape his career.
The former Bucks rookie is now an established player with the Cleveland Cavaliers and credits his time in Milwaukee for helping propel him forward.
RELATED: Check out the new and improved FOX Sports app
“Being a part of it was so cool, and I feel like I learned a lot that has helped me become a better player as I find my way in this league – and maybe I’ll pull the Scalabrine and in 20 years tell people that I was playing and hitting threes and all that stuff but such a fun experience,” said Merrill.
Merrill referenced former NBA player Brian Scalabrine, who became a fan favorite despite limited playing time during a championship season.
“It’s such a blur,” he said. “It feels like it was yesterday and twenty years ago at the same time. Everything going on with my first experience in the NBA and all of the COVID restrictions, you know, my first time really sitting on the bench, all that made it a crazy time.”
Merrill also has another connection to Wisconsin. He attended Utah State University at the same time as Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
“We were there all four years together, and it’s so cool to see what he’s turned into,” Merrill said. “One of the best dudes you’ll ever meet. So down to earth, as all Packers fans know, he’s very mellow and levelheaded. I’m super happy to see the success he’s had.”
Now 29 years old, Merrill has carved out a steady role in the NBA. He answers to the nickname “Money Merrill,” and recently signed a $38 million contract extension with Cleveland. So things turned out just fine for him.
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by the FOX6 sports team.