"I wanna be the man": Milwaukee Bucks former star Michael Redd reveals why he turned down playing with LeBron James in his prime

Michael Redd’s peak years with the Milwaukee Bucks cemented his status as one of the NBA’s most dangerous scorers. The left-handed sharpshooter, who averaged a career-high 26.7 points per game in 2006-07, had multiple chances to join forces with LeBron James in Cleveland. But as Redd recently revealed, he chose a different path—one that prioritized leading his own team over chasing championships as a sidekick.

In a recent social media post, Michael Redd revisited a forgotten NBA "what-if" scenario—one that nearly sent him to the Cavaliers. He called it a "Trade Machine-like moment that few people remember." Before free agency rumors heated up, Redd admitted he could have left the Bucks but decided against it.
When asked about his mindset at the time, Redd didn’t hesitate. "I wanna be the man," an interviewer suggested. Redd confirmed that was his thinking: "I got an opportunity to have my own franchise. So that was the mentality."


The trade buzz reached a surreal point when billboards featuring Redd appeared in Cleveland before the Cavaliers ultimately acquired Mo Williams instead. Even now, Ohio residents still ask Michael Redd about the near-move, wondering how his career—and LeBron’s—might have played out differently.

Redd’s loyalty to the Milwaukee Bucks came at a pivotal moment in NBA history. Superstars were beginning to team up, but Redd valued the chance to lead his own franchise. Injuries later derailed his prime, but his peak years remain a testament to his skill and competitive drive.
Today, Michael Redd’s decision serves as a reminder that not every player prioritizes rings over legacy. While joining LeBron might have boosted his championship odds, Redd’s choice to stay in Milwaukee solidified his place in Bucks history—and gave fans unforgettable memories.
Also read: Damian Lillard shocking Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) diagnosis: What it means for the Milwaukee Bucks star's career and the team's future

Damian Lillard is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in his calf. While concerning, his condition is less severe than the pulmonary embolism that forced Chris Bosh to retire in 2017. Bosh’s clots traveled to his lungs, creating life-threatening complications, whereas Lillard’s DVT—though requiring blood thinners—is treatable if managed properly. Spurs’ Cedi Osman is also sidelined with a similar issue. The Milwaukee Bucks remain uncertain about Lillard’s return this season, but his prognosis is more optimistic than Bosh’s, whose recurring clots ended his career prematurely.