Bucks guard Ryan Rollins helping make ‘invaluable’ difference in kids’ lives

Among the countless images that scroll across the giant scoreboard above the court in Fiserv Forum during Milwaukee Bucks game, there was one relatively static image had a rapidly ascending number attached to it every time it was displayed. It was an action photo of Ryan Rollins , and a graphic that said for every point scored he would donate one book to children in Milwaukee Public Schools. Called “Buckets for Books,” the 23-year-old Rollins took up the mantle of former teammate Brook Lopez in providing reading material for deserving kids in the city .

When Rollins came up with the idea for the program to begin the year, he had scored a total of 416 points in his 25 career games in the NBA from 2022-25. Starting the season, he knew he was going to have a bigger role on the team, but one that likely saw him coming off the bench most nights. Suddenly, though, Rollins found himself as the primary ball handler and scorer for the Bucks.

By Dec. 5, he had already scored 428 points in 24 games. He was en route to not only the best season of his young career, but blossomed into a core player for the Bucks going forward.

He finished fifth in the league’s most improved player voting and scored 1,281 total points. One of the more softspoken players on the team, Rollins sheepishly acknowledged he didn’t anticipate such a good season but was thrilled that the end result was a sizable donation to a handful of MPS schools. “That’s how it’s supposed to be,” he said with a wry smile and a laugh.