NBA
BP
#9

Bobby Portis

Forward · Miami Heat · 6'9", 250 lb · Born Feb 10, 1995 · Little Rock, Arkansas · Drafted 22nd overall, 2015
2021 ChampionMiami HeatBobby BucketsTraded from Milwaukee
NBAMiami HeatForwards
Compare:vs Wigginsvs Adebayovs Mitchellvs Smithvs Antetokounmpovs Jovic
In short

Bobby Portis is a fan-favorite energy big and 2021 NBA champion, traded from Milwaukee to the Miami Heat in the June 2026 Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster. Nicknamed 'Bobby Buckets' and 'The Mayor of Milwaukee,' he overcame a hard Little Rock childhood to become SEC Player of the Year at Arkansas, the 22nd pick in 2015, and one of the league's most beloved role players — a rebounding, shooting spark plug.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceThu, Nov 12
vsMilwaukee BucksDrop coverage
Proj. points
13.7
range 11–16.4
Line 13.5
52%
to go over
Team win
65%
115–112
Poi 13.7 Lean overReb 6.4 Lean underAss 1.6 Lean overPRA 21.7 Lean over
Likely on himMyles Turner· 88 Rim protectionElite stopper
10+ pts89%15+ pts33%

Model lines Portis at 13.7 pts (range 11–16.4) vs a 13.5 line — a lean to clear it (52%).

Biggest edge: venue — home floor — small boost.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Portis
Latest news
transactionJun 23, 2026
Heat acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Bucks in a blockbuster
ESPN ↗
The Portis Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
🔊 Prototype uses your browser's built-in voice. Production would use a studio-grade AI narrator.

A kid who grew up in poverty in Little Rock — who became a champion, a cult hero, and the 'Mayor of Milwaukee.'

Raised by his single mother through hardship, Portis became SEC Player of the Year at Arkansas and the 22nd pick in 2015.

🐗 Arkansas · SEC POY22nd, 2015

After Chicago, Washington, and New York, he found a home in Milwaukee in 2020 and won the 2021 title as a beloved energy big.

🏆 2021 championMayor of Milwaukee

He became a genuine fan favorite — 'Bobby Buckets' — for rebounding, shooting, and joy, and reached the 2026 Three-Point Contest.

Bobby Buckets13.7 / 6.4 · .456 3P

In June 2026 he was traded to the Miami Heat alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo — a new home for a cult hero.

➡️ Traded to Miami, 2026With Giannis
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
13.7
2025-26
RPG
6.4
per game
APG
1.6
per game
FG%
.488
.456 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

The beloved 'Mayor of Milwaukee' and 2021 champion — an energy big who overcame a hard childhood, now with the Heat.

Bobby Portis Jr. was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and raised by his single mother, Tina Edwards, through poverty, evictions, and hardship. He became SEC Player of the Year at Arkansas and was drafted 22nd overall by Chicago in 2015. After stops in Chicago, Washington, and New York, he found a home in Milwaukee in 2020.

He won the 2021 title as a key rotation big and became one of the NBA's most beloved fan favorites — 'Bobby Buckets,' the 'Mayor of Milwaukee' — for his energy, rebounding, and shooting. He served a 25-game suspension in 2025 for a banned substance (Tramadol) and appeared in the 2026 Three-Point Contest, before being traded to the Miami Heat alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in June 2026.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference.

MOVEMENT

Career journey

2015–2019Chicago Bullsdrafted 22nd; energy big
2019Washington Wizardsmidseason trade
2019–2020New York Knicksone season
2020–2026Milwaukee Bucks2021 champion; fan favorite
2026–presentMiami Heatacquired in the Giannis trade
BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

Portis's story is one of hard-won peace. Raised in Little Rock by his mother Tina, who worked multiple jobs and at times slept in the car outside the gym to watch him play, he grew up amid poverty and domestic violence. He credits her determination for his own relentlessness, and founded the Bobby Portis Foundation to support single mothers in Arkansas.

On the court he built an 'underdog' identity that became a brand and a clothing line, and a set of nicknames — 'Bobby Buckets,' the 'Mayor of Milwaukee,' 'Crazy Eyes' — that captured a genuine cult following. Fans chant his name; he says his fire 'stems from genuine joy rather than uncontrolled aggression.' The 2021 title, won as a beloved role player, was the payoff for a career built on being counted out.

PERSONALITY

The person

A beloved, high-energy fan favorite — a rebounding, shooting spark plug who plays with joy.

Energy bigRebounding, hustle, and a floor-spacing jumper (46% from three in 2025-26).
Fan favorite'Bobby Buckets' and the 'Mayor of Milwaukee' — a genuine cult hero.
UnderdogOvercame a hard Little Rock childhood to a title and a brand built on being doubted.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Energy Big · Microwave
Temperament
Spark
Leadership
66/100
Scoring68
Playmaking40
Rebounding76
Perimeter D48
Rim protection50
Spacing74
Athleticism66
Clutch66
EnergyReboundingShooting big
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

The energy-and-shooting spark

Portis's value is a specific, valuable package: offensive rebounding, interior energy, and a genuine floor-spacing jumper (46% from three in 2025-26). He can start or spark a bench, punish mismatches, and change a game's tempo with second-chance points and quick offense. For Miami, he's a proven, championship-tested big who fits a physical, connected culture.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-266724.213.76.41.6.488.456

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

2021NBA champion with Milwaukee as a key rotation big
Fan favorite'Bobby Buckets' / 'Mayor of Milwaukee' — one of the league's cult heroes
2026Traded to the Miami Heat in the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster

Hardware

1×
NBA Champion (2021)
1×
SEC Player of the Year (2015)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 12, 2026

A championship-tested energy big joining Miami — rebounding, shooting, and beloved intangibles.

Traded to the Heat with Giannis in June 2026, Portis brings a proven, physical, floor-spacing punch off the bench (or as a starter) and the kind of joy and toughness Miami's culture prizes. A cult hero with a ring, on a new stage.

Rebounding / energyElite
Floor spacingStrong
Perimeter defenseBelow average
Intangibles / fan loveElite

Contract

Team
Miami Heat acquired 2026
Ring
2021 champion
Age
31 veteran
Bottom line

A beloved, championship-tested energy big now in Miami. 'Bobby Buckets' brings rebounding, shooting, and joy — the kind of role player every contender wants.

FAQ

Quick answers

Why is Bobby Portis called 'Bobby Buckets'?

It's a fan nickname for his scoring bursts; he's also called the 'Mayor of Milwaukee' for his cult popularity there. He was traded to Miami in June 2026.

Did Bobby Portis win a championship?

Yes — the 2021 NBA title with the Milwaukee Bucks, as a key rotation big.

How did Bobby Portis end up on the Heat?

He was traded from Milwaukee to Miami in June 2026 alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo.