The Bucks guard had a thoughtful response to the criticism of the city he calls home.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Ryan Rollins has something to say about the city he plays for.
After LeBron James went on the Bob Does Sports YouTube show this spring and said Milwaukee and Memphis are the two cities he does not like playing in right now, Rollins pushed back with a response that was honest without being combative.
"I would say the main thing is just recently, how LeBron said the whole thing about Milwaukee, and I think Memphis was the other city. Milwaukee is a great city. They've got great food spots. Everybody in Milwaukee is super friendly. There are a lot of hidden gems out there," Rollins said.
"But I think more so what he was trying to get toward was, if you're a visiting team, it's not really a lot to do. But if you're from there, and you get to go around the city a little bit and meet people, it's a great city."
Rollins' Breakout Season
An answer like that carries more weight when it comes from someone who just had the season Rollins had.
Rollins started 67 of 74 games in 2025-26 and averaged 17.3 points, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals while shooting 40.6 percent from three.
Every one of those numbers is a career high by a wide margin, and no other player in the league this season averaged more than 17 points, five assists and 1.5 steals while shooting better than 40 percent from deep.
He went from a backup guard on a modest deal to the Bucks' leading scorer among qualified players and a real Most Improved Player candidate.
A Tough Year in Milwaukee
The Bucks finished 32-50 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Giannis Antetokounmpo played a career-low 36 games but still put up 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists when he was on the floor.
Injuries hit the roster hard all season, and the team never recovered from losing Damian Lillard to an Achilles tear during the 2025 postseason.
Milwaukee already hired Taylor Jenkins as head coach and now faces a summer that will shape the franchise for years.
Why Rollins Should Stay
Through all the losing and all the trade rumors swirling around Giannis, Rollins was the one guy who showed up and produced every night.
He is 23 years old and still getting better, which is the type of player a franchise should want to keep around.
Milwaukee needs to add a second star next to Giannis to turn things around, and Rollins should not be the one who gets moved to make that happen.
He has already shown he belongs in Milwaukee, and the way he talked about the city after LeBron's comments just adds to the case for why the Bucks should hold onto him.