By Jeff Sherman OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer Published Dec 13, 2011 at 11:06 AM

The NBA is back, and the Bucks are giving fans their first chance to see Head Coach Scott Skiles direct new Bucks players Stephen Jackson, Mike Dunleavy, Jr., Beno Udrih and Shaun Livingston, along with first-round draft choice Tobias Harris at a free, open practice beginning at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Bradley Center.  

Returning players Andrew Bogut, Brandon Jennings, Carlos Delfino, Drew Gooden, Ersan Ilyasova, John Brockman and Larry Sanders, of course, also will participate in the preview event that helps showcase the new team and promote the upcoming season.  

I'm excited about this shortened season, and much more so than I was at this point last year.  Last season just never felt right and was soured with injuries and chemistry issues.  

This season, though, brings a fresh Bogut and hopefully some veteran moxy from Jackson and Dunleavy, Jr.  Tobias Harris, the team's top draft pick, should be fun to watch, too.  He worked all summer with former NBA and Bucks sharpshooter Dale Ellis and is said to have great speed, strength and agility.  

The Bucks play their only home preseason game and celebrate the 35th Annual MACC Fund game at the Bradley Center on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves.  They open the home portion of their 44th NBA season on Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 7:30 p.m. also against Minnesota.

Jeff Sherman OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer

A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.

He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.

Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.  He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.  

He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.

He also thinks you should read OnMilwaukee each and every day.