Former Bucks high draft pick T.J. Ford to return to Milwaukee and spread a little holiday cheer

Former Bucks guard T.J. Ford will be in Milwaukee on Tuesday as part of a shopping event for kids with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee.

The Bucks and Kohl's will give 12 students a $300 Kohl's gift card to shop with at the new Kohl's location in downtown Milwaukee, 331 W. Wisconsin Ave. The event begins at 5 p.m.

Ford, drafted by the Bucks in 2003, had a grand return to Milwaukee in 2022 after announcing his retirement from the NBA on Twitter in 2012.

Ford only played in 127 games, or less than two full seasons, with the Bucks. His rookie season was the first without former head coach George Karl after then-new general manager Larry Harris decided to take the team in a new direction.

Drafted eighth overall out of Texas, Ford had big expectations. This was the beginning of a new era in Milwaukee after losing much of the nucleus of the team that took Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers to seven games in the Eastern Conference finals in 2001.

Ray Allen and Sam Cassell were no longer with the team and instead the backcourt of the future was Ford and Michael Redd.

Ford made all-rookie second team but his season was cut short after falling hard on his tail bone and suffering a contusion of the spinal cord.

The Bucks went 41-41 under head coach Terry Porter. The Bucks lost in the first round of the playoffs against the Detroit Pistons, who went on to win the title.

Likely most notable from Ford's first year in the league is his rookie photo shoot. The guard is pictured wearing a uniform, particularly shorts, that are way too big for him. The photos tend to resurface on social media often.

Ford missed his entire second season with the Bucks due to the injury.

Prior to the 2005-06 season, the Bucks hired Terry Stotts as head coach and drafted Andrew Bogut as the No. 1 overall pick. Ford had a big role in that team — averaging more than 35 minutes a game. The Bucks finished 40-42, grabbed the eight seed, and lost to Detroit again.

Opting to move forward with guards Mo Williams and Charlie Bell, the Bucks traded Ford in 2006 to the Toronto Raptors for Charlie Villanueva and cash.

Ford would go on to play in Toronto, Indiana and San Antonio, before abruptly retiring due to injuries at age 28.

Ford will look to spread a little holiday cheer in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

The Bucks are set to play the Miami Heat in the In-Season Tournament Tuesday night. Tip-off is 6:30 p.m.

Nickel column: There are red flags, but there are good signs as well for the Bucks

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former Bucks high draft pick T.J. Ford to return to Milwaukee