The 1997–98 NBA season was the Bucks' 30th season in the National Basketball Association.^[1] In the off-season, the Bucks acquired All-Star guard Terrell Brandon and Tyrone Hill from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} The team also selected Danny Fortson from the University of Cincinnati with the tenth overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft,^[7][8] but soon traded him to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Ervin Johnson,^[9][10][11] signed free agent Michael Curry,^[12][13] and re-signed former Bucks star and sixth man Ricky Pierce in December.^{[14][15][16][17]}

After an 11–8 start to the season, the Bucks slipped under .500, but then posted a six-game winning streak between January and February, and held a 24–23 record at the All-Star break.^[18] However, with Glenn Robinson out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury after 56 games,^[19][20][21] the Bucks struggled and went on a nine-game losing streak in March. Brandon only played just 50 games due to an ankle injury,^[22][23][24] and Hill only played 57 games due to a knee injury, and a strained back.^[25][26][27] The Bucks finished seventh in the Central Division with a 36–46 record, missing the playoffs in seven straight seasons.^[28]

Robinson averaged 23.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, while second-year star Ray Allen had a stellar season, averaging 19.5 points and 1.4 steals per game, and Brandon provided the team with 16.8 points, 7.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game. In addition, Hill contributed 10.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, while Armen Gilliam provided with 11.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, Johnson averaged 8.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game, Elliot Perry contributed 7.3 points and 2.8 assists per game, and Curry contributed 6.6 points per game.^[29]

Following the season, Pierce retired after playing in his second stint with the Bucks,^[30] while Andrew Lang signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls,^[31][32] and head coach Chris Ford was fired after coaching the Bucks for two seasons.^[33][34][35]

^[29]