Trailblazing Black Woman Valerie Daniels-Carter Breaks Barriers as Sole Female Minority Owner of NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks from Milwaukee

In the world of professional sports, ownership is a rarefied space—one dominated overwhelmingly by men, and more specifically, white men. But in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a remarkable story unfolds within the executive ranks of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks. Valerie Daniels-Carter, a Black woman entrepreneur with deep roots in the community and a rich personal connection to the sport, stands as the only single Black woman owner of the Milwaukee Bucks. Her presence isn’t symbolic or peripheral—it’s personal, active, and powerful.

Valerie Daniels-Carter is not just a name on a shareholder document. She is a dynamic force, known as much for her tenacity in the boardroom as for her genuine compassion and community spirit. A native of Milwaukee, Daniels-Carter’s entrepreneurial journey has been anything but conventional, marked by grit, faith, vision, and an unyielding commitment to uplift her community. As a founder of Partners for Community Impact, the investment group that helped bring local minority ownership to the Bucks, Daniels-Carter is both a pioneer and a symbol of possibility.

Long before she found herself owning part of an NBA franchise, Daniels-Carter was on the court herself. As a student-athlete at Lincoln University in Missouri, she played basketball with passion and skill. The lessons from those days—teamwork, endurance, strategy—have stayed with her and helped shape her approach to business and leadership. It’s not uncommon to hear her speak about basketball with the same enthusiasm she uses to discuss corporate ventures. That lifelong love of the game made it all the more fitting when she became an NBA team owner. Unlike absentee stakeholders whose investment ends with a financial transaction, Daniels-Carter brings her heart to the table, often engaging with Bucks players, encouraging them not only as athletes but as individuals navigating the complexities of fame, identity, and purpose.

Her journey into the upper echelons of sports ownership is rooted in her formidable business achievements. Daniels-Carter is the President and CEO of V&J Holdings Companies, one of the largest minority-owned franchises in the United States. She operates over 100 restaurant chains across multiple states, including Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, among others. Building such a vast enterprise from the ground up is no small feat, particularly in industries where access to capital, real estate, and opportunity are often limited for women of color. Yet, Daniels-Carter has not only survived in these challenging environments—she has thrived.

That success in business is directly tied to her spiritual convictions and community-centered values. A woman of deep faith, Daniels-Carter often credits her success to divine guidance and sees her entrepreneurial journey as a means to a greater end. Through Partners for Community Impact, she and her co-founders focus on creating opportunities for economic development in underserved communities. Their investment in the Bucks wasn’t just a business move—it was a deliberate step toward local empowerment. She believes that Black and Brown communities need to see representation not only on the court but also in the front office and the owner’s box.

Being the only single Black woman owner in the NBA is a distinction she doesn’t carry lightly. While she celebrates the progress that has been made, she is acutely aware of how far there is to go. Her presence challenges the perception of who belongs in sports ownership and who gets to shape the direction of a major league franchise. Daniels-Carter advocates for more inclusion, not just in ownership but across all levels of sports administration and business. She frequently speaks on panels, mentors young entrepreneurs, and leads initiatives aimed at breaking down barriers that have historically excluded minorities and women from wealth-building opportunities.

And when it comes to the Milwaukee Bucks, her investment is far more than monetary. She is known to maintain personal relationships with players and staff, often offering words of encouragement or sharing stories from her own life to inspire resilience and focus. Her background as a former athlete gives her a unique perspective, one that players respect and relate to. Unlike some owners who are purely focused on wins, losses, and balance sheets, Daniels-Carter sees the human beings behind the jerseys. She understands that building a championship team starts with building character, discipline, and unity.

Her involvement with the Bucks came at a pivotal time. When the ownership group led by Wesley Edens and Marc Lasry purchased the team in 2014, they opened the door to a more inclusive ownership model, inviting local leaders like Daniels-Carter to invest. It was a groundbreaking move that aligned perfectly with her vision of economic participation and representation. Since then, the Bucks have not only risen to prominence on the court—winning the 2021 NBA Championship—but have also become a model franchise for community engagement and social justice advocacy. Daniels-Carter’s fingerprints are all over that transformation.

She is often seen courtside during games, not just as a spectator but as an engaged stakeholder. Players know her. Staff respect her. Fans admire her. Her presence adds a dimension of authenticity to the organization’s diversity narrative. It’s not about checking a box; it’s about changing the narrative from the inside out. Daniels-Carter is quick to acknowledge the team effort involved in reshaping the Bucks’ trajectory, but she also knows that her visibility matters. For young Black girls watching from the stands or at home, seeing someone who looks like them owning part of their favorite team can be life-changing.

Her story is also a powerful reminder of what happens when talent meets opportunity. Daniels-Carter had the business acumen, the leadership skills, and the moral compass to build something extraordinary. When the chance came to become a part of NBA ownership, she was ready—not because she had planned it all along, but because she had laid the foundation through decades of consistent excellence. It’s a blueprint she hopes others will follow: work hard, stay true to your values, invest in your community, and don’t be afraid to lead where no one like you has led before.

Despite her high-profile status, Daniels-Carter remains grounded. She continues to be involved in numerous philanthropic efforts, often channeling her resources and influence toward education, health, and youth development initiatives in Milwaukee and beyond. She sees ownership not as a final destination but as a platform—one from which she can reach higher, do more, and bring others along with her. Whether she’s speaking at a business summit, praying at a church event, or cheering from the sidelines at a Bucks game, she is fully present, fully engaged, and fully committed to impact.

There is something profoundly inspiring about Valerie Daniels-Carter’s journey. In a world where systemic barriers continue to limit access to opportunity, she has carved out a legacy of resilience and excellence. Her role as the sole single Black woman owner in the NBA is not just a statistic—it is a statement. It says that excellence knows no gender, no color, and no ceiling. It says that representation matters, and that when one person breaks through, they create space for others to follow.

As the Milwaukee Bucks continue to evolve as a franchise, one thing remains clear: they are not just winning games—they are reshaping narratives. And at the heart of that transformation is a woman from Milwaukee who once dreamed of basketball glory and now owns a piece of it. Valerie Daniels-Carter’s name belongs in the history books, not just for what she has achieved, but for the doors she has opened. Her legacy is still being written, and if her story tells us anything, it’s that the best chapters are yet to come.