When the Soviet Union finally took the floor in Milwaukee, the stakes went far beyond basketball.

Narrated by Charlie Berens, Episode 3 of Bucks vs. the World focuses on the second game of the 1987 McDonald’s Open, as the Soviet Union national team faces EuroLeague champion Tracer Milan and quickly establishes itself as the tournament’s most formidable force. The result shocks fans and media who had just seen Tracer push the Bucks to the brink, dramatically shifting expectations for what lies ahead.

The episode explores the Cold War context surrounding the Soviet team’s arrival, including the lingering pain of the controversial 1972 Olympic gold medal game and the political realities shaping the lives of the USSR’s players and their legendary head coach, Alexander Gomelsky.

As the spirit of glasnost begins to emerge, Episode 3 captures a rare moment when sport, politics, and history collided — and when the Bucks realized they were about to represent far more than Milwaukee on the court.