Pedro Oliveira
We present the list with the 5 best Milwaukee Bucks players in history.
On this occasion, it is our turn to talk about the current defending NBA champion. Having its origins in 1968, Milwaukee was a franchise with a fairly quick success, getting its first championship in 1971, but they would have one of the longest title droughts until last season, when they were able to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy again. These are the 5 most important players in the history of the NBA.
5.- Marques Johnson
Coming to the Bucks with the third overall pick in the 1977 draft, the UCLA college legend would go on to build a very solid career with the Milwaukee franchise, earning five picks in the 1977 draft. All-Star Game and three All-NBA quintets, in addition to winning several divisional titles, but he was never able to reach an NBA Finals.
After nine seasons with Milwaukee, he averaged 21 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals, ranking among the team’s all-time marks: fourth in rebounds (3923), seventh in points (10980), eighth in steals (697) and 10th in blocks (439). He was one of the pioneers in defining the term point forward, taking over the team’s offensive guard responsibilities during the 1984 playoffs thanks to multiple injuries among the team’s point guards.
4.- Khris Middleton
Acquired in the trade that brought Brandon Jennings to the Detroit Pistons, the 6-foot-8 forward got his big chance to showcase his talent with the Bucks, and quickly demonstrated the faith the team’s front office had in him by becoming the team’s second star within five years.
With nine seasons (and counting) in Milwaukee, Middleton averaged 17.5 points, 5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.9 three-pointers on a 39.5% shooting percentage. On top of that, he has earned two All-Star Game selections and is the franchise’s all-time leader in three-pointers made, fifth in steals, sixth in assists and the Bucks’ eighth leading scorer to date.
Middleton was instrumental in clinching Milwaukee’s second championship in its history, defeating the Phoenix Suns in 6 games to defend the title in the current season.
Sidney Moncrief
Ranked as one of the best defenders in history, the point guard from the University of Arkansas was selected by the Bucks in the 1979 draft with the fifth overall pick, and had ten years of impressive performance, where he earned five All-Star Game selections, five All-NBA teams, five All-Defensive teams and two NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards, the only point guard to achieve such a feat in the history of the league.
Averaging 16.7 points, 5 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.3 steals in 695 games played with Milwaukee, Moncrief managed to turn the franchise into one of the most competitive teams of its era, having the best winning percentage in the NBA, behind only the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.
Unfortunately, a degenerative problem affecting the cartilage in his knees affected him during the last years of his career, causing him to miss a considerable number of matches annually, to the point where he had to retire because of it. His team also fell short in the postseason, never being able to advance beyond the Eastern Conference Finals.
2.- Giannis Antetokounmpo
There are no doubts about the Greek power forward’s present and future: he is and will be the best Milwaukee franchise player to put on the uniform during the 21st century, and with all his accomplishments on display, it will be difficult for anyone to test his legacy. Arriving in the NBA during the 2013 prospect contest, falling to the 15th position, the Greek arrived as a long-term project, but no one imagined the huge impact he would have on the league as he began to reach its greatest potential as a player.
So far, he averages 21.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.3 blocks through 631 games played (and counting) with the Stags, having earned two consecutive MVP awards (averaging 28.5 points, 13 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks between the two years), five All-Star Game selections, five All-NBA team, four all-defensive teams, Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player of the Year. But nothing compares to what he was able to accomplish last season, leading the Bucks to their second NBA championship, beating the Phoenix Suns in six games despite suffering a hyperextended knee in the conference finals.
The Greek Freak averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 blocks in the Finals, making him the unanimous MVP of the series. Giannis currently has the most blocks in Bucks history and is the franchise’s second-leading scorer, as well as ranking second in rebounds, assists and sixth in steals.
1.- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Although he will probably be surpassed by Antetokounmpo sooner or later, we prefer to place one of the best talents in the history of the sport to remember his beginnings in the NBA, being the first overall selection in the 1969 draft. Kareem’s impact was immediate with the Bucks, transforming them from one of the worst teams in the entire league to second place in perhaps the most competitive division in the entire NBA.
The 6-foot-2 center captured the first championship in franchise history, with the help of Oscar Robertson, defeating the Washington Bullets with a four-game sweep in the 1971 finals, where he was the MVP averaging 27 points on 60.5% efficiency, 18.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Through his six short seasons in Milwaukee, his average line was a monstrous 30.4 points, 15.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 3.4 blocks through 467 games played, and if we add to that three MVP awards, six All-Star Game selections, six all NBA teams and two NBA All-Defensive teams.
So far, Kareem is still the franchise’s all-time leader in points (14211), rebounds (7161) and shots from the field (5902), and although it seems extremely difficult to overcome him, Giannis is the closest to achieve this feat, but achieving all this in only six seasons is something that is definitely not seen, nor will be seen, almost never in history.
