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Milwaukee Bucks Player of the Season

By John Heffernon

Nov 4, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34), guard Michael Carter-Williams (5) and forward Khris Middleton during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee won 91-87. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 4, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34), guard Michael Carter-Williams (5) and forward Khris Middleton during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee won 91-87. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /
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After naming a Milwaukee Bucks player of the week throughout the year, it’s only fitting to wrap the year up by crowning a player of the season.

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The 2015-16 NBA season did not unfold for the Milwaukee Bucks in the way most people anticipated. The Bucks ended the season with a record of 33-49, which was tied for the eighth worst record in the league.

I thought the Bucks were going to finish with at least 41 wins this season. I was not alone in that prediction.

The combination of arguably the biggest free agent signing in Bucks history (Greg Monroe), Jabari Parker‘s return from ACL injury, Michael Carter-Williams having a full offseason of tutelage from coach Jason Kidd, and Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s growth (in height and in basketball skill) had a lot of people excited about Milwaukee’s prospects.

Unfortunately, the Bucks lost their first three games of the season which seemed to set the tone for the struggles of the whole year. They won five out of their next seven, which was really positive, but it was just a blip in the radar. Then they lost 10 out of their next 14 games and the season quickly began to unravel. Even with some signature wins throughout the course of the season, Milwaukee just could not consistently win games against the average teams in the NBA.

Most people would say the biggest reasons the Bucks struggled this year was the lack of veteran leadership, injuries, and a lack of spacing. I tend to agree that these were the main drivers of the Bucks problems.

The personnel losses of Zaza Pachulia and Jared Dudley seemed to impact Milwaukee more than anyone expected this season. Veteran leadership is typically a strong contributor to wins when a majority of a team’s players are young and this Bucks team supported that notion. Additionally, injuries to MCW, Jerryd Bayless, John Henson, and O.J. Mayo reared their head at inconvenient times and made life difficult for a team that was already not performing up to expectations.

The Bucks were in the bottom third of the league in both three-point attempts and three-point percentage. Only three other teams were in the bottom third of the NBA in both categories: Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, and Miami Heat. The combined record of all these teams was 152-176 or what equates to a 38-44 team. That kind of team would not have made the playoffs in either conference this year, so this shows just how important three-point shooting is in the modern NBA.

But you did not come here for a rundown of all the bad things that happened to the Bucks this season. You clicked on this article to feel good, to be entertained, and maybe to have a little something to look forward to for next season. You want to know who my Bucks player of the season is!

I will tell you that it might not be who you expect! First you will have to see who rounds out the player of the year rankings. Having tracked the leading contenders weekly in my player of the week posts throughout the season, I have chosen three Bucks players for my player of the year rankings based on their overall body of work.

Number of games played, minutes played, traditional stats (i.e. points, rebounds, and assists) along with advanced stats (i.e. offensive rating, defensive rating, and usage rate) will make up the majority of the selection criteria for the rankings.

Let’s get to it!

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