Milwaukee Bucks: All-Time Greatest Power Forwards
By Adam McGee
Ersan Ilyasova
I know what you’re thinking. ERSAN?!? Really? It may not have been mourned as such at the time but when the Bucks traded Ilyasova to the Pistons, they were trading away one of the better power forwards that the franchise has ever seen.
The Turkish native may not have been quite as exciting or dynamic as some of the other fours who have suited up with the Bucks, but his longevity, and the consistency of his production over that long time is worth acknowledging.
Ilyasova started out with the Bucks as a rookie in the 2006-07 season, but then made the decision to return to Spain with Barcelona for a couple of seasons having not exactly made a ground-breaking impact in his first season Stateside.
When he returned to Milwaukee prior to the 2009-10 season, Ilyasova looked like a much improved professional though. He was a better shooter, a better rebounder and he’d added some nuance to his game too.
As frustrating as Ilyasova’s varied shooting was at times in his Bucks career, you could always rely on him to do some of the dirty work. In particular, Ersan relished the opportunity to take a charge every time the chance arose, and as much as it almost became a running joke among Bucks fans, it highlighted his effort.
For the seven seasons he played in Milwaukee, Ilyasova averaged 10.7 points and 6.0 rebounds.
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