Feb 3, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (12) during warm ups before a game against the Denver Nuggets at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Continuing our look at the franchise’s great players, let’s continue to go back in time and explore the history of the Milwaukee Bucks.
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Our goal is to try to identify the franchise’s All-Time 15 man roster, their greatest starting five, and highlight the work of some of the franchise’s greats who may have flown under the radar.
Having looked at the backcourt and wing options already, it’s time for us to move on to some of the bigger players who have offered Milwaukee size, strength and skill on both ends of the floor over the years.
As you’ll know if you’ve been following the series up until this point, the Bucks have been blessed with some phenomenal talent. That hasn’t been quite the case when it comes to the four spot though.
Of course there have been some really good power forwards to come through Milwaukee, but in many of the Bucks better teams it seems like that was the position where they had plug in guys rather than legitimate stars.
Of course, there are a few exceptions though, and the upcoming list also includes a number of players who were incredibly loyal to the Bucks
Who are the greatest power forwards in franchise history though?
That may not necessarily be who had the greatest individual numbers, but who left the most significant marks in the history of the Bucks, and who made the teams they played on that much better?
Let’s look at some of the contenders below, and at the end, don’t forget to vote for the three power forwards who you feel deserve to be in with a shot of making the final 15 man All-Time Bucks roster!
The final results will be decided by a combination of readers votes and opinions and those of our staff here at Behind The Buck Pass, so make sure to have your say.
Next: Shake and Bake
Vin Baker
Although in many ways, Baker’s personal struggles have overshadowed much of his legacy in the time since his career came to an end, it shouldn’t be forgotten just how good the former eighth overall pick actually was in his playing days.
Selected by Milwaukee in the 1993 NBA Draft, the former Hartford Hawk hit the ground running. He had a strong rookie campaign which saw him make the All-Rookie First Team, and by his second season Baker was already an All-Star averaging a double-double.
It was just unfortunate that the Bucks had to be so bad at the time that Baker arrived in the league. Milwaukee didn’t make the playoffs in any of his seasons in Wisconsin, and if he had been part of the Bucks squad either four years earlier or later that certainly wouldn’t have been the case.
Baker left Milwaukee for Seattle and went on to be incredibly successful with the Supersonics too. It was when he left Seattle that it really started to go downhill though. Baker would play for the Celtics, Knicks, Rockets and Clippers, but never look close to the player he had been as a youngster in Milwaukee.
As a Buck, Baker averaged 18.3 points and 9.5 rebounds.
Next: T.C.
Terry Cummings
Cummings started his career out with the then San Diego Clippers as the second overall pick coming out of college. It wouldn’t be long before he ended up in Milwaukee though, the city where he may well be remembered most fondly.
Cummings became a Buck thanks to an absolute blockbuster of a trade involving a number of notable names in team history. With Junior Bridgeman and Marques Johnson heading to L.A. along with Harvey Catchings, Cummings joined Craig Hodges and Ricky Pierce in moving in the opposite direction.
Cummings joined a team who were very much in contention in the Eastern Conference, and he confidently played his part as an ever-present. The former DePaul Blue Demon started 381 games during his time in Bucks green while putting up some truly outstanding numbers.
Two All-Star appearances as well as All-NBA Second and Third Team honors during his time in Milwaukee is a testament to that.
For the Bucks, Cummings posted 21.7 points and 8.3 rebounds.
Next: Turkish Thunder
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.
Next: Norman Bates
Fred Roberts
Roberts was drafted by the Bucks back in 1982, although it would be a few years later before he actually got the chance to represent Milwaukee on the court.
After being drafted, Roberts was traded to the New Jersey Nets who in turn traded him to the San Antonio Spurs before he even stepped foot on the NBA hardwood for the first time.
After spells in Utah and in Boston (where he was faced with the horrid task of filling the boots that were designated for Len Bias), Roberts finally got his shot as a Buck though.
In Milwaukee his numbers were far from sensational, but he was an ever-present who offered a team with genuine playoff aspirations real consistency for a couple of seasons.
With the Bucks, Roberts averaged 9.0 points and 3.3 rebounds..
Next: The Prince
Luc Mbah A Moute
It’s not often that a team gets the chance to draft a Cameroonian prince, but that’s exactly what happened when the Bucks picked up Luc Richard Mbah A Moute with the 37th pick of the 2008 Draft.
Although he may be known first for his status as royalty in his village in Cameroon, Mbah A Moute is part of a family with a strong basketball pedigree, and a well-rounded game and some solid basketball intelligence has allowed the 28-year-old to make an impact in the NBA.
Mbah A Moute spent five seasons in Milwaukee on some distinctly mediocre teams, with the highlight being first round exits at the hands of Atlanta and Miami respectively.
Mbah A Moute made over 200 starts with the Bucks and was serviceable throughout that time, even if in hindsight the fact he started so many games seems indicative of the team’s mediocrity.
As a Buck, the former UCLA Bruin achieved averages of 6.9 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Next: The Best Of The Rest
Dec 7, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward
Jabari Parker(12) dunks the ball during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Bucks 125-102. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The Best Of The Rest
To describe anyone else who has played power forward in Milwaukee as the best of anything would feel truly bizarre.
Greg Smith would be one of the few with a legitimate case to be included on the list, but having only spent three seasons in the Cream City, I opted for players with greater longevity with the franchise as opposed to his marginally superior numbers.
Beyond that? We’re talking about guys like Charlie Villanueva, Joe Smith, Yi Jianlian and Drew Gooden, and there’s not a lot to get even remotely excited about.
In fact, it’s incredible considering just how much talent the Bucks have had at other positions, how scarce talent has been for them at the four down the years.
All that should be about to change though, as let’s be honest, it’s not going to take a whole lot for Jabari Parker to steamroll his way past many of those listed above and in no time at all he should cement his spot in franchise history.
Who are the greatest power forwards in Bucks history though?
Who do you think should make the final cut for the 15 man roster?
Vote for your three favorites below, and leave your thoughts in the comments section, or plead your case for them by mailing your thoughts to winin6podcast@gmail.com.
Next: Milwaukee Bucks: All-Time Greatest Small Forwards
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