Headlined by the likes of Joel Bolomboy and A.J. English, the Milwaukee Bucks got their draft workouts underway with a group of six seniors.
With the 10th, 36th and 38th overall picks now all confirmed as belonging to the Milwaukee Bucks, it’s time for the team to look even closer at the players who they may be considering taking with those picks.
Following Tuesday night’s draft lottery, general manager John Hammond and head coach Jason Kidd returned to Milwaukee on Wednesday, where they joined the assistant coaches in putting some prospects through their paces at the team’s practice facility.
This was the first reported group pre-draft workout that the Bucks have hosted this year, and to get the process rolling, they brought in six seniors with an outside chance of being second round picks.
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It may not have been the most star-studded workout imaginable, but the Bucks still got the chance to look at some potential steals who are worthy of their attention.
All the whispers from the team suggest that they are being meticulously thorough in approaching the draft process this summer, and GM John Hammond has even gone as far as to say that the Bucks can find a player to help them in the second round from at least one of their two picks.
That will have been music to the ears of those working hard on the bubble of the top 60, battling to get drafted, and so there was plenty of motivation for those on the practice court in Milwaukee on Wednesday.
Who worked out and what do you need to know? Let’s help you to get some answers.
Next: A.J. English
A.J. English
Guard – 6’3″
The only guard brought in by the Bucks on Wednesday, English has proven himself as a dynamic and hungry scorer throughout his four years with the Iona Gaels. The Delaware native leaves the school with a legacy of being one of their greatest scorers ever.
Although Iona has had very few players make it to the NBA in the school’s history, English could at least be in with a fighting chance.
He was named MVP at the prestigious Portsmouth Invitational Tournament which brings some of the country’s best seniors together year after year, and left no doubt of his ability to step up and provide big performances during his final year as a Gael
If he ends up drafted, it will likely be late in the second round. A team willing to take that chance would get a willing scorer who’s confident in knocking down shots in an efficient manner.
As a player who made 37.4 percent of his three-pointers throughout his college career, it’s not surprising that the Bucks have decided to at least take a look at him.
Next: Joel Bolomboy
Joel Bolomboy
Power Forward – 6’9″
Weber State doesn’t have the most consistent record when it comes to producing NBA talent, but as Damian Lillard has proven, they are more than capable of helping to develop a diamond in the rough.
The chances of Bolomboy ever reaching the heights that Lillard has seem slim to none, but projected by many to be picked in the second round, he could at least develop into a solid rotational player.
Bolomboy is a high energy power forward who will crash the boards on both ends and have little difficulty finishing in the post. He may not be the tallest, but Bolomboy has a good frame which allows him to hold his own physically.
The former Wildcat has some work to do to turn himself into a reliable stretch four option, but he isn’t afraid of taking jumpers and has shown himself to be able to make them with an increasing reliability.
Mid-range shouldn’t be too much of a stretch for him, but even from beyond the three-point line, he made 37.1 percent of his triples throughout his four years with Weber State. A physical rebounder with shooting ability could help the Bucks to shore up their power forward rotation in the second round.
Next: Shawn Long
Shawn Long
Power Forward/Center – 6’11”
Not many players get to go through four years of college and leave with a career stat line as impressive as Shawn Long’s for his four seasons at Louisiana Lafayette.
Long averaged a double-double for every season he played with the Ragin’ Cajuns, while posting an overall field goal percentage of 50.3 percent. This meant that he finished his college career as the NCAA’s active leader in double-doubles and rebounds.
Long likes to try to stretch the floor occasionally (with mixed success), but his best work comes when he utilizes his strength and uncharacteristic quickness for his size to score in bunches at the basket.
The big question mark hanging over Long’s NBA hopes is which position is he best equipped to play at the next level.
He would be a big power forward but may get beaten easily on the defensive end and could congest the paint, while as a center he’d be susceptible to being bullied by the NBA’s strongest big men. He has some skills that the Bucks could use, but he may not be able to put them together as NBA teams would like.
Next: Jameel Warney
Jameel Warney
Power Forward – 6’8″
It’s a testament to Jameel Warney just how the Stony Brook Seawolves have progressed as a program during his time with the team. That culminated in the school’s first appearance at the NCAA Tournament coming this season, where Warney and his teammates got their time in the spotlight.
After claiming their first ever America East Conference Tournament, Warney’s Stony Brook went toe-to-toe with the might of Kentucky as part of March Madness. They might have been defeated comfortably, but as an exercise in awareness it was valuable to all involved.
Warney is no exception. The New Jersey native averaged 19.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game in his senior year, and that included a 23 point, 15 rebound showing against coach Calipari’s Wildcats
Warney’s physical profile does not seem to bode well for the possibility of him making a successful transition to the NBA, as at 6’8″ he’s going to be an undersized power forward who isn’t close to being athletic enough to slide down to play the three spot.
If Warney does make it, he’ll have his experience and his high basketball IQ to thank. It may be an underrated quality in prospects, but Warney has some very solid basketball instincts that have allowed him to excel in college in spite of some of his physical limitations.
Next: Trahson Burrell
Trahson Burrell
Small Forward – 6’7″
Having transferred from Lee College to Memphis at the halfway point of his college eligibility, Burrell went on to be a valuable part of the Tigers rotation. The program in Memphis has toiled somewhat since the departure of John Calipari, but it remains a school with strong pedigree.
Burrell had to spend some time at Junior College in order to meet academic requirements, and that means that in spite of his age, his development isn’t as far along as it possibly could have been.
Away from his play on the court, Burrell struggled at times to make the adjustment to what a major program demanded of him. In his numbers alone, it’s easy to notice that Burrell settled in better in his second season.
Burrell is an active rebounder who’s first instinct offensively is to score. Unfortunately his three-point shot isn’t where it needs to be as of yet, averaging only just over 30 percent for his time with Memphis.
The way his journey has panned out likely means that Burrell’s potential hasn’t been reached yet, but there’ll be plenty of reason for NBA teams to question whether his ceiling is high enough for them to take a chance on too.
Next: Matt Tiby
Matt Tiby
Forward – 6’8″
Although a native of Iowa, Matt Tiby is a player who will be familiar to many around the Milwaukee area considering he has spent the past few years playing at UW-Milwaukee.
In his time with the Panthers, Tiby has showcased a nice feel for the game that has left his skills very well-rounded. Having shown significant improvements across the board, year-on-year throughout that spell, Tiby is certainly still trending up too.
Tiby is a good rebounder for his size who is always active in his time on the court. Although he’s a competent scorer off the drive or even occasionally in the post, it’s Tiby’s shooting that gives him the potential to be a shock NBA prospect.
The 23-year-old is very comfortable in a spot-up or catch and shoot capacity, but will also look to use his shot as a way of grabbing an advantage over bigger defenders down low by going to a quick turnaround.
It would be a surprise if he got drafted, but there’s plenty to like about how Tiby plays the game and he should be able to carve out a professional career for himself, even if it is outside of the NBA.
Next: NBA Mock Draft 2016 1.0: The Milwaukee Bucks Go Big
We’ll check back in with the rundown on more workout attendees in the coming days and weeks.