Milwaukee Bucks: Get To Know Thon Maker
By Adam McGee
Strengths
Let’s put the physical, practical side of Thon Maker’s game aside for a moment.
For all of the potential that the youngster possesses thanks to his incredible physical gifts, he’s untested and his skill is difficult to measure. Undoubtedly his greatest strength at this point comes in who he is as a person.
That may sound like some form of overplayed cliché, but it doesn’t seem like an exaggeration to say that could ultimately have been what set him apart from other prospects under consideration from Milwaukee.
Maker’s journey to this point makes for interesting reading, but what’s more important is that it seems to have shaped his character with a grit, a grace and a perseverance.
When the Bucks drafted Maker on Thursday night, tales of him working out,of his own volition, for a second time hours after his formal workout in Milwaukee quickly surfaced. General manager John Hammond described the team’s reasons for picking Maker in a way that would suggest that level of hunger and commitment did not go unnoticed.
"“We know he is going to do everything he can to make himself the best player he can possibly be. We don’t have to teach him how to work. He knows how to work”"
Prior to the draft when the notion of him being selected 10th overall would have seemed like a fantasy, Jonathan Givony of Draft Express asked the 19-year-old whether how high he would be drafted held any significance to him.
"“It’s more important for me to be picked where I fit. When I’m on an NBA team I’m going to get my apartment five to ten mins walking distance to the practice facility. I’m going to live in the gym. I’m just ready to go to work every day. I want to be picked early, but I also want to go where it is a good fit.”"
When you hear Maker continuously talk about a desire to “live in the gym” every day, you start to believe him.
That work ethic and attitude is something the Bucks have clearly been eager to add across their roster, but it’s also vital to Maker’s chances of development considering where he is at present. Thon Maker currently resembles a ball of unmolded clay.
His height will give him a distinct advantage over most players he comes up against, whether that’s being disruptive defensively, or shooting/finishing over smaller men on offense.
His athleticism is at a level that had never previously been seen at the Draft Combine for a player who was taller than 7’0″. A standing vertical of 32″ and a max vertical of 36.5″ are intriguing weapons.
On top of that, Maker is incredibly mobile. He’ll run up and down the court with ease and speed, and perhaps most importantly for an NBA big man, he seems as if his motor will allow him to do so over and over again.
The physical tools are special, but it’s only when they’re married with Maker’s impressive mentality that you start to get a real sense of excitement about what could be in his future.
Next: Weaknesses