Milwaukee Bucks Found Their Identity On Draft Night

As the Milwaukee Bucks hope to turn their fortunes around for next season, work will be the order of the day.

The 2015-16 season saw the Milwaukee Bucks lose their way a little.

Not just in terms of record, where eight less wins represented a significant step back, but in terms of defining the culture that could ultimately see them progress to far greater successes.

As one of the NBA’s surprise packages in the previous season, Milwaukee had built a reputation for stellar defense and a consistent competitive edge that they would bring to the floor on a nightly basis.

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Only 12 months on from being the NBA’s second best defense, they found themselves firmly entrenched among the league’s 10 worst defensive teams.

Defense might have been the spur to originally bring the team back to relevance, but it was clear it could no longer be justifiably used to describe their output.

Still, it’s tough to find an interview with head coach Jason Kidd and general manager John Hammond that still doesn’t lean on tropes such as “its starts and ends with defense”, so of course, the long term goal remains to win thanks to their play on that end of the floor.

It seems though that if anything was learned from a season which left plenty to be learned from, it’s that talent doesn’t make winning a right.

There needs to be blood, sweat and tears too.

When many of Milwaukee’s players gathered to speak to the media at the end of last season, there were two common themes. The first was a feeling of disappointment and a sense of having underachieved. The second was centered around effort.

Nobody’s comments were seemingly as barbed as Jabari Parker‘s though, a young man who seemed intent on setting the standards over the summer and into a new campaign.

"I know for myself, I’m going to get better. I’m going to be in the gym 24/7, not in the beginning but down the line. I’m going to let my body recuperate and let my joints heal, but I know that I have a plan of what I want to do, and if I happen to surpass some people on my team and they don’t have that same mentality, so be it, but I know individually where I want to be."

If Jabari intended that comment to sound like a note to the management, it seems as if they’ve listened.

Draft night seemed to signal a shift in tone. While many scratched their heads over a decision with the 10th pick that might have made little sense on the outside in terms of immediacy, a new buzz word began to emerge.

Work.

Perhaps if everyone knew what they were looking for, the team’s selection would have been a little bit more obvious following on from comments hours before, from Kidd’s press conference to mark his contract extension.

When the head coach was asked what he hoped to see the team add later that evening, he didn’t revert to one of his usual variety of canned answers. or one of his go-to jokes as he did at the press conference the next day (Kidd has a habit of wryly proclaiming that the only prerequisite is “a basketball player who can wear the jersey”), instead he added a different insight.

"“I think we might sometimes overlook this skill, and that’s to work. Sometimes we just look at talent, but is the person or the player willing to work?”"

Hours later as Deyonta Davis slid to the second round having seemingly been the favorite of many to be selected by the Bucks, it suddenly seemed like no coincidence that his own college coach Tom Izzo had on occasion questioned his work ethic.

On the flip side, Thon Maker stood in Milwaukee’s practice facility on Wednesday holding up his new no.7 jersey, as both he and the team’s staff regaled the media with tales of him virtually volunteering his services for an extra workout when he came in to work with the Bucks.

In conversation with Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony pre-draft, Maker made it clear who he was going to be as a pro.

"“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.”"

That was a sentiment that Hammond echoed on the night of the draft too.

"“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.”"

It’s not just Maker either. As much as the experienced Malcolm Brogdon adds a lot more in regard to obvious Bucks needs, he brings that same character and hunger to improve to the table.

"“I think I always naturally lead on the court by just working. I’m going to work and guys tend to follow that, but I know that hard work is on this team, so I hope that I just join in on the culture.”"

If the Bucks want to win, they know they need to have players who will set a standard, and then hold others to it.

Jabari Parker seems up to that challenge. Kidd spoke about having no fears in watching Giannis Antetokounmpo represent his national team as he has “worked extremely hard this summer and he’s ready to go.” Maker and Brogdon will also be comfortable fits in that regard.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks: Get To Know Thon Maker

Only a few days from more new faces and the beginning of free agency, expect the Bucks to pursue a certain profile of player. Moving forward, they want to be the team prepared to make the greatest sacrifices, in the hope that the greatest rewards will follow.