Milwaukee Bucks: Top-10 individual seasons in franchise history
By Ben Sewell
10. Andrew Bogut – (2009-10)
Stat line – 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.5 blocks per game
Accolades – All-NBA Third Team
Bucks Record: 46-36 (6th in Eastern Conference), 4-2 loss in first round of playoffs
After being selected with the first overall pick in 2005, much was expected of Andrew Bogut. Through his first four seasons, he slowly put together a respectable resume, before exploding in his fifth year in the NBA.
That year, Milwaukee paired Bogut with rookie point guard Brandon Jennings in a combination which propelled the Bucks to their best year in almost a decade. To this day, only the 2000-01 Bucks, who made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals have had a better season record since the turn of the century.
Bogut’s pairing with Brandon Jennings led to the team and the media coining the phrase “Fear the Dear”, and had many Bucks fans salivating at the thought of a decade of dominance from the pair.
Bogut had his most dominant year in the NBA on offense, averaging almost 16 points per game, while shooting at over 50 percent from the field. It was his ability to rebound and defend the paint which really set him apart in this season, though. Bogut finished second overall in blocks per game and really transformed Milwaukee into a defensive juggernaut under the tutelage of Scott Skiles.
Late in the season however, Bogut was cut down by one of the most gruesome injuries in NBA history as he dislocated his elbow while falling awkwardly after a dunk. Unfortunately, Bogut never really returned to this elite level of play, as this injury played havoc on his body, both physically and mentally.
Who knows how high Bogut could have been on the all-time Bucks list, if not for this injury.