Milwaukee Bucks: D.J. Wilson’s quiet rookie season and the potential for regret

Picked at 17th overall in last summer’s NBA Draft, D.J. Wilson is having a quiet rookie season for the Milwaukee Bucks, leaving potential for buyer’s remorse.

On the night of the 2017 NBA Draft, there were surely some furrowed brows from Milwaukee Bucks fans. It’s not tough to imagine countless fingers pointed at their screen of choice, likely with the same reaction: “D.J. Wilson?”

The Bucks’ selection was D.J. Wilson, a 6’10” forward from the University of Michigan. Regardless of your draft knowledge last summer, the pick was probably a surprise.

A majority of rankings and mock drafts had Wilson projected firmly in the 20s, and there was little discussion about him landing with the Bucks throughout the pre-draft process.

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However, after the draft, the idea behind the pick began to make some sense. Wilson was coming off a junior season where he averaged 11.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, with shooting splits of 53.8 percent from the field, 37.3 percent from deep and 83.3 percent from the free throw line.

That production combined with his physical tools — including a 7’3″ wingspan that is always coveted by the Bucks — meant that Wilson’s ideal, fully realized trajectory would be a great fit on Milwaukee’s roster.

Let’s be honest, a stretch four with the defensive ability to switch on to smaller players would be a welcome sight to almost every lineup combination.

Over halfway through Wilson’s rookie season, the wait for any real signs of that potential translating to tangible results on the court continues, though.