4. Jennings returns
When the Wisconsin Herd signed Brandon Jennings this season, a wave of nostalgia swept through the fanbase. As one of the few shining lights for Milwaukee during the early 2010s, many (including yours truly) were sad to see the back of him when he was traded to Detroit back in 2013.
As a highly inefficient scorer, even during his peak, it was not so surprising to see him put up large numbers during his time in the G League. In seven games, Jennings averaged 21.4 points, 8.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 steals, while shooting an abysmal 34.4 percent from the field. The Jennings of old had returned to the state of Wisconsin.
When news broke that the Bucks had signed Jennings to a 10-day contract back in early March, it was met with tepid expectations. As a 15th man on the roster, not a lot was expected for Jennings as he was thought to be mere cover for the point guard position while Malcolm Brogdon and Matthew Dellavedova returned from injury.
So when it was time for Jennings to first suit up for Milwaukee against a tanking Memphis Grizzlies outfit, not a lot was expected. Jennings however had different ideas, shocking the basketball world in what was his first NBA game in almost a year with a combination of efficient scoring and exciting playmaking.
Jennings finished the contest with 16 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds, while shooting over 50 percent from the field, including 3-for-6 from deep. Jennings was undoubtedly the best player on the court that evening, in what turned into an 18-point blowout win against Memphis. The entire fanbase was in a state of shock as the former star point guard was again carrying the team to a win in 2018, almost five years after they had traded him away.
To get any sort of production out of a 10-day contract player is a bonus, but for Jennings to finish just two measly rebounds shy of a triple-double, stands out as one of the biggest moments of the season for the Bucks.
In the time since, Jennings signed a multi-year contract with the Bucks, giving the team an option to keep him around next season. If it wasn’t for this performance, that likely wouldn’t have come to pass.