Milwaukee Bucks Summer League Preview: July 8 vs Dallas Mavericks

Green light for Wilson

D.J. Wilson may not have been the star performer in Friday’s win over the Pistons, but considering the pressure on his shoulders during this year’s Summer League play, he was very impressive.

After a rookie season where the 22-year-old rarely saw the floor and generally looked out of his depth on the occasions he did, it’s not an exaggeration to suggest showing real progress this summer could be pivotal to his future.

In that regard, Wilson certainly appeared stronger in his first taste of Vegas action of 2018, and that added muscle may have encouraged the coaching staff to give the young Buck the great freedom he seemed to be playing with in that game.

Wilson played a team-high 25 minutes in the opener, and demonstrated a willingness to let fly from distance, carry the ball up the floor and, perhaps most notably, make plays defensively. The former Michigan Wolverine was incredibly active on the defensive end, as evidenced by his four steals, but also clear from his eagerness to alter opponent’s shots.

For Milwaukee, there’s no reason not to continue to hand the keys over to Wilson, and if he can continue to impact the game on both ends like he did against Detroit, that alone could make Summer League a success for the Bucks.