Milwaukee Bucks: The franchise’s forgotten Hall of Famers
By Adam McGee
Guy Rodgers
When Bucks fans think of the expansion draft that provided the franchise with its first roster all the way back in 1968, it’s likely Jon McGlocklin who comes to mind considering what he helped the team achieve over the years that followed. In spite of the esteem McGlocklin is held in, there can be no doubting that Guy Rodgers was a considerably more notable addition, though.
At 33 years old, Rodgers was undoubtedly in the final stages of his career at that point, but his vast experience and impressive résumé certainly spoke for themselves.
Having twice earned All-American honors at Temple, Rodgers’ career only went from strength to strength upon landing in the NBA. He was a four-time All-Star with the San Francisco Warriors, while Rodgers finished as the league’s assists leader in 1963 with the Warriors and 1967 with the Bulls.
Rodgers was a point guard gifted with tremendous vision and feel, and a knack for gliding all the way to the basket, which made him comfortably one of the most entertaining players of his era.
The Philadelphia native also formed a great partnership with Wilt Chamberlain, and although the pair never managed to win a championship together, they came close in 1964 when they lost in the Finals to the Boston Celtics.
With the Bucks, Rodgers played 152 games across the franchise’s first two seasons, combining regular season and playoff games. His age ensured he was never going to be a focal point of the team’s plans, but Rodgers produced steadily as a veteran presence, averaging 7.2 points and 5.3 assists in 20 minutes per game as a Buck.