Milwaukee Bucks 2018-19 Season Review: Malcolm Brogdon
By Adam McGee
The best of Brogdon
There can be no doubting that you’ve had a good year when you earn a spot in one of the most prestigious and illustrious statistical groups in NBA history.
That’s exactly what Brogdon did in 2018-19 too, as with outstanding shooting averages of 50.5 percent from the field, 40.8 percent from deep, and a league-leading 92.8 percent from the free throw line, the 26-year-old became just the eighth player to join the 50-40-90 club.
Earning a spot alongside legendary shooters such as Larry Bird, Steve Nash, Reggie Miller and Stephen Curry is no mean feat, and it wasn’t necessarily something anyone was predicting for Brogdon before the season.
Brogdon has been a stellar three-point shooter throughout his NBA career to date, but he’d never previously shot 50 percent or better from the field or 90 percent or better from the line over the course of a season.
His ability to do so this time around stands as a testament to improvements in his game and his comfort level.
Brogdon’s three-point shooting gets much of the talk surrounding his 50-40-90 exploits, but the truth is his ability to drive to the rim and finish was just as important. Away from his own individual numbers, that particular bow in his arsenal is vital to his team too.
Brogdon has long been one of Milwaukee’s best ball-handlers and initiators, but his increasing efficiency and success when driving to the rim has only made him more deadly than ever in that capacity. As a result, the Bucks were frequently able to ask him to lead lineups otherwise filled with bench players for meaningful spells, and benefit from the positive results.
On the whole, Brogdon’s offensive contributions ascended to entirely new levels this season.