The Milwaukee Bucks have several new faces on the roster heading into next season, but who exactly is free agent acquisition Bryn Forbes?
The Milwaukee Bucks previously promised to reshape the roster this offseason, and they delivered.
Of course, the blockbuster trade to acquire Jrue Holiday is the most prominent move from the team, but they also considerably shored up their depth. They added several stellar players through free agency, including D.J. Augustin, Bobby Portis, and Torrey Craig, but an addition flying under the radar is Bryn Forbes.
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Milwaukee signed Forbes to a two-year deal worth $4.7 million as part of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception, with the second year reportedly having a player option.
Forbes adds another pivotal piece to the Bucks’ remodeled wing depth after a hectic offseason, and he will be a crucial component in their success this season.
But before the 2020-21 season kicks off in the coming weeks, here is an introduction of Bryn Forbes’ journey that led him to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Bryn Forbes’ high school and collegiate career
Bryn Forbes attended J.W. Sexton High School in Lansing, Michigan, where he won back-to-back Class B State Titles in 2011 as a junior and 2012 as a senior. Despite being honored as a member of the Lansing State Journal Dream Team and Class B All-State selection for the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News, Forbes received little college interest.
In fact, his only college offer was from Cleveland State, where he ultimately began his collegiate career. Over his first two seasons, Forbes averaged 14.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game across 64 contests.
After his sophomore season, Forbes elected to transfer to Michigan State to be closer to home, with numerous family issues having taken center stage in his life. There was uncertainty whether the NCAA would grant Forbes immediate eligibility or if he would have to wait a year, but they ultimately allowed him to play without the hiatus.
The opportunity to play for his hometown and also be close to his family meant the world to Forbes as transcribed by Pete Rossman of SB Nation’s The Only Colors:
"“I’m very thankful to the NCAA for allowing me to play this season. I also want to thank Coach Waters and the Cleveland State program for being supportive of my desire to return home. My family is extremely important to me and I can’t think of a better situation than being able to play in my hometown. This is truly a blessing to me. I’m happy to have this behind me, so that I can focus on balancing basketball, school and family obligations. I just look forward to contributing to the team any way I can."
Forbes struggled to gain his footing at MSU throughout his junior year, having averaged just 8.5 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.0 assists across 39 games, 24 of them being starts. One thing that stuck out was the guard’s stellar 3-point shooting, having connected on 42.7 percent of his attempts from behind the arc on the season.
It was that prolific shooting that made him into a full-time starter his senior year as he bumped that percentage up to 48.1 per game. In addition to that shooting, he increased his other stats across the board, having averaged 14.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game, and received Second Team All-Big Ten honors.