Top 5 Milwaukee Bucks point guards of the last 10 seasons – No. 4: George Hill
Hill was a name that I didn’t really expect to be in this top five when I first started to think about it. But in his season and a half (so far) as a Milwaukee Buck, you can’t deny that he’s one of the five best point guards to play for this franchise over the last 10 seasons.
As of right now, Hill has played 106 games for the Bucks and averaged 8.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. Although his counting stats don’t jump off the page, his efficiency and advanced numbers will.
Hill had a 60.7 percent true shooting and 56.9 percent effective field goal rate, both well above league average. He was also worth 7.9 win shares and posted a 1.1 box plus/minus, both numbers that are higher than what Knight had but in fewer games. His numbers actually are better in the playoffs, with 10.7 points on a staggering 63.5 percent true shooting and a 59.5 percent effective field goal rate.
Hill provided great stability off the bench in his first stint with the Bucks, with efficient 3-point shooting, good passing, and solid defensive ability, part of the reason why he received some Sixth Man of the Year votes. In the playoffs, he might have even been the Bucks’ best point guard at times and it’s great to see him back.
You could certainly argue Knight over Hill, but over the next couple of seasons, it will be clear he’s ahead even if he’s not a full-time starter like Knight.
Top 5 Milwaukee Bucks point guards of the last 10 seasons – No. 3: Brandon Jennings
There was a zero percent chance that Brandon Jennings wasn’t going to be on this list. I’ll admit that it crossed my mind to put Hill over Jennings, but then I realized how silly that was and how much Jennings means to this fanbase puts him ahead on its own.
Then there’s what he did on the court and that solidifies it. Jennings played 160 games for the Bucks since 2011-12 and averaged 17.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.5 steals. The efficiency numbers weren’t great at a 51.1 percent true shooting and 47.1 effective field goal rate, but he also had some solid catch-all advanced numbers. He was worth 11.5 win shares (2nd among Bucks’ point guards of the last 10 seasons), had a 1.6 box plus/minus (3rd), and 4.9 Value Over Replacement Player (2nd), via Stathead.
Jennings’ best two seasons coincided with the beginning of this sample, where he really found his game as a scorer. But more importantly, Jennings became an incredible passer and playmaker in his final couple of seasons with the Bucks. He really became such an enjoyable player to watch by the end of his first tenure with Milwaukee. Although we didn’t get the same magic from Jennings when he made his return for 14 games in 2017-18, it was still so much fun to watch him back in a Bucks jersey.
Not quite as fun as seeing him courtside for the Bucks winning the title in six games and then him enjoying the parade, though.