Milwaukee Bucks: Semi Ojeleye is finding his stride after slow start

Semi Ojeleye did not exactly make a strong first impression with the Milwaukee Bucks after being brought aboard in free agency this past offseason.

Throughout his first five appearances as a Buck, the hulking forward scored a total of nine points while shooting 3-of-18 from the floor, including 1-of-11 from behind the arc. While scoring is not everything, especially for a defensive-minded player like Ojeleye, this tough shooting start was far from a great way to start things off. In defense of Ojeleye, he did miss the team’s preseason run and several games to begin the regular season due to a nagging injury. This rust should have been expected from a player under those circumstances. Finally finding consistent time in the lineup, he has turned some heads lately.

Semi Ojeleye has found a nice rhythm over the last three games with the Milwaukee Bucks

Three games is certainly a small sample size, but Ojeleye has been fantastic during this stretch. The forward is averaging 7.7 points while shooting 8-of-10 (80 percent) from the field, including 6-of-7 (85.7 percent) from 3-point range. After struggling to throw a rock into the ocean over the first few games, Ojeleye has been on a tear over these past few games offensively, which has been a big boost for the Milwaukee Bucks’ depleted second unit.

Of course, Ojeleye’s biggest contribution has been his outside shot. According to NBA.com/stats, he is 5-of-6 on wide-open (closest defender not within six feet) 3-pointers over his last three games. This hot shooting comes after he was a brutal 0-for-10 on such shots throughout his first four games in a Bucks uniform. Ojeleye is getting wide-open looks from the outside due to the gravity of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and others, and he is finally starting to hit those shots. The looks will be there throughout the season, and he must continue knocking them down with relative consistency.

One area that has certainly been a surprise from Ojeleye is his rebounding, having pulled down 15 boards over these three games. That number alone might not catch much attention, but the fact that 11 of those rebounds have been on the offensive end is undoubtedly worth noting. Ojeleye has been incredibly active on the offensive glass by hauling in these boards and creating extra chances for his team. That hustle and effort are greatly appreciated as the team’s rebounding has taken a hit this season with Brook Lopez sidelined.

Defensively, Ojeleye has been solid thus far. Due to his 6-foot-5, 240-pound build, “The Man Made of Granite” has given the team another sturdy defender to throw at bigger bodies. His biggest test to this point has been All-Star forward Julius Randle of the New York Knicks, who he has guarded in their two matchups this season. Only one of the two meetings against New York came in this three-game stretch, but in both games, Ojeleye surrendered seven points on 3-of-10 shooting to Randle across 34.6 partial possessions. Tracking data like that can be misleading at times, but it is a fact that Ojeleye’s bigger build allows him to take on high-profile players like Randle, which will be a significant boost for the Bucks.

All in all, Ojeleye’s season has been a roller coaster ride thus far, but it is promising to see him get in a rhythm after such a lackluster start. Fans should obviously not expect Ojeleye to shoot a scorching 85.7 percent from the outside for the remainder of the season, but he has proven in this string of games that he can indeed let it fly and knock down those shots. Defensively, he will be a big piece for them as the season goes on. It is hard to formulate a set-in-stone opinion about him after a solid three-game stretch, especially after four lackluster games, but Ojeleye is trending in the right direction.

It will be interesting to see how he performs tonight against his former team in the Boston Celtics, so be sure to catch the action.