Jordan Nwora is still looking for his niche with the Milwaukee Bucks

Jordan Nwora has been among the Milwaukee Bucks under a microscope throughout the team’s eventful 12-8 start to the season.

The sophomore forward was expected to see a larger opportunity entering year two, and he has gotten that chance early on. Nwora is currently averaging 19.9 minutes per game, the ninth-most on the 2021-22 roster. He saw a key role for the defending champions to start the season, but his playing time took a massive dip recently to the point where he did not play in two straight games. This inconsistent playing time is part of the growing pains that come with being a 23-year-old on a veteran-oriented team that just won a championship. Still, despite his inexperience, Nwora is a player that could be incredibly valuable for this Bucks team once he finds his groove.

Looking at Jordan Nwora’s early returns and how he can continue to find his niche with the Milwaukee Bucks

The biggest way for Nwora to carve out a role in the rotation would be with his lethal scoring and prolific outside shot. Both have been on display for the Bucks throughout the season, but Nwora has had a troublesome time doing it on a nightly basis. For reference, check out his stats from the last three games.

• 11/22 vs. Orlando: 14 points, 5-of-13 field goal shooting, 26 minutes
• 11/24 vs. Detroit: 2 points, 0-for-0 field goal shooting, 16 minutes
• 11/26 vs. Denver: 8 points, 3-of-5 field goal shooting, 13 minutes

Fans just never know what to expect from the forward. One night he could erupt for double-digit points and then struggle mightily during the next. He is working through those issues early as he understands how vital his contributions off the bench will be for the Bucks. To his credit, Nwora is shooting the 3-pointer with the utmost confidence this season, having knocked down 25 triples to this point, the fourth-most on the team after 20 games. That shooting will be his biggest weapon if he can just get a grip on it consistently.

According to NBA.com/stats, the forward is making good on wide-open attempts, having shot an impressive 18-of-38 (47.4 percent) on such shots from behind the arc. His ability to knock down those shots with regularity when sharing the floor with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and others will surely earn him minutes. His ability to catch-and-shoot from the perimeter has been a crucial factor in his success this season, as he has had no issues adopting Milwaukee’s “let it fly” mindset. If he keeps shooting it with this much success, there will be time for him in the rotation.

Another area Nwora will have to work on is his turnovers. The forward has 23 of them this year, which is also how many assists he has. The Bucks are not expecting Nwora to be a facilitator for them, but he should aim to take better care of the basketball. For instance, there were multiple plays from Nwora in Milwaukee’s recent win over the New York Knicks that were frustrating. The first was Nwora getting pickpocketed by Derrick Rose to end the third quarter, which led to a made basket by the Knicks on the other end. Nwora would log another almost costly turnover off a lazy pass to Antetokounmpo, which was stolen and turned into a 3-point basket by New York. He will have to clean this up moving forward.

Overall, Nwora is averaging eight points on .400/.357/.846 shooting splits, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game this year. While those numbers have improved compared to his rookie campaign, there is still room for the 23-year-old to grow. Hopefully he will continue to get a chance to do so for the Bucks. His playing time might continue to be up and down, but when he is fortunate to get the chance out on the floor, he must take advantage. The Bucks have a special player here.

Time will tell if Nwora can cement his role moving forward for the Milwaukee Bucks.