The 2023 NBA Draft is approaching, and it will be interesting to see what the Milwaukee Bucks do.
At the moment, their lone selection is 58th overall, which is the final pick of the draft. The Bucks reportedly have an interest in moving up to the late 20s or early 30s to grab a win or NBA-ready player, per The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie (Subscription required) in his latest mock draft, but for now, they’ll have the last pick of the night. If they stay in that final overall spot, Vecenie has them taking G-League Ignite’s Mojave King.
The Athletic’s 2023 NBA mock draft has Bucks taking an exciting guard
It’d be something if the Bucks took an exciting and athletic guard from the G-League Ignite for the second year in a row; of course, they selected MarJon Beauchamp last season.
In 30 games with the Ignite, King averaged 8.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per contest. Playing for the Ignite, King got a feel for playing against legitimate NBA players. As highlighted a moment ago, King is extremely athletic, and the 6-foot-5 guard used that to his advantage this past season defensively by showcasing that he could defend a slew of different positions very well using his switchability. The Bucks could always use another stout defender in the backcourt.
One big concern with King was his efficiency this past season. In those 30 games, he shot a mere 41.3 percent from the floor and 24.3 percent from deep, which certainly is not enticing. Yet, he’s still undoubtedly worth a look if he’s still on the board at 58th overall. In a post-workout interview with the Indiana Pacers, King said he likes to get out in transition and shoot threes when asked how he likes to play. The Bucks could undoubtedly use some more of that in town, in addition to the defense he brings to the table.
At 20 years old, King has plenty of potential. It’d be compelling to see what he could do on a team like the Bucks, who need younger pieces to develop over the next few years, especially with a new coach who is well-known for his player development skills.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis leading up to the 2023 NBA Draft.