5 Takeaways from the Milwaukee Bucks’ 5 NBA Summer League games
By Dalton Sell
The Milwaukee Bucks have officially concluded their five-game NBA Summer League showing.
It was a week of hit-or-miss play for the Bucks, who started off red hot by winning their opening two games before dropping three straight. Those five contests gave fans a closer look at some of Milwaukee’s young talent, so let’s break down some of the takeaways involving those players by looking at the tape they provided from Summer League.
No. 1 – Andre Jackson Jr. is fascinating, but he’s understandably got work to do for the Milwaukee Bucks
Having traded up to select him in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Bucks certainly liked Andre Jackson Jr. Everyone was very excited to watch the 36th overall pick in action for the first time while donning a Milwaukee Bucks uniform.
On the positive side, Jackson showed some tremendous potential on both ends. His most notable moment of Summer League was blocking two shots in about 10 seconds vs. the Denver Nuggets, having shown off his incredible athleticism. In addition to his shot-blocking, Jackson showed that he could be a pesky on-ball defender as well by relentlessly hounding his opponents.
Elsewhere, Jackson showed his tenacity on the glass, as the 6-foot-6 wing led the team in boards with 6.4 per game. He displayed a knack for tracking down boards and hauling them in. One of his biggest strengths coming in was his facilitating, which Jackson showcased countless times during this stretch, especially with some spot-on outlet passes to find his man down the court for a score on the other end.
On the negative side, Jackson’s offense was the biggest downside. While it was well-known that his strengths were not prominent on offense, it was a tough week for the wing. He averaged just 5.4 points while shooting 33 percent from the floor and 20 percent from deep. On top of that, he had some trouble taking control of the ball, having notched a team-high 3.6 turnovers per game.
All in all, Jackson showcased some legitimate potential as a second unit wing defender and passer. He’ll have to work on his long-range shooting, as teams will constantly dare him to shoot it at the next level, and his passing accuracy, but both of those were to be expected somewhat. The second rounder has the potential to make his way into Milwaukee’s rotation fairly quickly next season if he can work on improving his game in those areas.