With the NBA season well underway, it is easy to forget that the Milwaukee Bucks' 2025 Draft pick is still in action with Mega Basket in the ABA League. It was a surprising second-round pick from Jon Horst and co., but Bogoljub Markovic just had a monster game that highlights the potential of the Serbian forward.
Bogoljub Markovic gives Bucks fans a glimpse of what he can become
Mega Basket won 109-83 in emphatic fashion over Perspektiva Ilirija, as Bogoljub Markovic led the way with 30 points, seven rebounds, and three assists whilst shooting 58.8 percent from the field. The Bucks prospect did this in just over 27 minutes, giving fans a glimmer of hope for what his future could look like in Wisconsin.
Markovic made 8-of-9 (88.9 percent) of his shots from 2-point range, 2-of-8 (25 percent) from deep, and was fouled 11 times, leading to him shooting 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) at the free throw line. Despite his slim frame, he only committed three fouls and had a game-high +21 when he was on the court.
Markovic's Summer League performances gave Bucks fans the first opportunity to see him play on U.S. soil. Across his five games in Las Vegas, he averaged eight points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on shooting splits of .483/.154/.769. Offensively, he has shown an ability to score on all three levels. His 3-point shooting was slightly disappointing at Summer League, with him shooting a much better 37 percent from deep last season in the ABA League.
Questions were asked over the draft selection, and rightfully so. Milwaukee's drafting process since drafting Giannis Antetokounmpo back in 2013 has had little success. With the team feeling the need to compete and bring in NBA-ready players from college, the Milwaukee Bucks once again opted for the unknown 20-year-old from Serbia.
Milwaukee has finally turned towards a younger, more athletic roster this season, and it has shown plenty of positives to begin the season. Markovic does fit the age profile, but he is still slow-moving his feet and needs to put muscle on to hold off NBA-level physicality.
Tyler Smith was a project player, but even he lasted just one year with the team before being waived. For Markovic, he at least has the opportunity to develop in a familiar environment with familiar coaches and teammates, rather than taking up a roster spot with the Milwaukee Bucks.
With the ability to stretch the floor, Markovic feels like a very nice complementary piece to use alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in the frontcourt. There is plenty he still needs to work on with his game, along with physical development to compete in the NBA, but there is clear potential to feel positive about.