In what is an uncertain time for Milwaukee Bucks fans with the future of star Giannis Antetokounmpo swirling in rumors by the day, one thing they should be excited by is the performances of forgotten draft pick Bogoljub Markovic over in Serbia. The forward's latest performance displayed all the attributes that led to the Bucks surprising everyone with their draft selection in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Bogoljub Markovic can be a sneaky piece of the Bucks' core
Milwaukee's draft history has not been pleasant ever since they selected Giannis back in 2013. Markovic was taken with the 47th pick in the 2025 draft, the only pick the Bucks had. Following on from AJ Johnson being selected in the first round in 2024 as a raw talent, and Tyler Smith now no longer being on the team, Markovic felt like another strange, risky draft pick that didn't look at NBA-ready players.
Unfortunately, many thought he would be added to a long list of unsuccessful decisions by the front office when it came to the draft.
However, the young Serbian is quietly going about his business with Mega Basket. Over the weekend, he led them to victory over Crvena Zvezda with an impressive 29-point showing. What really stands out is that he also added 10 rebounds, six assists, and two steals without committing a turnover in 35 minutes on the floor. He was efficient too, shooting 9-of-18 (50 percent) from the field and making all nine of his free throw attempts.
As expected with a player that is so raw still at just 20-years-old, his overall efficiency has been up and down so far this season, but he has levelled out to solid shooting splits of .505/.313/846. During Summer League, we saw that on full display. Markovic is exceptionally talented offensively, and his ability to stretch the floor suits the modern NBA. However, with plenty more experience needed, he can become the efficient scorer the Milwaukee Bucks need in the long term.
His performances have not only gone under the radar due to his being stashed overseas, but with all the talk surrounding the current Bucks and the potential moves they may make, he deserves his flowers. Bobby Portis and Myles Turner could be on the move at the trade deadline or in the offseason, opening up a spot for Markovic to feature in the frontcourt next season.
Pete Nance has shown what he can do when given the opportunity, yes he is a few years older than Markovic, but having bigs that can stretch the floor and crash the boards is key in the NBA. They could both feature in the frontcourt rotation moving forward.
Bogoljub Markovic is quietly putting together a really strong season in Serbia and has given Bucks fans just a glimpse as to what he can bring in the future. Some draft experts felt he was a real hidden gem in the class. Time will tell, but Markovic is showing plenty of promise to be excited about.