The Milwaukee Bucks are no strangers to finding diamonds in the rough, and their latest addition, Jack Gohlke, might just be the next success story.
A sharpshooter with a remarkable college resume, Gohlke joins the Wisconsin Herd, the G-League affiliate of the Bucks, after an unconventional path that mirrors that of current Buck AJ Green. Both players thrived in college, went undrafted and found themselves grinding in the G-League with dreams of making it to the NBA.
Standing at 6-foot-3, Gohlke, a sharpshooter with a unique college career, has an interesting background. After a standout performance in the NCAA Tournament with Oakland, where he famously drained ten 3-pointers in a single game against Kentucky, Gohlke went undrafted. He then embarked on an overseas adventure, honing his skills in the competitive leagues of Europe.
Just like AJ Green, his shooting is his calling card, and the numbers back it up. During his final season at Oakland University, Gohlke averaged 13.1 points per game, shooting an eye-popping 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. Most remarkably, 97 percent of his shots were 3-point attempts, showcasing his singular focus and elite ability to stretch the floor.
That efficiency caught the attention of scouts, even after his brief stint overseas with KK Podgorica, where he struggled to find consistent minutes. Now, with the Herd, Gohlke has the chance to hone his craft and follow Green’s trajectory from overlooked prospect to NBA contributor.
Bucks G-League newcomer has a blueprint to success
Fortunately for Gohlke, the path to making it to the NBA is already there for him to follow.
AJ Green’s journey is one Gohlke would surely love to replicate. The undrafted Green quickly made a name for himself in the G-League with his shooting consistency and court IQ. For the Herd during the 2022–23 season, Green averaged 18.1 points per game on 44.5 percent shooting from three. That production earned him a call-up to the Bucks, where he carved out a niche as a reliable bench scorer. Today, Pat Connaughton passed him the torch as the team's do-everything two-way scoring threat.
Gohlke has a similar opportunity if he can translate his shooting prowess to the professional level.
Comparing their skill sets, Green probably holds an edge in playmaking and overall versatility at the moment, but Gohlke’s unrelenting focus on 3-point shooting might make him an even more specialized weapon. His legendary performance against Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament demonstrates his ability to shine under pressure, a trait that bodes well for his NBA aspirations.
It should also be worth mentioning that AJ Green didn't blossom into the perimeter stopper he is today until later into his Milwaukee Bucks tenure. After all, that ended up being the final straw that ultimately put him over Pat Connaughton in the team's pecking order. At the same time, though, while Gohlke's stocky build makes him very similar to Green on that side of the floor, his height also makes him more comparable to a guy like Sam Merrill, who also ended up carving out a role for himself on the Cleveland Cavaliers after leaving the Milwaukee Bucks.
The point is that all around the league, we're seeing that just being a specialist in one area of the game won't cut it anymore. Even the most elite of shooters will have to learn how to defend at a high level, too. AJ Green did it, and the hope with Gohlke is that he can follow the same path eventually.
For fans, Jack Gohlke’s story is one of grit and determination. These are the kinds of players fans rally around—the ones who fight their way to the top. If Gohlke can capitalize on this opportunity with the Herd and show the same consistency that made him a college star, it won’t be too long before he’s lighting it up at Fiserv Forum.
As of late, the Milwaukee Bucks have all of a sudden proven adept at identifying and nurturing young talent, especially shooters, and Jack Gohlke might be their next success story. He'll have to be, too, since the team has such limited options for landing fresh talent in the coming years. It’s a long road from the G-League to the NBA, but Gohlke is definitely a player worth keeping an eye on.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.