With Mark Sears, Jamaree Bouyea, and Pete Nance occupying the Milwaukee Bucks' three two-way roster spots, Stanley Umude is the odd man out. The wing spent last season with Milwaukee but did not see a prominent role whatsoever. He remains a free agent in late August, with no other teams in the hunt for wings jumping to sign him. There's no telling what will come next.
Umude's potential with the Bucks never fully came to the surface
There was plenty of initial intrigue when the Milwaukee Bucks inked Umude to his two-way deal last summer. A 6-foot-6 wing who shot 45.3 percent and showed defensive potential? - albeit in limited minutes - Sign Bucks fans up. It felt like this could have been the team's most overlooked signing and one that could help out in a big way down the line. It didn't.
Umude never quite found his footing in Milwaukee, logging just 3.9 minutes per game in 22 contests. The wing spent most of his time with the Wisconsin Herd in the G League, where he did show flashes, but it wasn't enough for the Milwaukee Bucks to hand him a legitimate deal.
Rather than retain him, the Bucks decided to bring in Mark Sears out of the undrafted pool following the 2025 NBA Draft, giving them another point guard. Sears certainly boasts more potential, giving Milwaukee a 23-year-old guard with a laundry list of accomplishments, including 2025 Consensus first-team All-American honors.
While Umude won't be with the Milwaukee Bucks next season, there is a chance he could stick around in Wisconsin. The wing already has familiarity with the Herd, so if no one jumps to sign him, it would be reasonable if they brought him back for another go-round. There, he could get more reps and display what he can bring to a team. That's his best pathway to getting back to the NBA.
Even if the Umude signing didn't pan out, it was a wise move by the Milwaukee Bucks. This team must find a hidden gem here and there, and they thought they had one. Despite not making an impression, bringing him in was a low-risk, low-cost move. Next in line to stand out is the trio of Nance, Sears, and Bouyea. Time will tell if they can make an impression or if they will meet the same fate.
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