From the moment the Milwaukee Bucks selected him 47th overall in this past draft, it was clear that Bogoljub Markovic was likely to spend next year overseas. Indeed, per a release from Mega Basket, his team overseas, the forward will be with the team next season. Rather than playing his rookie year stateside, Markovic will get some needed time to work on his game.
Bucks rookie to be stashed overseas for next season
Having just turned 20, Markovic is raw. He backed up that claim during the Summer League, where he put up averages of eight points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 16.1 minutes across five matchups. He looked like a player still trying to get a feel for the game, and understandably so. Had he stood out, perhaps the Bucks would have kept him on the roster, but that's not the direction they are going.
Truly, a year overseas might not be the worst thing for Markovic. In a frontcourt room consisting of names like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, Myles Turner, and Jericho Sims, the odds of him seeing significant time were always slim. While he could learn plenty from being around them, he's at a stage where he needs as much game time as possible, and he now has that.
The Milwaukee Bucks didn't make this selection thinking about next year, though many fans thought they would go in that direction. Milwaukee likes what Markovic could bring to the table in one, two, or even three years. Drafting a project is a bold strategy for a team that is all in on the present, but with the frontcourt as stacked as it is, Milwaukee can afford to let him develop for the time being.
There's been some hype about Markovic since the selection. Plenty of analysts think he can be a quality player in this league. However, the same question keeps resurfacing: When might he be ready to show some of that potential on the big stage?
With Markovic crossed off, the prominent question is who gets Milwaukee's final roster spot, as he was under consideration. Will it go to Andre Jackson Jr., who is still awaiting a decision on his deal? Do the Bucks bring in some external help? Thanasis Antetokounmpo's name was floating out there recently. Maybe they like someone else? Only time will tell, but the front office has options.
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