A.J. Hoggard is the latest compelling prospect the Milwaukee Bucks have on their workout list ahead of June's NBA Draft. While there is a lot to like about Hoggard, his lack of offense looms large as the guard looks to make it to the next level, something the Bucks are still trying to solve regarding one of their most recent draft picks in Andre Jackson Jr.
A.J. Hoggard's offense is a serious question mark for the Bucks
During his five-season stay in college, Hoggard averaged 8.8 points while shooting 39.6 percent from the floor and 29.2 percent from deep. Those numbers are fairly comparable to Jackson's - six points on 42.8 percent field goal shooting and 29.3 from distance. Despite the lack of scoring, both players made their mark by doing a little bit of everything else.
Like Jackson, Hoggard is a solid defender and rebounder, utilizing his hulking 6-foot-3, 220 lb build to make his presence felt in both regards. That frame could certainly help him succeed at the next level. Hoggard's passing may be his most captivating attribute, as he averaged 4.6 per contest in college. Perhaps he could bring those fancy facilitating chops to the NBA.
Despite everything he brings, Hoggard's offense will be under a microscope. As Jackson showed with the Milwaukee Bucks this past season, being a non-threat on offense is challenging in today's NBA, even for a stout defender. Jackson started for Milwaukee for a good chunk of the season before being pulled from the lineup and sitting on the sidelines for the rest of the year.
A similar fate could be awaiting A.J. Hoggard at the next level. With five years of college, he isn't some raw prospect. At 24, he's still got some room to grow, but the perimeter shot may simply just be what it is at this point. That could certainly deter teams from bringing him in, but the Milwaukee Bucks are at least captivated by everything else he brings to the table.
If the Milwaukee Bucks do add Hoggard, it almost certainly will not be with their 47th pick in the draft. If he goes undrafted, which seems likely, the team could add him as an undrafted free agent, stashing him with their G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, or giving him a two-way contract, similar to what they did with AJ Green a few years ago.
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