Equipped with the 47th pick of the draft, the Milwaukee Bucks passed on Duke guard Tyrese Proctor in favor of Serbian forward Bogolijub Markovic. Predictably, Markovic will spend this coming season developing his game overseas. Meanwhile, Proctor lit the floor on fire in his first preseason action for the Cavaliers, who took him at No. 49. Based on the early returns, it looks like the Milwaukee Bucks gave Cleveland a gift by leaving Proctor on the board.
One team's trash is another's treasure
Proctor did not enter the Cavs' preseason opener until midway through the third quarter, but he made an immediate impact. In Cleveland's first offensive possession with Proctor on the court, he cut to the rim on a fastbreak for a smooth up-and-under lay-in, avoiding a block attempt by 6-foot-10 Bulls forward Matas Buzelis.
Thirty seconds later, he maneuvered his way into a turnaround fadeaway inside the free-throw line, creating a wide-open cushion of space. He has room to improve his precision, but clearly Proctor has the handle to make mismatches out of heftier defenders like Patrick Williams, compensating for his own lack of bulk.
Overall, in 12 minutes, Proctor poured in 14 points plus two assists and a steal, showcasing a smooth step-back game beyond the arc, strength at the rim, and confidence as a ball handler. He also demonstrated solid floor vision with a nifty pass through traffic, creating an easy basket for his cutting teammate. He went 5-of-6 from the floor and 3-of-4 on threes.
At 6-foot-5, Proctor has textbook size for an NBA combo guard, a label that fit him well in his college days at Duke. As a junior in his final season with the Blue Devils, Proctor averaged 12 points, three boards, and 2.2 assists while shooting 40.5 percent on a high volume of 3-point attempts. While he did not shoot efficiently in the elimination game, Proctor stepped up his contributions during Duke's Final Four run.
Despite a strong resume, he fell slightly farther than expected in the draft. ESPN draft expert Jonathan Givony ranked Proctor 43rd on his big board, six spots before he was selected. While Markovic was listed 39th, many fans were frustrated with the pick as it was clear from the start that he would not contribute immediately.
As long as Giannis Antetokounmpo remains in town, the Milwaukee Bucks have no choice but to go all-in on win-now mode. It's early, but based on his resume and the well-rounded tool kit on display in his preseason debut, Proctor looks far closer to contributing on an NBA contender than Markovic.