3 Milwaukee Bucks training camp battles that will drum up excitement

AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith vs. everyone

No one should expect rookies AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith to play considerable roles in Milwaukee this coming season. In fact, it'd be shocking if they got on the court much at all. However, although they'll spend the next year learning behind the veterans, that should not stop them from coming to camp hungry to show what they can do against their more experienced teammates.

It's no secret that the Bucks have been one of the oldest teams in the NBA over the last few seasons, and it was truly exposed last season. A lack of athleticism hurt this team mightily, as they were unable to combat the assault from younger, more energetic teams. Perhaps Smith and Johnson can use that to their advantage as they try to make a strong first impression in camp.

Johnson's quickness is arguably his greatest attribute, which he showed in the Summer League by flying up and down the court every possession. Trying to contain him will be a nice test for the vets. Meanwhile, Smith is an uber-athletic, sharpshooting 6-foot-11 forward, which could also make for some eye-catching matchups against the likes of Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez.

At 19, neither player will dominate the must more experienced players. However, they have the tools physically to test them in certain situations. At the end of the day, it will be iron sharpening iron as the young players get to work on their game against NBA talent while the veterans get to practice against athletic, energetic players, which they will see plenty of this coming season.