Ranking the Milwaukee Bucks' biggest breakout candidates for 2024-25

1. Andre Jackson Jr.

Similar to Beauchamp, Andre Jackson Jr. didn't really shine in Las Vegas, but it doesn't look nearly as bad for him. Let's break down why.

First, he's the kind of glue guy who needs the pieces around him to be at his best, and it was pretty obvious the Summer League roster wasn't a strong one. The team lacked half-court offense big time, which he didn't help with, but that won't be the case once Giannis, Lillard and Middleton are back on the court.

It was also a super undersized team that struggled with its defense and rebounding, areas where he's able to have an impact but can't carry the team on his own. So, again, Las Vegas was not the place for him to look strong.

Next, he was actually good last season, so it's easier to believe in him than it is with Beauchamp, who really needed a strong showing to boost his case. Jackson even had a big role in some playoff games and made himself noticeable almost every time he played, looking like the most promising young player on the team.

Had that not been the case, it would be harder to excuse his poor performance in Las Vegas, which is exactly what happened with Beauchamp, who ended the season completely out of the rotation.

The best thing about Jackson is that there are indeed a lot of areas where you can see development in his game. On offense, he played a passive role last season, but he should be encouraged not to do that as much anymore.

The Bucks need players who can make an impact with their off-ball movement, trying to take advantage of the attention that Giannis, Lillard and Middleton will get and find holes in the defense so they can be assisted and score an easy bucket. Andre Jackson Jr. can be one of them.

Jackson was too easily ignored this past season, but he can turn that in his favor and use his explosiveness to find some back doors and finish strong at the rim.

It will also be interesting to see how he develops his shooting. He wasn't supposed to be a good shooter out of college, but he made an intriguing 37 percent of his threes last season, and suddenly, things looked different. He only shot 0.8 per game, so we cannot take that percentage at face value, but if he gets more minutes and more chances to shoot, it would be great for him to be able to, at least, keep the same efficiency.

If we want to talk about Jackson's potential, we have to discuss his defense. He has the athleticism, hustle and willingness to make a name for himself on that end. Now, he needs to be more polished. The pick-and-roll was a bit of a struggle for him at times as a rookie, and he isn't quite there either with his one-on-one defense, but he's already a great team defender who has all the tools to grow.

If he does, he will become a very important piece of the team and will have a lot of chances to become the top breakout player for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2024-25 season.