The Milwaukee Bucks Summer League stint is about to kick off with a five-game slate over the next week, and the roster is out. There will be 19 players on the roster; we'll rank them and break them down into tiers.
First tier: NBA bound players
This first group of four players are players that are locks for the NBA roster for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2024-25 season.
No. 1: Andre Jackson Jr. - Ajax was already seeing playoff minutes as a rookie during the Bucks' playoff series against the Pacers. With the departures of players like Malik Beasley and Jae Crowder, Jackson should figure to see an even larger role for Doc Rivers and the Bucks this upcoming season. Jackson Jr. shot a pleasantly surprising 37 percent from the 3-point line, and his athleticism will be welcomed on both ends.
No. 2: MarJon Beauchamp - Yes, his hype has dwindled since he was taken in first round in 2022. Beauchamp has two-way potential, but the time for him to realize it and put it into action at the NBA level is significantly shrinking. There was a large contingent of Bucks fans who complained about the lack of playing time for Beauchamp under Doc Rivers, but it is important to note that the wing dealt with an ankle injury almost the entirety of Rivers' tenure with the Bucks last season.
No. 3: AJ Johnson - This may be a potentially hot take to have Johnson this high, but in a post-draft ranking of the potential Milwaukee Bucks players under 25, Johnson is number one. He obviously needs to gain some weight, but his combination of athleticism and speed is very intriguing. Johnson will absolutely be one of the players Bucks fans should watch most closely in the Summer League this week.
No. 4: Tyler Smith - Tyler Smith is a very strong candidate to earn a strong role for the Bucks should a Bobby Portis trade come to fruition. Smith has three-level scoring potential with his 35.2 percent 3-point shooting mark for the G-League Ignite last season. Tyler Smith is another player Bucks fans should have a close eye on during the Summer League.
Second Tier: Two-way caliber players
No. 5: Chris Livingston - A late second-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft for the Bucks, Livingston spent a lot of time with the Wisconsin Herd last year and possesses a very intriguing skill set for a player his size. At 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, Livingston will surely perform well in Summer League. In the preseason, he could be a player to watch to see if he can stick at the NBA level.
No. 6: TyTy Washington - Washington is a player who dominates at the G-League level every time he suits up for the Wisconsin Herd. Last season, in 24 games, Washington averaged 21.3 points, 8.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. He shot 46.7 percent on field goals, 42.6 percent on 3-pointers and 78.3 percent at the free-throw line. Keep an eye on TyTy Washington to see if he can take a shot at earning the Bucks' backup point guard role while AJ Johnson develops.
No. 7: Hugo Besson - Immediately upon seeing the roster, Besson is a name that stood out because the draft and stash shooter that the Bucks picked in the same draft as MarJon Beauchamp hasn't been with the team at all. He is 6-foot-4, 180 pounds and played most recently in an Italian league, averaging 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 41.9 percent on field goals, 39.0 percent on 3-pointers and 72.1 percent at the free throw line. Bucks fans should be keeping an eye to see if Hugo sticks around in Wisconsin, either in Milwaukee or Oshkosh.
No. 8: Vin Baker Jr. - Allow me to be the first to say that Baker Jr. is not on this roster because his dad is a former Milwaukee Buck and a current assistant coach to Doc Rivers. Vin Baker Jr. has game and is one of the players I'm most excited to watch in this week's Summer League games. He is an athlete at 6-foot-9, 206 pounds with a 7-foot-1 wingspan.
Last season, playing for Denmark, he averaged 13.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He registered nine double-doubles and was one rebound short three other times. Baker has three-level scoring potential as well if he can raise his 3-point percentage, but he is already a good mid-range shooter and a great off-ball cutter.
No. 9: Ibou Badji - For Bucks fans who pay attention to the Wisconsin Herd, Badji is a recognizable name. Badji has bounced back and forth multiple times between the Herd and the Portland Trail Blazers. He is 7-feet tall, 237 pounds, and has a 7-foot-8 wingspan, which, combined with his athleticism, makes for a formidable shot blocker. Badji averaged 2.8 blocks per game with the Herd last year.
Tier Three: G-Leaguers searching for two-ways
This next tier of players are players who should likely remain in the G-League but could be seeking out two-way contracts with an NBA team (some of them already have two-way deals).
No. 10: Justin Moore - Moore was a big part of Villanova's 2022 Final Four run before dealing with Achilles and knee injuries in the following two seasons. Moore is 6-foot-5, 210 pounds and can use his size and strength to bully smaller guards in the paint, similar to what we saw Jrue Holiday do at times. A career 34.4 percent 3-point shooter at Villanova, Moore can shoot on the perimeter a bit too.
No. 11: Jamir Chaplin - Chaplin is 6-foot-5, 200 pounds and averaged 14.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 58.4 percent on field goals, 36.1 percent on 3-pointers and 71.4 percent at the free throw line this past season. If Chaplin can improve his shooting off the dribble, he could be a true three-level scorer and an asset for the Wisconsin Herd.
No. 12: Jalen Lewis - Lewis is an 18-year-old who spent three years with Overtime Elite, signing as a 16-year-old and the youngest professional basketball player in American history. Lewis is 6-foot-8, 223 pounds, and is another of a list of athletic, crafty finishing forwards on the roster. Lewis has some good isolation moves, but it remains to be seen if his talent will translate against NBA talent.
No. 13: Ryan Rollins - In 15 games in the G-League last year, Rollins averaged 15.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals. Rollins' shooting numbers are respectable, but his shot selection is questionable at times. Rollins can get to the rim and finish, but he probably won't get much better than he already is, reflecting his ranking being this low despite having reached a higher level than a lot of players above him.
No. 14: Jaylin Galloway - Galloway is in a similar situation as Rollins. He joined the Wisconsin Herd in March and played just seven games. Galloway is another athletic forward who can finish at the rim with his athletic 6-foot-7, 190-pound frame.
Tier Four: Wisconsin Herd Locks
This last group of players on the Milwaukee Bucks Summer League roster are players who are certain to end up with the Wisconsin Herd or another G-League team or potentially overseas should they choose that route.
No. 15: Devine Eke - Eke comes from the Basketball Africa League. Apparently, the Bucks beat out the Dallas Mavericks to bring Eke in, as former Maverick Ian Mahinmi was trying to get the Mavericks to bring him to Dallas. Eke is 6-foot-8, 205 pounds and is yet another athletic forward with some shifty finishing moves. Eke was Second Team all BAL and Second Team All-Defense BAL.
No. 16: Philip Alston - At 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, Alston has a little more weight than some of the other wings on the roster but has just as much athleticism and slashing ability with decent shooting ability.
No. 17: Kehei Clark - The former Virginia Cavalier played 15 games with the Herd and is undersized but a great passer, a good decision-maker, has good speed and is a defensive pickpocket. Though undersized, Clark is adept at gathering and finishing layups with one hand.
No. 18: James Akinjo - Akinjo is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound guard who played 14 games for the Herd. Akinjo has decent speed, good slashing ability and is a good passer and ball handler.
No. 19: Ade Murkey - Murkey is a 6-foot-5, 184-pound guard who can shoot on the perimeter, slash and hit floaters. Murkey has bounced around the G-League playing for the Stockton Kings, Iowa Wolves and Wisconsin Herd.
The Milwaukee Bucks kick off their Summer League slate on July 13 against the Chicago Bulls in Las Vegas. Stay tuned to see who out of this group makes a name for themselves and possibly carves a bigger role for themselves.