Malcolm Brogdon
We're back at pick number 36, but this time in 2016. After selecting a super promising but risky Thon Maker at 10, the Bucks took the opposite direction in the second round and went for one of the most experienced players of the bunch, hoping Malcolm Brogdon could add some immediate impact when he took the floor. And he did. Big time.
Brogdon turned up to be more prepared for the NBA basketball than everyone thought. Being 24 years old, he brought some nerve and thoughtfulness to the guard position, something you wouldn't expect from a rookie.
He soon proved he had great shot selection that helped his efficiency, and he showed good effort on defense. His presence on the court really stabilized the team. Thanks to his leadership, he was called 'The President', making him one of the most important players on a roster that ended up as the sixth-best team in the East during his rookie year.
All those accolades made him the winner of the Rookie of the Year award, becoming the first Bucks player to do so since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. If we're being completely honest, though, he was helped by the weak rookie bunch since most of the big names like Jaylen Brown, Brandon Ingram or Jamal Murray had an inconsistent rookie season and needed some time to grow. That meant Brogdon's biggest rivals were Joel Embiid, who only played 31 games, and Dario Saric.
Still, that doesn't really discredit his good performance.
He played for the Bucks for two more years, and he kept growing and showing that his rookie season was only a first step. After Budenholzer became the coach in 2018, he was a lock for the starter position and had a bigger role, helping the team get to the first seed in the regular season and making it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 18 years.
However, his great performances could only mean one thing: He was going to get paid as soon as he became a free agent. And when the Indiana Pacers were willing to give him a nice raise, the Milwaukee Bucks decided not to match.
Due to that, he only played for the team for three seasons, but he sure made an impact. After that, he became a key part of a good Pacers team, and after being traded to Boston, he won another season award, this time Sixth Man of the Year, making him one of the most successful late draft picks in franchise history.