Draft workouts are underway, and the Milwaukee Bucks are looking at players of all shapes and sizes. With players such as Alabama's Mark Sears and Texas A&M's Wade Taylor IV on their list, it's clear that they aren't shying away from checking in on smaller guards, somewhat taboo in today's game, meaning it wouldn't be surprising if they brought in Ryan Nembhard next.
The Bucks working out Ryan Nembhard feels inevitable
Small guards oftentimes get a bad rap. Unless they provide elite offensive upside, like with Warriors star Stephen Curry or Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, it's tough to have them on the floor due to their vulnerability on defense. Bigger wings and guards lick their chops more times than not when they see a guard under 6-foot-3 matched up with them.
Yet, the Milwaukee Bucks are doing homework on 6-foot-1, 185 lb Mark Sears and 6-foot, 186 lb Wade Taylor IV. If the trend continues, 6-foot, 167 lb guard Ryan Nembhard could very well be the next one on the list. Obviously, by those numbers, Nembhard is the smallest guard of the bunch to this point, raising concerns mightily about how he may hold up at the next level.
Nembhard has already been mocked to the Milwaukee Bucks, as he's projected to be firmly in their range in the second round. To be clear, there are some things to like about Nembhard. Even at his size, he's a gritty defender who shoots and passes the basketball at a tremendous level, averaging 9.8 assists while shooting a blistering 40.4 percent from deep this past season.
It wouldn't be a flat-out disastrous pick, but there would be questions.
Of course, the question about being able to hold his own defensively at the next level looms large. That's what every single team has on their mind leading up to the draft. Nembhard has indeed had some early workouts, with the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks getting a closer look at him.
It hasn't happened yet, but don't be surprised if the Milwaukee Bucks invite Ryan Nembhard in for a workout ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft. If he goes undrafted, perhaps the team could take a low-risk flyer on him, but with their second-round pick, perhaps they should tackle more pressing needs, like a defensive-minded wing or a versatile big man who can defend in space and catch lob passes.
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