Jon Horst and the Milwaukee Bucks clearly had the long-term in mind when they used a first-round pick on AJ Johnson in this past draft.
This season has been all about development for the recently-turned 20-year-old, as he's spent most of his time with the team's G-League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd. He's shown glimpses of undeniable potential with the Herd, but perhaps none of his performances have captured how bright his future may be as well as his most recent outing did.
AJ Johnson flexed his potential in his most recent outing
With the Osceola Magic in town to face the Herd, AJ Johnson put on a show for the home crowd this past Sunday. Whether it was his speed, athleticism, scoring, shooting, defense or whatever else, the young guard flexed his entire bag of tricks in this matchup.
His shooting was precise, with the youngster not shy about letting it fly from downtown even when he was several feet from behind the arc. He sunk three of his four triples, so the results followed. To show off his electric athleticism, the rookie threw dunk multiple dunks that will undoubtedly make it onto his end-of-the-year highlight reel. He finished this game with 21 points.
AJ ARE YOU SERIOUS?! 😱 pic.twitter.com/nI3hwkBQsg
— Wisconsin Herd (@WisconsinHerd) January 12, 2025
Johnson did far more than just put points on the board, having tallied five assists, three rebounds and a steal to complete his all-around day. While scoring and athleticism are the first things that come to mind when watching Johnson, his facilitating isn't far behind. He's a maestro with the ball in his hands and has the chops to be a strong floor general.
It was one of the most complete games Johnson has put to film yet, and the Milwaukee Bucks were certainly paying attention to it.
The Bucks rookie could be a key piece for this team... in time
A few prominent issues that have plagued the Milwaukee Bucks this season are a lack of athleticism, speed, youth and the will to get back in transition. On paper, those are all areas where AJ Johnson is capable of helping this veteran-oriented team out. They won't call on him to help this season, but in the future, Johnson's attributes will make him a fascinating piece for this team.
If he can translate what he showed in this last game to the NBA level, Johnson could be of great use to the Milwaukee Bucks and help extend their title window. Sooner or later, they have to get some youth into this rotation as current players get older, and AJ Johnson certainly fits the mold. Taking him in the draft was a bold move, but the potential is there for this to be a home run.
While it may be frustrating that the Bucks used a first-round pick on a player who is not helping them at the moment, he could be of great use long-term if his develop and extra reps with the Herd pay off.
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