Undrafted rookie Mark Sears didn't play much for the Milwaukee Bucks in the preseason, but when he did, he capitalized. In particular, two sequences jumped out, with one of them coming in the form of an incredibly tough clutch bucket, while the other was a two-way masterclass on display.
Bucks rookie already flexing some potential
The first play came in Milwaukee's win over Chicago. Fresh off the bench, Sears had the ball in his hands on the perimeter. With Milwaukee leading 122-119 in the final 20 seconds, the guard had the opportunity to seal it for the Bucks. As four seconds remained on the shot-clock, his odds of getting to the cup were slim, so he stepped back, hoisted, and nailed a 3-pointer.
It was the guard's only shot attempt in his three minutes of action, but it was a big one, highlighting his fearlessness in a moment of that magnitude, preseason or not.
In the following game, Milwaukee's only loss of the preseason, Sears logged eight minutes and had one of the most energetic sequences of the night.
Trailing OKC by three with six minutes to play, Sears picked up Chris Youngblood the full length of the court. Due to the pressure he applied, Sears managed to pick the ball from Youngblood and go for a layup. Not only did he sink the layup, but he did so through contact from Youngblood, resulting in an and-one to tie the game.
In these two sequences, Sears showed poise, a clutch gene, defensive persistence, and an ability to score the basketball in different ways. What more could a team possibly ask for from an undrafted two-way rookie? In just under 11 total minutes of game action across three preseason games, Sears showed that the Milwaukee Bucks may have something worth unearthing in their rookie point guard.
One advantage Sears has over other rookies, and one of the reasons he looked so poised, is that he is coming to the NBA as an older prospect. He's 23 years old and has boatloads of experience from a five-year stint at the collegiate level. That could be useful as he aims to stand out and prove he has the chops to stick around at the NBA level.
With the Milwaukee Bucks emphasizing playing a two-way brand of basketball, Sears knows he must buy in if he wants to earn his keep, and he's done so early on.
Sears is currently signed to a two-way deal, so he will stick with the Milwaukee Bucks now that the preseason is over. He will be with the team some nights, but he will also spend time in the G League, where he will have plenty of time to work on his craft. If he can build off a potential-filled preseason, his stock will only increase.
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