Given how Taylor Jenkins helped develop Ja Morant, it's exciting to hear that the Milwaukee Bucks are working out a handful of point guards leading up to the NBA Draft. Milwaukee's new coach has proven he works well with that position, meaning he could bring out the best in players like Jeremy Fears, Rowan Brumbaugh, or Jackson Paveletzke if they made their way to Milwaukee.
Jenkins knows a thing or two about point guards
While there were murmurs of dysfunction toward the end of their partnership, there is no denying how well Jenkins and Morant worked for most of it. Morant was a two-time All-Star and the Rookie of the Year under Jenkins, whose background in player development was crucial during their time with the Memphis Grizzlies. Without Jenkins, there is no telling if Morant would be the same player.
Now, as Milwaukee's head coach, the Bucks will certainly ask Jenkins to develop their next backcourt, whoever may be in it. Ryan Rollins will lead the charge after his stellar breakout season, but outside of him, there isn't a single point guard on the roster as Kevin Porter Jr. braces for free agency. If one of these rumored workout attendees makes the cut, Jenkins will be tasked with developing them.
He's more than ready for the challenge and ready to bring a skill to Milwaukee that has been absent for so long.
Bucks will need Jenkins' player development background
According to HoopsHype's pre-draft workout tracker, Fears is the 60th-ranked prospect in this class, while Brumbaugh and Paveletzke aren't even ranked. They aren't exactly needle-movers. Under Doc Rivers, this would have been brushed off. It was hard to get excited about young players. Remember undrafted guard Mark Sears? He barely played despite the glimpses of potential.
With a coach like Taylor Jenkins at the helm, suddenly, there is reason to be excited even about unranked prospects. If anyone can bring out the best in them, it's Jenkins.
Gone are the days when teams can fill out their team with top-heavy players. Depth is now the king. To make this possible, teams have to hit on draft picks and players coming out of the undrafted pool. That is only step one; step two is developing them, something the Milwaukee Bucks have failed to do over the last handful of years. Their new leading man could change that in a hurry.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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