Bucks beat, franchise on right track
Casey Olbrantz
Issue date: 11/12/09 Section: Sports
Not one month ago, you would have found it nearly impossible to find anyone, other than myself, predicting the Milwaukee Bucks to finish anywhere but last in the Eastern Conference. Who would have ever thought John Hammond actually knows what he's doing? It's funny how fast people change their minds.
Instead of being a punk, a bust and another waste of a first-round pick, guard Brandon Jennings is the early favorite to win Rookie of the Year as a rising star, and an emerging fan favorite-and for good reason.
Through the first five games, Jennings was the team leader in minutes, points and assists. Boasting one of the better handles you'll ever see. Jennings has incredible speed, a developing jump shot and a passion for all things basketball, which has the young guard bound for NBA stardom at age 20. His game has nowhere to go but up, and it's time to get excited, Bucks' fans.
There are still some of you left, right?.
Center Andrew Bogut is clearly healthy, and is asserting himself as a top center in the East. He will never live up to the billing of the No. 1 overall pick, but that doesn't mean he can't be a good player.
After all, how often do you find a 7-footer who's the best passer on the team, a physical force on defense and a gifted back-to-basket scorer? He is the anti-sexy of a basketball player, but damnit, he gets the job done.
Guard Michael Redd clearly is not healthy, but his absence is giving rookie guard Jodie Meeks a chance to shine. How the former Kentucky star fell to the second round is beyond me. As a 21-year-old, he plays polished defense, is a great shooter and a solid all-around performer.
Forwards Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva's presence are not missed, as the Bucks now boast forwards who understand the concept of playing team defense.
Thank you, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Carlos Delfino, Hakim Warrick and Ersan Ilyasova. Do what you can on offense, but keep up the defense and the Bucks have a bright future ahead.
I still hold true to my first prediction of this Bucks squad winning 35-40 games and making the playoffs as the seventh or eighth seed. That's good, but not great. This franchises best days are ahead of them.
Bogut is 25, Jennings is 20, Meeks is 21, Mbah a Moute is 22 and Ilyasova is 22. All of whom, Bogut excluded, were added to the roster in the past two years. Hammond is not done, and the Bucks will be a force to be reckoned with in due time.
This is the last year for you to jump onboard and not be called a bandwagon fan when Milwaukee is winning division crowns and doing something in the playoffs. I'll say it one last time if you're still out there, Bucks fans, now's the time to get excited.
Instead of being a punk, a bust and another waste of a first-round pick, guard Brandon Jennings is the early favorite to win Rookie of the Year as a rising star, and an emerging fan favorite-and for good reason.
Through the first five games, Jennings was the team leader in minutes, points and assists. Boasting one of the better handles you'll ever see. Jennings has incredible speed, a developing jump shot and a passion for all things basketball, which has the young guard bound for NBA stardom at age 20. His game has nowhere to go but up, and it's time to get excited, Bucks' fans.
There are still some of you left, right?.
Center Andrew Bogut is clearly healthy, and is asserting himself as a top center in the East. He will never live up to the billing of the No. 1 overall pick, but that doesn't mean he can't be a good player.
After all, how often do you find a 7-footer who's the best passer on the team, a physical force on defense and a gifted back-to-basket scorer? He is the anti-sexy of a basketball player, but damnit, he gets the job done.
Guard Michael Redd clearly is not healthy, but his absence is giving rookie guard Jodie Meeks a chance to shine. How the former Kentucky star fell to the second round is beyond me. As a 21-year-old, he plays polished defense, is a great shooter and a solid all-around performer.
Forwards Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva's presence are not missed, as the Bucks now boast forwards who understand the concept of playing team defense.
Thank you, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Carlos Delfino, Hakim Warrick and Ersan Ilyasova. Do what you can on offense, but keep up the defense and the Bucks have a bright future ahead.
I still hold true to my first prediction of this Bucks squad winning 35-40 games and making the playoffs as the seventh or eighth seed. That's good, but not great. This franchises best days are ahead of them.
Bogut is 25, Jennings is 20, Meeks is 21, Mbah a Moute is 22 and Ilyasova is 22. All of whom, Bogut excluded, were added to the roster in the past two years. Hammond is not done, and the Bucks will be a force to be reckoned with in due time.
This is the last year for you to jump onboard and not be called a bandwagon fan when Milwaukee is winning division crowns and doing something in the playoffs. I'll say it one last time if you're still out there, Bucks fans, now's the time to get excited.
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