Hoops Habit
Fansided

How The Milwaukee Bucks Factor Into NBA Award Season

By Josh Cornelissen

Feb 26, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon (13), forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and guard Khris Middleton (22) reacts after beating the Phoenix Suns 100-96 at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 26, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon (13), forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and guard Khris Middleton (22) reacts after beating the Phoenix Suns 100-96 at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 5
Next
Mar 29, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) watches his three point shot with Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon (13) during the second half of the Milwaukee Bucks 103-100 win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 29, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) watches his three point shot with Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon (13) during the second half of the Milwaukee Bucks 103-100 win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

Rookie Of The Year

NBA teams are not supposed to miss this badly when drafting talent. The amount of resources poured into scouting, analytics, pre-draft workouts and every part of the process is to ensure that the best players go first.

The last time a Rookie of the Year was selected outside of the lottery was 1988, when rookie guard Mark Jackson won the award. Since LeBron James won the award in 2003, only once (Michael Carter-Williams in 2014) has the award gone to a player picked outside the top-6. Six times it has gone to the first overall pick, and twice it’s gone to the second pick.

Malcolm Brogdon went 36th overall to the Milwaukee Bucks in last year’s draft. He did not even go in the first round. And he should win Rookie of the Year.

More from Hoops Habit

Brogdon has been a key piece for a playoff team, starting 26 games for them and playing in 73. The rookie out of Virginia is third among rookies in scoring, second in games played, and leads the field in assists and steals. None of the other candidates for the award come from playoff teams.

Joel Embiid is an enigma, dominating the court every minute that he played. But he appeared in only 31 games, not enough to take the award away from a player who is key to a playoff team. His teammate Dario Saric has put up numbers, especially in Embiid’s absence, but the 76ers have cratered with him at the helm.

Other players have shown flashes, from Skal Labissiere and Buddy Hield in Sacramento to Jamal Murray and Juan Hernangomez in Denver. New York has a Hernangomez of their own, as Willy has put in solid efficiency as the Knicks’ backup center. Patrick McCaw and Davis Bertrans have put in work as rotation pieces on elite teams.

Embiid’s brilliance has to be acknowledged, and he takes second on this list. The diverse portfolio of Dario Saric earns him the nod at third.

Next: 2016-17 NBA Power Rankings: Week 24

But this award deserves to go to Malcolm Brogdon, the second round pick who has blown the league away and made every team question their draft preparation. He is the Rookie of the Year.

Verdict: Malcolm Brogdon is 1st on the ballot

Home/Milwaukee Bucks