Milwaukee Bucks: 5 goals for Donte DiVincenzo’s rookie season
5. Shoot 38 percent from 3-point range
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a true superstar player and can excel from many places on the court. As a career 28.4 percent 3-point shooter, however, it makes sense to surround him with shooters. Such players can either keep defenses honest when Antetokounmpo makes his way into the paint, or knock down open looks when defenses collapse around him.
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That will be one key way for DiVincenzo to earn minutes, as a spot-up shooter in lineups playing with Antetokounmpo at either the 4 or the 5. Malcolm Brogdon won Rookie of the Year in 2017 in large part for his ability to excel off-ball alongside Antetokounmpo. Although DiVincenzo has playmaking chops, he will in large part be called upon to space the floor.
There is certainly reason to think that DiVincenzo can be a positive outside shooter; he is not coming in without a track record. At Villanova, DiVincenzo shot 37.8 percent from deep, including 40.1 percent last season. In the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, he hit eight 3-pointers on 12 attempts (66.6 percent) over two games.
There will be times where DiVincenzo will be called upon to create offense, both inside the arc and on more difficult pull-up 3-pointers. Yet there are only a handful of minutes available while Antetokounmpo is on the bench. To maximize his minutes and role, the rookie will need to find ways to be valuable while on the court with any combination of teammates. A consistent outside shot will be the perfect skill to cultivate.