Milwaukee Bucks: 3 candidates for a breakout season in 2019-20

2. Donte DiVincenzo

Speaking of former first-round picks, Donte DiVincenzo got to wear that crown for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018. Coming out of Villanova University, the shooting guard was touted for his ability to knock down threes and defend at a high level. His rookie season was a mixed bag, and only one of those aforementioned benchmarks was met.

Limited to just 27 games before bilateral heel bursitis in his right foot prematurely ended his season, DiVincenzo averaged 15.2 minutes per game. Scoring an average of 4.9 points and securing 2.4 rebounds each night, his play didn’t stand out compared to his peers in the backcourt. Shooting 26.5 percent on 3-point attempts, one of DiVincenzo’s best traits didn’t follow him to the NBA for his first season.

Much like Wilson, DiVincenzo is oozing with potential on the defensive end. Posting the fifth-highest defensive rating among players with at least 20 games played in 2018-19, his 6’4″ 203-pound frame didn’t put a cap on his ceiling there.

Defensive rating isn’t the be-all-end-all of metrics and the sample size is small, but it’s promising nonetheless. As he gains experience at the NBA level, DiVincenzo should only become more comfortable guarding opposing players.

As he heads into his second season, health should be the primary concern for Donte DiVincenzo. If that is taken care of, everything else could very well fall into place. A 37.8 percent shooter from long distance at Villanova, he’ll likely knock down triples at a much higher rate in 2019. Milwaukee’s backcourt picture is crowded at the moment but if DiVincenzo plays to his potential, head coach Mike Budenholzer may have no other choice than to give him minutes.