There were more than a few takeaways from the Milwaukee Bucks’ preseason opener against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. One of them is the fact that the Bucks made the right decision in picking up Andre Jackson Jr. as a second-round draft pick in the recently-concluded NBA Draft.
Bobby Portis Speaks Out on Andre Jackson Jr’s Milwaukee Bucks Debut
Jackson logged just 17 minutes in his first-ever game for Milwaukee, but the rookie made sure to make the most out of his time on the floor. He finished with four points, four rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block in his limited run, and there’s no denying that he made a significant impact on the game.
At one point, Jackson was tasked with having to defend Bulls star DeMar DeRozan, who happens to be one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the entire NBA. Bucks veteran Bobby Portis believes that his young teammate held his own against a bona fide All-Star:
“It’s good to see a young kid come in and take on a challenge, not shy away from it,” Portis said, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “It’s always good to see guys go out there and challenge themselves individually. And he’s only going to keep getting better as well. It’s his first year, first game, first experience being out there. As you get more minutes and get more time, you get more comfortable and you know the things that you can do.”
While Jackson didn’t exactly come out with a mind-blowing performance in his debut, he showed enough to prove that he has the potential to be a key player for the Bucks in the not-so-distant future.
https://twitter.com/GiannisWorld/status/1711353838723088511
Brook Lopez Echoes Bobby Portis’ Sentiments
Milwaukee big man Brook Lopez shares Portis’ thoughts on Jackson. The former All-Star center heaped praise on Jackson’s athleticism as well as the little things he brings to the table to help his team win:
“I mean, ‘Dre is ridiculously athletic,” Lopez said. “He’s been great. Crashing the offensive glass, contesting shots defensively, just making himself felt, which is pretty atypical for a rookie. And obviously, he can finish pretty well too (laughs).”
In case you were wondering, the play Lopez was referring to was Jackson’s breakaway dunk against the Bulls on Sunday:
— Erick Savage (@ErickSavage13) October 8, 2023
Even Giannis Antetokounmpo got all excited about that one.
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