More than a few names have already been linked as potential recruits for the Milwaukee Bucks for the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft. Only one of them, however, has the advantage of having ties with Damian Lillard.
That would be last season’s Big Sky Player of the Year Dillon Jones, who also happens to hail from Dame’s alumni, Weber State.
Milwaukee Bucks News: NBA Draft Prospect Has Damian Lillard Edge
Jones and Lillard don’t have too many similarities in their respective games. For starters, the 22-year-old plays the forward position. Although, Jones also has a knack for getting hot on any given night. Last season, he averaged 20.8 points on 48.9 percent shooting in his fourth season with Weber State.
According to Dalton Sell of Behind the Bucks Pass, however, Jones’ main value for Milwaukee would be the defensive presence he brings to the table:
“He’s a 6-foot-5, 235-pound wing who could give Milwaukee more depth in a spot of need. The Bucks have been looking for a big wing defender for years, and perhaps they could mold Jones into that, as he possesses the needed size, length and weight to fit the billing to a T.
“… He could be a jack of all trades for the Milwaukee Bucks, providing quality passing, rebounding, defense and perhaps even a needed scoring punch,” Sell wrote.
Blazing His Own Path
Jones will obviously want to take advantage of his connection with Lillard. The Bucks veteran has been giving his young counterpart advice, and Jones has been using the same as validation of his intention to make his own way, so to speak:
“Two main things he told me was, don’t try to make it to the NBA,” Jones said. “Just try to be the best version of yourself. Going to Weber after him, it could be easy to be like, ‘oh, I’m going to try to be like Dame,’ or something like that. But, I never tried to do that. The fact that he told me that kind of confirmed it for me.”
The Bucks are in possession of the No. 33 overall pick in the second round of the draft, and it would not be a huge shock if the name that’s called for that spot ends up being Jones’.
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