The Milwaukee Bucks did not have too much to go with entering the 2023 NBA Draft. They had two second-round picks which they both held on to. For their 36th overall pick, the Bucks selected UConn Huskies standout Andre Jackson Jr. The 21-year-old clearly impressed Milwaukee during the Draft Combine and they rewarded him with a rookie deal.
Apart from having the opportunity to test his talents in the top league on the planet, Jackson will also get to play alongside a generational talent in Giannis Antetokounmpo — something that Jackson is feeling all giddy about.
Andre Jackson Jr. Connected With Milwaukee Bucks On ‘Spiritual Level’
Speaking to John Leuzzi of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jackson described the process he took to land in Milwaukee as the No. 36 overall pick. The UConn alum worked out for multiple teams, but even then, he knew that there was something special about the Bucks:
“I was extremely excited,” Jackson said on being drafted by Milwaukee. “The entire pre-draft process, my interviews with the Milwaukee Bucks went the best and I felt we really had connected on a spiritual level and they genuinely liked my game.
“They felt like I could help them win and I really wanted to be a part of this organization. And to make it a reality was even better.”
Jackson will get the chance to do just that this coming season. He’s no Victor Wembanyama, but the rookie should get enough opportunities under new head coach Adrian Griffin. He won’t take the league by storm in his debut campaign either, but he could prove to be a useful rotational piece for the squad.
What this young man is most excited about, however, is the chance to play with one of the top talents in the NBA today. Not a lot of players are gifted with the opportunity to team up with a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo, so at this point, Jackson is thanking his lucky stars:
“I can’t wait,” Jackson said. “Playing with a guy of that caliber (is) once in a lifetime. He’s a generational talent, somebody that the world of basketball doesn’t get to see a lot.
“He’s going to me a lot and I’m going to learn a lot from him just with the way he carries himself, but also like (the) very gifted and person (he is.) Looking forward to me taking the court and trying to win with him.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo Looks To Carry Milwaukee Bucks Back To Glory
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s season did not end in the best way possible in 2022-23 — far from it, actually. A lingering back injury forced him to miss a couple of games in their first-round series against eventual Eastern Conference champs, the Miami Heat, and without him, Milwaukee struggled mightily. All of their hard work throughout the regular season was put to waste thanks to a highly-disappointing first-round exit.
Giannis is now looking to bounce back this coming season. The Bucks have done a great job behind the scenes in making sure that Antetokounmpo gets to keep his best weapons around him. The team can only do so much, though. At the end of the day, there’s no denying that much of the pressure will be on Giannis’ capable shoulders.
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