The modern-day NBA draft consists of just two rounds. Teams just get two chances to pick young players through the draft, and very often second round picks do not stick around very long. Prior to 1989, the draft consisted of as many as 21 rounds (1960). As one may expect, not many of these later round picks found lasting careers in the NBA. The Bucks, like all teams, have not had consistent success in drafting contributing players in the second round or later. However, they have found some great ones late, including a Rookie of the Year, a Hall of Famer, another potential Hall of Famer, and one of the best scorers in team history.
#5- Second Round Pick (2008): Luc Mbah a Moute
Mbah a Moute’s place at fifth on this list shows just how far the drop off is between him and everyone left off the list. It also shows is a good indicator of how hard it is to find solid NBA-ready players after the first round. However, he certainly deserves to be on this list. Unlike the other four players, Mbah a Moute was never a major offensive force, but he has made a 12-year career out of being a defensive presence.
The Bucks selected Mbah a Moute out of UCLA in 2008. That season, he played in all 82 games (52 starts) and averaged 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds. Throughout the next five seasons, Mbah a Moute would start most of the games in which he played, often times tasked with defending the opponent’s best players. A six foot, eight inch power forward, his size and athleticism made it possible for him to guard almost any position.
In 2013, the Bucks traded Mbah a Moute to the Sacramento Kings for a second round pick. That pick would end up being Malcolm Brogdon (more on him later). Since then, Mbah a Moute has played for the Kings, Timberwolves, 76ers, Clippers, and Rockets. He appeared in three games for the Rockets this season, but only averaged just eight minutes a game in those appearances.
#4- Second Round Pick (1976): Alex English
Full disclosure: Alex English just might be the best player on this list. He certainly is the only one currently in the Hall of Fame. Why so low on this list, then? English only played two seasons with the Bucks, who drafted him in the second round of the 1976 draft (they took Quinn Buckner with the seventh overall pick that year). During his time in the Bucks, English only averaged 7.7 points and four rebounds.
After signing as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers, English’s career started to take off. In a season and a half with the Pacers, he averaged 15.6 points and 7.7 rebounds. When the Pacers traded English to the Nuggets in 1980, his legend began.
In over ten seasons with Denver, English made eight All-Star teams and won the 1982-1983 scoring title with 28.4 points per game. His Nuggets career also saw him average over 20 points per game nine years in a row. The only season he did not average 20 was his last season with the team in 1990 (he averaged 17.9). English finished his career in 1991 with the Mavericks, mainly coming off the bench. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997.
#3- Second Round Pick (2016): Malcolm Brogdon
A more familiar name to many fans today is that of Malcolm Brogdon. As mentioned earlier, Brogdon was chosen in the second round with a pick the Bucks received in return for Luc Mbah a Moute. Another familiar name, Thon Maker, was selected in the first round by the Bucks that year.
Brogdon averaged 10.2 points in his rookie season en route to winning the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award. After a solid sophomore season that saw him average 13 points in 48 games, Brogdon established himself as the starting point guard in 2018. The 2018-2019 season saw the Bucks’ guard put together a rare 50/40/90 season, averaging 15.6 points and leading the NBA with a 92% free throw percentage.
Following the Bucks’ disappointing loss to the Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals, Brogdon made it known that he would not be willing to sign a long-term deal with the Bucks. He cited the racial divide in Milwaukee as something he did not want to be around. As a result, the Bucks traded Brogdon to the Indiana Pacers for three draft picks.
This season, Brogdon was averaging career bests 16.5 points and 7.1 assists with Indiana in an injury-plagued season. He returned for the playoffs, though, and averaged 21.5 points and 10 assists as the Pacers were swept by the Heat in the opening round.
#2- Second Round Pick (2000): Michael Redd
When Michael Redd was drafted by the Bucks in 2000, the team had an All-Star shooting guard in Ray Allen. However, when Allen was traded in 2003, it was Redd’s time to shine. After becoming the team’s starting shooting guard, Redd earned his only career All-Star nod in the 2003-2004 season. He would go on to average better than 20 points in six straight seasons, including 26.7 in the 2006-2007 season.
In 10 seasons with the Bucks, Redd averaged an even 20 points and four rebounds per game. He is currently fourth on the Bucks all-time scoring list with 11,554 points. Only Kareem Abdul Jabaar, Glenn Robinson, and Sidney Moncrief have more points in a Bucks uniform.
Unfortunately for Redd and the Bucks, an injury during the 2008-2009 season derailed his promising career. Between 2009 and 2011, Redd was only able to appear in 28 games with the Bucks. Just 12 of those were starts. He ended his career with the Phoenix Suns in 2012, averaging 8.2 points in 51 games (two starts).
#1- Fourth Round Pick (1969): Bob Dandridge
Most Bucks fans remember the 1969 NBA draft because of who the Bucks took with the first overall pick that year: Kareem Abdul Jabbar. However, in the fourth round of the draft that year (the were 18 rounds), the Bucks also took the player who currently ranks fifth in franchise history in terms of scoring: Bob Dandridge.
Bob Dandridge, to be perfectly blunt, should be in the Hall of Fame. However, he was such a silent star that he never really received the recognition he deserved as a player, and that is carrying over into his case for the Hall. In Milwaukee, Dandridge was oftentimes overlooked due to the superstar status of his teammates, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Oscar Robertson. Later in Washington, his play was overshadowed by that of Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes.
As a Milwaukee Buck, Bob Dandridge averaged 18.6 points and 7.3 rebounds. He made three All-Star teams in Milwaukee (and added a fourth as a Washington Bullet). In addition, Dandridge was able to consistently elevate his play in the postseason. He almost always averaging more points in the playoffs than in the regular season. In fact, Bob Dandridge scored more points in the NBA Finals (450) during the 1970s than any other player. He won two championships, one with Milwaukee and another with Washington. Both teams also played in other Finals in which they lost.
Dandridge also is one of just 23 players to ever average 20 or more points in three different NBA Finals. He is the only one not in the Hall of Fame. Should he be? Elvin Hayes, his former teammate in Washington, said it best: “The Hall of Fame should be ashamed for not having included Bobby Dandridge long, long ago.”
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