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Young Bucks Tracker: Giannis ranks as one of top players in East
With two-thirds of the roster born in 1990 or later, the Milwaukee Bucks are a young, growing team. Every Thursday for the rest of the season, FOX Sports Wisconsin will take a closer look at the players that are 25 years old and younger (for the most part, those still in their first four NBA seasons), measuring, highlighting and evaluating their progress.
This is the 14th edition of the 2016-17 Young Bucks Tracker.
NOTE: With the All-Star break upon us, the Young Bucks Tracker will take next week off and return March 2.
(A glossary of the advanced statistics used for season totals, which are from basketball-reference.com. can be found at the end of this article)
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO (Age 22, fourth season)
Statistical season averages: 35.4 minutes, 23.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.8 steals, 2.0 blocks, 52.5 FG%, 27.5 3PT%.
Statistical averages, last week: 38.1 minutes, 25.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.8 blocks, 47.6 FG%, 10.0 3PT%.
Advanced stats, season: 26.6 PER, 60.6 percent TS%, 28.3 percent USG%, 117 ORtg, 104 DRtg, 4.9 VORP.
Notable: As the NBA heads to its break, is there little doubt a new superstar has emerged in Milwaukee? As we know, Antetokounmpo was voted an All-Star starter. It was more than deserved. Antetokounmpo is eighth in the NBA in Player Efficiency Rating (PER) -- but second in the Eastern Conference behind just Boston's Isaiah Thomas (27.5). He is also tied for fourth in Value Over Replacement Player (VORP) and second in the East behind only Cleveland's LeBron James (5.0).
MALCOLM BROGDON (Age 24, first season)
Statistical season averages: 25.6 minutes, 9.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.1 blocks, 43.8 FG%, 41.7 3PT%.
Statistical averages, last week: 24.9 minutes, 9.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.0 blocks, 47.1 FG%, 40.0 3PT%.
Advanced stats, season: 13.9 PER, 53.9 percent TS%, 18.1 percent USG%, 109 ORtg, 111 DRtg, 0.2 VORP.
Notable: Brogdon had 18 points and 17 points in Milwaukee's first two games of the week, but then his playing time slipped to 20:43 and 15:56 in the last two. The latter was his third-fewest amount of minutes on the season and least since Nov. 19.
THON MAKER (Age 19, first season)
Statistical season averages: 7.3 minutes, 3.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.1 assists, 0.2 steals, 0.3 blocks, 50.0 FG%, 50.0 3PT%.
Statistical averages, last week: 17.8 minutes, 7.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.0 blocks, 42.3 FG%, 35.7 3PT%.
Advanced stats, season: 16.8 PER, 61.8 percent TS%, 19.2 percent USG%, 118 ORtg, 108 DRtg, 0.0 VORP.
Notable: Maker started all four games last week and thus has been seeing some increased playing time (between 13:49-21:41 in those contests). Maker tied his high for points (12 at Indiana) and rebounds (six vs. the Lakers) and also set a high with two steals against the Pacers. Maker's offensive and defensive ratings took a bit of a hit as well this past week. His offensive rating was 98 and defensive 115.
KHRIS MIDDLETON (Age 25, fifth season)
Statistical season averages: 19.8 minutes, 10.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.3 blocks, 46.9 FG%, 50.0 3PT%.
Statistical averages, last week: 21.4 minutes, 12.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.0 blocks, 48.1 FG%, 66.7 3PT%.
Advanced stats: 21.1 PER, 56.3 percent TS%, 23.5 percent USG%, 119 ORtg, 107 DRtg, 0.1 VORP.
Notable: After sitting out the second of a back-to-back, Middleton put up his first two double-digit scoring games since his return (11 vs. Detroit, 20 at Brooklyn). In those two games he made 11 of 20 shots. However, Middleton has only attempted four 3-pointers in his four games back, making two.
TONY SNELL (Age 25, fourth season)
Statistical season averages: 28.5 minutes, 8.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.2 blocks, 45.8 FG%, 40.1 3PT%.
Statistical averages, last week: 26.7 minutes, 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.5 blocks, 55.6 FG%, 55.0 3PT%.
Advanced stats: 9.6 PER, 60.6 percent TS%, 11.7 percent USG%, 115 ORtg, 114 DRtg, 0.4 VORP.
Notable: Snell heads into the break with three double-digit scoring games, including a 16-point effort vs. Detroit. Since Jan. 1, Snell leads the NBA in 3-point percentage at 51.9 percent (42 of 81). Only two other players have made half their attempted 3s -- Denver's Darrell Arthur and Cleveland's Kyle Korver -- and they are both at exactly 50.0 percent.
RASHAD VAUGHN (Age 20, second season)
Statistical season averages: 11.5 minutes, 3.7 points, 1.2 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.2 blocks, 35.8 FG%, 33.9 3PT%.
Statistical averages, last week: 14.6 minutes, 2.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.3 blocks, 30.0 FG%, 20.0 3PT%.
Advanced stats, season: 8.1 PER, 45.9 percent TS%, 16.7 percent USG%, 90 ORtg, 110 DRtg, -0.2 VORP.
Notable: An interesting week for Vaughn who didn't play against the Lakers and then just 1:28 vs. Detroit. But in the road games, he played 24:38 at Indiana (helped in part by Middleton being sat out) and 17:36 at Brooklyn.
Out for the season: Jabari Parker.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
PER -- Player Efficiency Rating: A measure of per-minute production standardized such that the league average is 15.
TS% -- True Shooting Percentage: A measure of shooting efficiency that takes into account 2-point field goals, 3-point field goals, and free throws.
USG% -- Usage Percentage: An estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while he was on the floor.
ORtg -- Offensive Rating: An estimate of points produced per 100 possessions.
DRtg -- Defensive Rating: An estimate of points allowed per 100 possessions.
VORP -- Value over Replacement Player: A box score estimate of the points per 100 TEAM possessions that a player contributed above a replacement-level (-2.0) player, translated to an average team and prorated to an 82-game season.
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