With two-thirds of the roster born after 1990, the Bucks are a young, growing team trying to develop an identity and a franchise that has to figure out which players have a future in Milwaukee. Every Wednesday for the rest of the season, FOX Sports Wisconsin's James Carlton takes a closer look at the players that are still on their rookie contracts, measuring, highlighting and evaluating their progress.
Because of the holidays, this week's Tracker is appearing on Tuesday. This is the third edition of Young Bucks Tracker.
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO (age 20, second season)
Statistical averages, past week (season): 31.0 minutes minutes (27.4), 13.0 points (12.3), 6.0 rebounds (5.9), 3.0 assists (2.0), 0.3 blocks (0.6), 1.3 steals (0.7), 66.7 FG% (50.4), 0.0 3PT% (18.8).
Advanced stats, season: 16.3 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 56.3 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 19.4 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes).
Trending: Up
Quoted: "In the moment I was falling down and I was on the ground, I was thinking, 'This cannot be happening right now.' I just tried to walk it off. I had the adrenaline and I was still warm. But when I came in the locker room, it was swollen and I felt pain. I'll just try to get treatment and listen to the coaching staff and trainers, do what they tell me. I don't like missing games. I'll try my best tomorrow. Even if I'm not 100% there, I'll try my best for my team." -- Antetokounmpo on spraining his ankle against the Trailblazers and trying to return.
Noted: Antetokounmpo put a scare into Bucks Nation -- and set social media all atwitter -- when he went down on a noncontact drive to the basket in the first half of Milwaukee's loss at Portland, grabbing his left ankle and grimacing. It looked bad, and the potentially devastating impact -- exacerbated by the Bucks learning less than 24 hours earlier they'd lost promising rookie Jabari Parker for the season to a torn ACL -- was evidenced by Antetokounmpo's worried teammates and coaches huddling around him as he writhed on the floor. Somewhat incredibly, it turned out to be only a minor ankle sprain and the Greek Freak was back in Milwaukee' starting lineup the very next for the Bucks' win at Sacramento. Despite being hobbled, and given Milwaukee's injury-depleted frontcourt, Antetokounmpo played 37 and 38 minutes in the next two games -- played over three days. The 75 combined minutes were by far the most he's played in back-to-back games all season (the next closest was 67 minutes on Nov. 22 and Nov. 25). His performance against the Clippers -- 18 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals on 67-percent shooting -- was one of his finest all-around games of the season.
BRANDON KNIGHT (age 23, fourth season)
Statistical averages, past week (season): 32.7 minutes (32.3), 17.3 points (17.5), 4.3 rebounds (4.6), 3.7 assists (5.4), 0.0 blocks (0.1), 0.7 steals (1.3), 42.2 FG% (43.4), 36.8 3PT% (39.2).
Advanced stats, season: 18.0 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 56.6 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 25.4 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes).
Trending: Down
Quoted: "They're giving us a lot of direction and telling us what to look for. I'd say a lot of it is on the coaching staff preparing us and putting us in the right positions." -- Knight, after the Bucks held on to beat the Kings, on the team's improved execution at the end of games.
Noted: For the second week in a row, Knight's assists were down from his season average, as were his shooting percentages. In three games this week, Knight had 11 assists and 11 turnovers, good for a 1.0 assist-to-turnover ratio that is far from respectable for any NBA point guard. On the season, his assist-to-turnover ratio is 1.58, which is tied for 68th in the league; among qualified point guards, Knight is 45th. He's tied (with Kobe Bryant and Eric Bledsoe) for the third-most turnovers in the NBA -- though it should be noted the only two players with more turnovers are John Wall and James Harden, two stars that illustrate the more the ball is in a playmaker's hands, the more turnovers he will commit. On a young team that sometimes struggles offensively, Knight is trying to do a lot and his PER is actually about in the middle of the other players at the top of the turnover rankings.
KENDALL MARSHALL (age 23, third season, *not on rookie contract)
Statistical averages, past week (season): 18.0 minutes (14.9), 7.7 points (4.6), 1.3 rebounds (0.8), 3.3 assists (2.9), 0.0 blocks (0.0), 0.3 steals (0.6), 52.9 FG% (48.4), 50.0 3PT% (45.5).
Advanced stats, season: 12.1 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 61.5 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 16.4 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes).
Trending: Up
Quoted: "It's tough. We have a lot of guys playing out of position right now. But part of being a professional, you've got to get it done. We kept fighting. We're proud but we know where we could have fixed things, some offensive rebounds we gave up. So the last thing we want to do is make excuses." -- Marshall on the shorthanded and undersized Bucks keeping it close against the Trailblazers despite being outrebounded 52-32.
Noted: Marshall has been earning more minutes -- and, accordingly, being more productive -- the last couple of weeks, often playing alongside fellow reserve point guard Jerryd Bayless on the Bucks' highly effective second unit. Against the Kings last week, Marshall played an efficient, impactful 19 minutes. Upon entering the game at the end of the first quarter, Marshall made the following plays: steal, assist, 3-pointer, assist, assist, 3-pointer, before finally committing his only turnover of the game. He finished with eight points (two of three on 3-pointers) and six assists and led the team with a plus-18 rating.
KHRIS MIDDLETON (age 23, third season)
Statistical averages, past week (season): 25.0 minutes (23.4), 10.0 points (9.5), 3.0 rebounds (3.6), 1.0 assists (1.4), 0.0 blocks (0.2), 1.7 steals (1.2), 40.0 FG% (43.4), 38.5 3PT% (39.4).
Advanced stats, season: 13.4 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 53.5 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 18.1 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes).
Trending: Down
Quoted: "It is tough to see those two guys go down, but we have to come together as a team. You just try to play as well and as hard as we can with the guys we have left." -- Middleton after watching both Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo get hurt in the same week.
Noted: Middleton followed up his memorable performance against the Suns -- when he banked in a buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer -- with another strong showing two nights later against the Trail Blazers. After Antetokounmpo sprained his ankle, Middleton started in his place in the second half and had a brilliant third quarter to help Milwaukee outscore Portland 29-25 in the period. Middleton hit all four of his shots in the third -- and they were all 3-pointers -- as the Bucks took a surprising two-point lead into the fourth quarter. The next night, however, with Antetokounmpo back in the starting lineup, Middleton played only 18 minutes and managed just a single point, never really getting involved.
JOHNNY O'BRYANT (age 21, first season)
Statistical averages, past week (season): 9.3 minutes (N/A), 4.0 points (N/A), 0.3 rebounds (N/A), 0.3 assists (N/A), 0.0 blocks (N/A), 0.0 steals (N/A), 62.5 FG% (N/A), 0.0 3PT% (N/A).
Advanced stats, season: 7.9 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 67.6 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 15.9 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes).
Trending: Up
Quoted: "Basketball is basketball. I've been playing it my whole life. Just getting back into shape and familiar with things we run offensively and defensively has been the hardest part so far. . . . It is a long season. Only a quarter of it is over. I believe this team can make the playoffs. We have a long journey ahead. I'm going to try to stay healthy for it." -- O'Bryant on starting the season injured and trying to catch up now.
Noted: After missing the Bucks' first 25 games due to a grade III sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee, the rookie second-rounder made his debut this week. He played five minutes against Portland and then started the next two games, thanks to Milwaukee's injury woes in the frontcourt. In his first start, O'Bryant was shaky early on, missing a shot, being whistled for an offensive foul and then committing a turnover in the first three minutes. But late in the game, he showed some grit. With Larry Sanders suspended and Zaza Pachulia in foul trouble, the 6-foot-9 O'Bryant was forced to guard hulking Kings star DeMarcus Cousins for six minutes late in the fourth quarter. The sturdy O'Bryant (265 pounds) more than held his own against Cousins, who's averaging 23.9 points and 12.3 rebounds this season. Entering the game, he immediately drew two offensive fouls. He hit two free throws and a 19-foot jumper. It was a key stretch, as the Bucks took the lead and the combustible Cousins began animatedly talking trash at the rookie. After the game, Bucks coach Jason Kidd said, "I thought Johnny was big for us. I thought being able to guard Cousins, he did a wonderful job."
Did not play due to injury or coach's decision
JOHN HENSON (age 23, third season)
DAMIEN INGLIS (age 19, first season)
JABARI PARKER (age 19, first season)
NATE WOLTERS (age 23, second season)
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