Bucks’ Roster Rankings: Wigginton And Washington Jr At 18 And 17

The Milwaukee Bucks have a point guard conundrum on their hands, as the prepare for the beginning of training camp in October. Jrue Holiday is the only true-ish point guard on their 15-man roster, leaving a glaring hole behind him on the depth chart.

It’s likely Milwaukee will lean heavily on Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton to initiate the offense and may even let rookie Andre Jackson Jr. handle the rock some, but that won’t be enough to survive an 82-game season.

^{Previous Rankings:}

^{20. Marques Bolden}

^{19. Jazian Gortman}

That’s where Lindell Wigginton and TyTy Washington Jr. come into play. Despite both being on two-way contracts, they’re the only other players on the team who are categorized as point guards. Continuing our ranking of the 20 players on the Bucks’ roster, we peek at the two guards who could play an unusually big role in Milwaukee this season.

18. Lindell Wigginton

Wigginton is entering his third season with the Bucks, where he has appeared in 26 NBA games over the past two years. During this time, he has primarily honed his skills with the Wisconsin Herd, where he put up impressive numbers, averaging 22.3 points, 6 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game during the 2022-23 season.

While Wigginton has seen limited playing time in the NBA, his contributions have been sufficient to keep him in the Bucks’ fold. He’s a reliable scorer, demonstrating proficiency from both mid-range and beyond the arc, making just enough threes to avoid being ignored on the perimeter. Furthermore, he possesses a keen understanding of when to create his own scoring opportunities and when to set up teammates for higher-percentage shots.

One intriguing aspect will be how he adapts to Adrian Griffin’s aggressive defensive scheme. Standing at 6 feet 1 inch with a wingspan of 6 feet 3.5 inches, he may not be a versatile defender who can switch across multiple positions, but his tenacity in pressuring ball handlers and his overall defensive activity will be valuable.

However, despite being technically the third point guard on the roster, the Bucks shouldn’t set excessively high expectations for Wigginton in the upcoming season. At 25 years old, much of his game is already known, and it’s unlikely that he will undergo significant transformation at this stage in his career.

17. TyTy Washington Jr.

Washington Jr.’s journey from a highly-touted five-star recruit at Kentucky to the 29th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft has been one marked by expectations and adaptations. In Milwaukee, he represents a prospect with significant untapped potential, a raw talent ready for transformation.

Standing at 6-foot-3 with an impressive 6-foot-8 wingspan, Washington Jr. possesses the physical dimensions that Griffin values at the point guard position. However, his journey to the NBA has revealed a few limitations, particularly in terms of athleticism. This lack of sheer burst, speed, and quickness might pose challenges for him when attempting to apply ball pressure in Griffin’s aggressive defensive system.

Where Washington Jr. shines is in his basketball IQ. During his college days, he showcased a knack for thinking strategically on the court, often anticipating plays before they unfolded. This intelligence unlocked his passing skills and underscored his unselfish style of play. It’s conceivable that he could evolve into a potent playmaker in the pick-and-roll, capable of generating scoring opportunities for both himself and his teammates.

While he didn’t get much of a chance to display his scoring repertoire with the Houston Rockets, there’s promise in his potential as a multi-level scorer. His college days revealed a deft floater, a solid midrange pull-up game, and a respectable three-point shot. As he approaches his 22nd birthday early in the season, the Bucks are determined to harness his talents and mold him into the player that his high school accolades once promised. With time and development, Washington Jr. could emerge as a valuable asset for Milwaukee.