Milwaukee Bucks Rookies Make a Strong Impression
Milwaukee Bucks first-round rookies Brayden Burries and Nate Ament are quickly settling into NBA life, impressing coaches with their basketball IQ and maturity. The team is heading to the Las Vegas summer league, where they will face off against Miami.
What Happened?
Hours before signing his rookie contract and a little over 24 hours from playing his first summer league game for the Milwaukee Bucks at the Golden 1 Center, Brayden Burries leaned against a wall outside the Bucks locker room July 5 and took a moment to reflect on a whirlwind two weeks. Beginning on draft night in Brooklyn on June 23 to an introductory news conference in Milwaukee on June 25 to jetting off to California for his first road trip with the organization a week later, it could have been quite a bit to take in for the 20-year-old.
Why It Matters for Milwaukee Bucks
Burries spoke about settling onto the practice court in Milwaukee before heading with the team to the California Classic summer league, learning his teammates and the new plays and systems being installed by head coach Taylor Jenkins and his staff. But to Bucks assistant coach Patrick St. Andrews, who served as the team’s head coach in Sacramento, Burries did more than just settle. The rookie has already started to build a foundation. In the Bucks’ first game on July 4, St. Andrews said, the guard jumped into a huddle to tell him what he saw Golden State was doing defensively and how the team could attack the scheme.
What Comes Next?
The Bucks are heading to the Las Vegas summer league, where they will face off against Miami. And it has Burries excited for what’s to come with a young group of players that includes fellow 2026 lottery pick Nate Ament and 2025 second-round pick Bogoljub Marković. “I feel like we’re heading in the right direction,” Burries said. “I feel like Coach [Jenkins] is a player's coach it seems like. From just meeting him, I feel like he’s going to get the best out of his players. He’s going to hold you accountable, hold you to a high standard but you let you play, be you.
Recent Form
The Milwaukee Bucks have been struggling lately, with a recent form of 2W-0D-3L (LLWWL, most recent first); lost the last 2. However, with the addition of Burries and Ament, the team is looking to turn things around. Last result: Philadelphia 76ers 126-106 Milwaukee Bucks (2026-04-12).
Ament’s Adjustment
Unlike Burries, Ament had not been able to participate in team activities until the trade of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis Jr. that brought him to Milwaukee became official July 6. “It’s honestly been a little crazy, but I’m excited to be here and to be a part of this team,” Ament said. “I feel like we have a great group of guys and I’m looking forward to learning from them and contributing to the team’s success.
Conclusion
The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to make a strong impression in the Las Vegas summer league, and with Burries and Ament on board, they are confident that they have the talent and the chemistry to succeed. The team is heading into the summer league with a positive attitude and a sense of excitement, and fans are eagerly anticipating what’s to come.
