When you don't have control of your own first-round draft picks at the onset of a rebuild, it's vital to gather young talent however you can. The Milwaukee Bucks have done an excellent job of doing that in the trade market and via free agency, but the NBA Draft has been hit and miss. Thankfully for Bucks fans, the signing of 2025 second-round pick Bogoljub Markovic solves part of that issue.
Markovic, a 6-foot-11 Serbian forward, was the 47th overall selection by Milwaukee in 2025 and, after much debate, was sent back overseas for the 2025-26 season to continue honing his skill set and proving that he belongs in the NBA. He took that challenge head-on and emerged as the ABA League MVP with a 19-point, nine-rebound season in which he showcased a fascinating two-way skill-set that should translate wonderfully to the next level.
Although the team hasn't announced the cap figures just yet, the second-round pick exception deal is projected at four years, $9.3 million for the rookie. It's a deal that should theoretically provide massive value to the Bucks over the next several years as a potential rotation player, and possible starter down the road, makes less than AJ Green makes this upcoming season alone.
More so than anything else, this is adding to a masterclass of an offseason by Milwaukee GM Jon Horst as a team without full control of its own first-round draft pick until 2031.
Bogoljub Markovic is the final piece that makes the Milwaukee Bucks' youth movement puzzle function.
Don't look now, but the Milwaukee Bucks just flipped from one of the oldest teams in the league to one of the youngest. The team has eight key pieces aged 25 or younger entering next season, with most, if not all, expected to compete for serious minutes. After re-signing Ousmane Dieng on an extremely team-friendly deal and drafting a handful of enticing prospects, Horst has assembled a fantastic group for new head coach Taylor Jenkins to usher in a brand new culture.
So often, teams that trade their franchise star are left in basketball purgatory, fighting for nothing while trying to stay relevant both in terms of ticket sales and playoff competition. But for Bucks fans and the franchise itself, all bets are off next season. There's no reason to actively tank, and all the young players under contract are betting on themselves, so everyone involved has something to prove.
Competition tends to bring the best out of those who have the most room to grow. Training camp and Summer League will be telling for Milwaukee this year as each of these young players enters with a chip on their shoulder and a new culture to uphold. There'll certainly be an adjustment period for Bogoljub Markovic, who still needs to fill out his frame and adjust to NBA competition.
But he won't be alone in that process, and he'll have a young core to lean on as they all learn how to be the best versions of themselves together. Bucks basketball is going to be a heck of a lot of fun again.
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