In the Milwaukee Bucks Las Vegas Summer League opener against the Miami Heat, 10th overall pick Brayden Burries showed why he was selected so highly in this year’s draft.
Projected to be a pro-ready prospect, Burries showed why scouts felt that way in the pre-draft process. In 16 first-half minutes, the Bucks’ rookie scored 16 points on 5-for-11 shooting, grabbed three rebounds, and handed out three assists. That kind of well-rounded production fits the profile scouts saw in him.
Burries played sparingly in the second half (only six minutes) and finished the game with 18 points (6-for-15 shooting), three rebounds, and three assists.
Let’s jump into the film room to break down how Burries was so effective in Milwaukee’s 119-86 loss.
Pick-and-roll ball-handler
Rightfully so, Milwaukee had Burries running the offense a ton while he was on the court. He’s clearly the lead ball-handler for the Summer League squad, and that should carry over for the regular season Bucks as well (although not to the same extent). That role shows why his feel fits a primary creator.
It’s easy to see how well Burries dissects the defense at such a young age. He’s fine making the easy pass to a teammate, even if it isn’t a splashy play.
He receives a toss-back and ball screen from Pete Nance on the right slot to begin the above video clip (click on the video; it will start right on this play). His defender is able to get skinny and slide over the top of the pick, staying in front of Burries the whole time.
The Bucks’ rookie recognizes this after a behind-the-back dribble, and quickly fires a chest pass to Nance at the top of the key. Nance casually lines up his feet and knocks down a three from well beyond the arc.
Burries also showed a more advanced pick-and-roll decision early in the game.
Bogoljub Markovic rescreens for Burries, this time on the left slot. Burries turns the corner and begins to probe near the paint. However, he has the screen defender and a helpside defender from the offensive player in the corner to contend with.
With all eyes on Burries and the ball, he drops a simple pocket pass into Markovic on time and on target. This allows the big man to catch the rock in stride and continue his momentum toward the rim to finish the bucket.
Vision
Overall, Burries showed good vision in both half-court and transition. It’s clear he understands the game and what he’s trying to accomplish both for himself and for his teammates. That vision gives him the look of a steady table-setter.
He rips this defensive board from the opposing team and immediately pushes it up court. Following one dribble with his left hand, he recognizes a streaking Brandon Boston Jr. open near halfcourt. He gives him a throw-ahead pass so Boston can catch it in the open court and throw down the slam.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo gone, Milwaukee will need someone who can be a playmaker for the rest of the team. A.J. Green’s livelihood depends on it!
Burries has shown some poise and potential to step into that role. It’s unrealistic to expect a rookie to shoulder the majority of a team’s playmaking responsibilities, but he might be up for a slice of the pie.
Shot Selection
One area for improvement is Burries’ shot selection. In his two appearances this summer (the finale of the California Classic and the opener of the Las Vegas Summer League), he’s made plenty of eye-opening plays, but he’s also had his head-scratching moments.
Most of those head-scratchers come in the form of his shot selection.
He isn’t the most athletic player, which means he sometimes struggles to create separation from defenders. This forces him to have to hit some tough, contested shots.
There are moments where he pulls up from deep-two range with too much time left on the shot clock. Others, where he tries to attack the rim and ends up throwing up a highly contested shot.
It’s great that the Bucks are putting the rock in his hands and letting him learn this summer. Transitioning from collegiate ball to the NBA is hard, and the only way he’s going to learn is to go through the fire and get burned from time to time.
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