Although the result might not tell the full story, the Milwaukee Bucks showed plenty of promise in their regular-season debut against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night, with rookie standout Brayden Burries playing a significant part in that for a new-look Bucks lineup testing out a new playstyle under a new head coach.
Aside from a few brief rookie moments, the 21-year-old guard out of Arizona looked like a veteran in the first game of his pro career, posting 12 points and five rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, the 13th overall pick, Nate Ament, will have to wait to make his NBA debut as head coach Taylor Jenkins wants the 19-year-old to observe before getting in the game.
While that's probably a disappointing outcome for Ament, the 6-foot-10 forward out of Tennessee has a lot to learn before hitting the hardwood. Head coach Taylor Jenkins said that as Ament works his way back from an ankle sprain, he wants to see Ament take "every development opportunity possible" and that he wants him to "think about carving out a spot in the rotation.”
With that being the case, Ament might have a while to go before getting his first chance at NBA minutes, unless a garbage time opportunity presents itself.
Rookie Brayden Burries shakes off the rookie jitters to produce in his Milwaukee Bucks debut.
No matter who's ahead of him, Brayden Burries always seems to play at his own pace. That's a trait that oftentimes takes years for guards to adjust to in the NBA. All too often, rookies try to push the tempo to a detrimental degree when they get to the next level, feeling the heat of the 24-second shot clock. But 24 seconds is a lot more time than it seems, and Burries seems to be adapting with ease.
Early in the game, Burries was simply getting his feet wet by attacking the glass and moving the ball while using the threat of his slashing ability to catch defenders off balance. Although he didn't post his first NBA assist, his passing was as cool and confident as his relentless attack to the basket.
Brayden Burries buries back-to-back triples! pic.twitter.com/0cColCfoyq
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 22, 2026
He got loose in the late third quarter for a stepback 3-point jumper over a rangy vet, Justin Champagnie, for his second triple in as many attempts. He posted an efficient first outing in the NBA, hitting 3-of-6 shots and both three-pointers while cashing in on four of his five free-throw attempts.
Burries held his own defensively, although he was a bit too aggressive in the first half, with three fouls early. But aside from that, it was an excellent debut for a player whose role on the team is only going to grow over the course of the season.
There's no need to worry about Nate Ament missing the first game of the Bucks' season.
Ament missing the first game of the Bucks' season appeared to be by design. From the sound of it, Jenkins wants the rookie to get a feel for how the NBA game is different from the collegiate game before throwing him into the fire, and it makes perfect sense. While Burries has been touted as an NBA-ready guard since his breakout season in Tucson, Ament has always been viewed as more of a project player.
So by giving him the leeway to simply sit and study the first game of the season, Jenkins is hoping to give Ament a chance to prepare mentally before throwing him into the fire. That might sound like coddling, but this Bucks roster is unexpectedly stacked with talent.
While there's a chance he could take minutes from Kyle Kuzma, Ousmane Dieng, or AJ Green down the line, there's no point in rushing Ament onto the court when Milwaukee has plenty of capable players ahead of him who've earned that first opportunity. However, the time will come when the Bucks unleash Ament, and when they do, he'll be ready for it because of the way Jenkins is slow-rolling him to start.
So overall, even though Burries was the only one who played, things are looking optimistic for this pair of Bucks rookies.
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