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SMU Basketball: How Sterling Brown will fit with the Milwaukee Bucks

By Lukas Harkins

Mar 17, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; USC Trojans guard De'Anthony Melton (22) guards Southern Methodist Mustangs guard Sterling Brown (3) on a shot during the first half in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; USC Trojans guard De'Anthony Melton (22) guards Southern Methodist Mustangs guard Sterling Brown (3) on a shot during the first half in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the 46th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks selected SMU basketball’s Sterling Brown. How will he fit with his new team?

An elite shooter at the college level, Sterling Brown is an interesting NBA prospect. He stands at 6’5″ with a 6’10” wingspan and he shot a blistering 44.9% from three on 3.9 attempts per game this past season. With those physical gifts and three-point shooting ability, Brown looks to be the prototypical 3-and-D player in the NBA.

As far as how this fits in with Milwaukee, it seems like a perfect fit. The Bucks have been looking for the shooting the past couple of offseasons, and they add another shooter with this pick. A lot of Brown’s game is translatable to the NBA because his three-point form is very pure and his length/body fits the NBA style of play.

For starters, Brown’s time on the floor will give superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo another option on the perimeter. With teams having to account for Brown as a catch-and-shoot player, Giannis will get more holes to drive through. Also, the Bucks have been working on the “team all-length” program, and Brown fits.

Although Brown is not a high-upside pick, his floor is pretty high for a second round pick and his length bodes well on the defensive end, which the Bucks are preaching as a focal point of their future. The team already poses a ton of length with Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Thon Maker all in the starting lineup. Brown joining off the bench only helps that trend.

For the sake of their offseason, Brown allows the Bucks some leeway in terms of re-signing wing player Tony Snell. Snell was excellent for Milwaukee this past season, shooting extremely well and defending the perimeter with quickness and size. He is a restricted free agent this summer and could receive up to $15-million per season soon. If the Bucks are not willing to commit to that kind of contract, they will have a safety blanket in Brown that allows them to let Snell walk if necessary.

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The Bucks made the right move trading up in the draft to select Brown. He should come in and be able to be a valuable asset during the offseason, even if he doesn’t play major minutes during the season. If forced into substantial minutes, his college experience and skill set should lend him to potential success in Milwaukee.