Young Bucks Tracker: Giannis being Giannis
With two-thirds of the roster born in 1990 or later, the Milwaukee Bucks are a young, growing team. Every Thursday for the rest of the season, FOX Sports Wisconsin will take a closer look at the players that are 25 years old and younger (for the most part, those still in their first four NBA seasons), measuring, highlighting and evaluating their progress.
This is the 4th edition of the 2016-17 Young Bucks Tracker.
(A glossary of the advanced statistics used for season totals, which are from basketball-reference.com. can be found at the end of this article)
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO (Age 21, fourth season)
Statistical season averages: 34.8 minutes, 22.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2.1 steals, 2.1 blocks, 52.7 FG%, 20.6 3PT%.
Statistical averages, last week: 33.4 minutes, 27.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 2.3 steals, 1.7 blocks, 68.1 FG%, 50.0 3PT%.
Advanced stats, season: 26.4 PER, 59.1 percent TS%, 29.1 percent USG%, 111 ORtg, 99 DRtg, 1.5 VORP.
Notable: Antetokounmpo turned in a masterful performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, tying a career high with 34 points and leading the Bucks to a 118-101 win over the reigning champs. He racked up another double-double and added five assists and five steals in the win. Antetokounmpo was just the third Bucks player since 1985-86 to have a game with 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, 10+ steals, 5+ assists and 5+ steals. He also had a double-double (29 points, 11 rebounds) against Toronto and barely missed another one at Orlando (18 points, 9 rebounds). On the season, Giannis has five double-doubles and one triple-double.
MALCOLM BROGDON (Age 23, first season)
Statistical season averages: 20.4 minutes, 7.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.1 blocks, 40.4 FG%, 37.5 3PT%.
Statistical averages, last week: 20.6 minutes, 10.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.0 blocks, 60.0 FG%, 85.7 3PT%.
Advanced stats, season: 11.8 PER, 50.1 percent TS%, 18.5 percent USG%, 101 ORtg, 107 DRtg, 0.0 VORP.
Notable: After going five games without scoring in double figures, Brogdon posted 12 and 10 points in Milwaukee's final two games this past week.
THON MAKER (Age 19, first season)
Statistical season averages: 3.2 minutes, 2.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, 0.0 assists, 0.0 steals, 0.0 blocks, 57.1 FG%, 66.7 3PT%.
Statistical averages, last week: 3.0 minutes, 4.0 points, 1.0 rebounds, 0.0 assists, 0.0 steals, 0.0 blocks, 50.0 FG%, n/a 3PT%.
Advanced stats, season: 33.4 PER, 74.2 percent TS%, 24.1 percent USG%, 152 ORtg, 104 DRtg, 0.0 VORP.
Notable: After not playing in four straight games -- tying his season high DNPs streak -- Maker got in at the end of the win over Cleveland, making 1 of 2 shots and sinking 2 of 2 free-throw attempts.
JABARI PARKER (Age 21, third season)
Statistical season averages: 32.6 minutes, 18.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.3 blocks, 45.5 FG%, 36.7 3PT%.
Statistical averages, last week: 31.1 minutes, 13.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.0 blocks, 41.0 FG%, 30.0 3PT%.
Advanced stats: 1.78 PER, 53.1 percent TS%, 25.7 percent USG%, 107 ORtg, 107 DRtg, 0.1 VORP.
Notable: Took a season-low eight shots in the Nov. 27 win at Orlando, but then had 17 field-goal attempts and 18 points in the Bucks' next game, a win over Cleveland. Parker played 28:49 and 30:59 in those games, which are two of his six-lowest minute totals this season.
TONY SNELL (Age 25, fourth season)
Statistical season averages: 29.2 minutes, 8.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.1 blocks, 41.9 FG%, 28.6 3PT%.
Statistical averages, last week: 31.0 minutes, 10.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.0 blocks, 44.4 FG%, 25.0 3PT%.
Advanced stats: 8.3 PER, 52.1 percent TS%, 14.1 percent USG%, 101 ORtg, 110 DRtg, -0.1 VORP.
Notable: Snell had a big game against Toronto, scoring a season-high 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting (4 of 10 from 3) but combined for 15 points in the next two games. Against Orlando (34:48) and the Raptors (33:10), Snell saw two of his four-highest minutes of the season.
RASHAD VAUGHN (Age 20, second season)
Statistical season averages: 14.6 minutes, 6.0 points, 1.2 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.4 blocks, 40.4 FG%, 36.4 3PT%.
Advanced stats, season: 11.3 PER, 51.9 percent TS%, 18.2 percent USG%, 100 ORtg, 107 DRtg, 0.0 VORP.
Notable: Back with the Westchester Knicks of the D-League, Vaughn played in their lone game last week, scoring 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting (including 3 of 6 from 3) in 18 minutes.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
PER -- Player Efficiency Rating: A measure of per-minute production standardized such that the league average is 15.
TS% -- True Shooting Percentage: A measure of shooting efficiency that takes into account 2-point field goals, 3-point field goals, and free throws.
USG% -- Usage Percentage: An estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while he was on the floor.
ORtg -- Offensive Rating: An estimate of points produced per 100 possessions.
DRtg -- Defensive Rating: An estimate of points allowed per 100 possessions.
VORP -- Value over Replacement Player: A box score estimate of the points per 100 TEAM possessions that a player contributed above a replacement-level (-2.0) player, translated to an average team and prorated to an 82-game season.
Dave Heller is the author of the upcoming book Ken Williams: A Slugger in Ruth's Shadow as well as Facing Ted Williams Players From the Golden Age of Baseball Recall the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived and As Good As It Got: The 1944 St. Louis Browns