There are a few common threads with who the Milwaukee Bucks drafted in the five seasons Mike Budenholzer was their head coach.
Let’s examine a few as this will be his first draft as head coach of the Phoenix Suns. The NBA Draft is this Wednesday and Thursday. The Suns hold the 22nd pick in the first round, their only pick in the draft.
The Bucks didn’t draft a foreign player under Budenholzer. Most of their draft picks either played college basketball or for the G League Ignite. The one who did go overseas before entering the draft was R.J. Hampton, a Dallas native who played one year for the New Zealand Breakers.
Two of those collegiate choices – Donte DiVincenzo (17th overall, 2018, Villanova) and Jordan Nwora (45th overall, 2020, Louisville) were assigned to play for Milwaukee’s G League team, the Wisconsin Herd.
Suns Head Coach Mike Budenholzer speaks during a news conference at Footprint Center on May 17, 2024, in Phoenix.
With the Suns having a G League team again, the Valley Suns, they have a head coach who is recently familiar with the G League.
The Bucks traded three selections on draft day or days afterward – Kevin Porter Jr. (30th overall, 2019, USC), Hampton (24th overall, 2020, NZ Breakers) and Isaiah Todd (31st overall, 2021, G League Ignite).
Moving Hampton to Denver was part of a four-team trade that brought in Jrue Holiday and Sam Merrill from New Orleans to Milwaukee. The Bucks won an NBA championship that season, beating the Suns in the 2021 finals, with Holiday being an X-factor. Holiday just captured his second NBA title this past season with the Boston Celtics.
Only one of Milwaukee’s draft picks under Budenholzer is still with the Bucks – MarJon Beauchamp (24th overall, 2022, G League Ignite). The 6-6 forward hasn’t been a major contributor in averaging 4.8 points in his two seasons with Milwaukee, but here’s an interesting side note.
Beauchamp attended Glendale Dream City Christian. Budenholzer is an Arizona native.
Budenholzer’s best draft pick in Milwaukee proved to be his first – DiVincenzo.
The 6-4 guard started all 66 games he played with the Bucks during their championship season as he averaged 10.4 points. 5.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and shot 37.9% from 3.
DiVincenzo’s playoff run was cut short due to a left ankle injury in the first round against Miami that sidelined him for the remainder of the playoffs. He’s since played for three different teams, but DiVincenzo seems to have found a home with the New York Knicks.
DiVincenzo had a career year this past season with the Knicks in averaging 15.5 points. He scored a career-high 40 points, hitting 11-of-20 from 3, against the Detroit Pistons in March. His 11 3s set a team record.
On the season, DiVincenzo shot a career-best 40.1% from deep and missed just one game in the regular season. He then helped the Knicks have a memorable playoff run.
Averaging 17.8 points in the postseason, DiVincenzo posted two 30-point games in the conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers, going for a career playoff-high 39 in Game 7 the Knicks lost.