Milwaukee Bucks Officially Name Starting Point Guard For 2025-26 Season

The Milwaukee Bucks entered training camp with one glaring question mark: who would be their starting point guard? After the shocking offseason decision to waive superstar Damian Lillard, the team was left with a significant void at the lead guard position. Now, that question has an answer. Head Coach Doc Rivers has officially named the talented but enigmatic Kevin Porter Jr. as the team’s starting point guard to open the season.

This article will dive into the decision to make Kevin Porter Jr. the Bucks’ starting point guard, exploring his previous experience as a starter, the immense challenges and responsibilities that come with this new role, and what this high-risk, high-reward move means for a Bucks team looking to re-establish itself as a championship contender.

Milwaukee Bucks Kevin Porter Jr.: A Journey Back to the Starting Lineup

For Kevin Porter Jr., being named a starter is both a return to a familiar role and the culmination of a turbulent journey. A former first-round pick, Porter has been a starter for the majority of his NBA career. During his tenure with the Houston Rockets from 2021 to 2023, he started 143 of the 146 games he played, putting up eye-popping statistics, including averages of 17.2 points and 6.0 assists per game.

However, that experience came with a major caveat. He was the lead guard on a young, rebuilding Rockets team where he had an almost unlimited green light. As Doc Rivers noted when announcing the decision, Porter was in a position where he “could literally take any shot and he did.”

His path since then has been winding. After off-court issues led to his departure from Houston, he found a new home in Milwaukee during the 2024-25 season, where he thrived in a sixth-man role off the bench. Now, he is being thrust back into the starting lineup, but this time the context is completely different. He is no longer on a tanking team; he is the floor general for a win-now team led by Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Doc Rivers acknowledged this difficult transition in his comments. “Now he comes from that, from not playing at times, coming off the bench, being out of the league to now back to starting and that’s a huge responsibility for him to run the team and still be aggressive,” Rivers said. “That’s the hardest thing to do, I think, in basketball is from the point guard, understand when and when.”

The High-Risk, High-Reward Gamble

Handing the keys to the offense to Kevin Porter Jr. is undoubtedly a gamble, but it’s one the Bucks are making out of both necessity and a belief in his immense talent.

The Case for Starting KPJ

The primary reason for this decision is the lack of other proven options. With Lillard gone, the Bucks’ point guard depth chart is thin.

• Ryan Rollins: A young and promising guard, but he has very little NBA experience and is not ready for the pressure of being a full-time starter on a contending team.
• Cole Anthony: Another talented scorer, but like Porter, he is often at his best in a “microwave” scoring role off the bench. His defensive limitations and streaky shooting make him a less-than-ideal fit alongside the starters.
• Point Giannis: While Antetokounmpo is one of the best playmakers in the league, asking him to take on the full-time responsibility of being the primary ball-handler for 82 games would be a significant physical burden and a potential injury risk.

Given these options, Porter Jr. stands out as the most experienced and, on paper, the most talented choice. He has proven he can produce at a high level, and his combination of size, scoring ability, and playmaking potential gives him the highest ceiling of any point guard on the roster.

The Inherent Risks and Challenges

The risks associated with Porter are just as apparent as his talent. His career has been marked by inconsistency and questions about his decision-making, both on and off the court.

• Balancing Scoring and Facilitating: As Rivers noted, Porter’s biggest challenge will be finding the right balance between being an aggressive scorer and being a team-first facilitator. On a team with Giannis Antetokounmpo and new center Myles Turner, he will need to pick his spots carefully and prioritize getting his stars the ball in their preferred positions.
• Taming the “Tough-Shot Taker”: Porter has a reputation for being a “tough-shot taker,” a player who is capable of making spectacular, difficult shots but also prone to taking ill-advised ones. This style of play was acceptable on a rebuilding Houston team, but it will not fly on a Bucks team focused on efficient, winning basketball. He will need to embrace a more disciplined offensive approach.
• Maintaining Composure: Throughout his career, Porter has had moments where his emotions have gotten the best of him. As the starting point guard and floor general, he will need to be a steadying presence, especially in high-pressure situations.

The Impact on the Bucks’ Season

The success or failure of the Kevin Porter Jr. experiment will be one of the defining storylines of the Bucks’ season. How he adapts to this role will have a massive impact on the team’s identity and their ultimate success.

If the experiment works, the Bucks could have a dynamic and potent offense. A more disciplined Porter, paired with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the floor-spacing of Myles Turner, could be incredibly difficult to defend. If he can average around 15 points and 7 assists while playing efficient, team-oriented basketball, the Bucks will be in a great position to compete at the top of the Eastern Conference.

If it fails, the Bucks will have to pivot quickly. A massive leap in development from Ryan Rollins is not out of the question, and he could potentially take over the starting role later in the season. The Bucks could also look to the trade market before the deadline to acquire a more traditional, steady point guard. Porter’s leash as the starter will likely be tied to the team’s success. If the Bucks are winning, his mistakes will be more palatable. If they are struggling, a change will be inevitable.

Conclusion: A Bet on Talent and Maturity

The decision to name Kevin Porter Jr. the Bucks’ starting point guard is a bold move by Doc Rivers and the Milwaukee front office. It is a bet on talent, a bet on maturity, and a bet that a player with a complicated past can seize the biggest opportunity of his career. There is a world where Porter harnesses his immense skills, embraces the responsibility of his new role, and becomes the dynamic point guard the Bucks need to compete for a championship.

However, there is also a world where the old habits of inefficiency and questionable decision-making resurface, forcing the team to make a change. The stage is set for one of the most intriguing player stories of the upcoming NBA season. For now, the keys to the Milwaukee Bucks offense belong to Kevin Porter Jr. What he does with them will determine not only his own future but the trajectory of a franchise with championship aspirations.