Milwaukee Bucks Summer League Historical Notables

Summer League generally elicits inflated reactions and unnecessary hype for many players fighting for a few training camp roster spots. It’s fun to watch, but the majority will seldom see NBA rotational minutes.

Nonetheless, we thought it would be fun to look back at some of the Bucks’ most notable Summer League teams and players.

Bucks Were Late to Join NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League

While the Las Vegas NBA Summer League’s inception was in 2004, the Bucks’ first Vegas team didn’t take the court until 2007, as they were participating in the Minnesota Summer League instead. There have been other official leagues in Orlando (defunct), Salt Lake City and the California Classic, but the Bucks have only participated in Vegas.

Traditionally, the Deer have not fared well in the summer (league; thanks, 2021). They’ve compiled a meager four winning campaigns in 16 tries, with three of the four occurring well over a decade ago.

Here are their historical results:

• 2007: 2-3
• 2008: 4-1
• 2009: 4-1
• 2010: 1-4
• 2012: 4-1
• 2013: 2-3
• 2014: 1-4
• 2015: 1-5
• 2016: 1-4
• 2017: 1-4
• 2018: 2-3
• 2019: 2-3
• 2021: 1-4
• 2022: 3-2
• 2023: 2-3
• 2024: 0-5

The Las Vegas Summer League playoffs didn’t begin until 2013, so the three four-win teams from 2012 and prior didn’t get to play for a true “championship”.

The Bucks had at least one win every summer— until last season when they went 0-5.

Let’s take a look at some of the more memorable players and teams over the years:

2007-2010

Notable players: Lynn Greer (2007), David Noel (2007), Ramon Sessions (2007-08), Joe Alexander (2008-09), Luc Mbah a Moute (2008-09), Jodie Meeks (2009), Brandon Jennings (2009), Amir Johnson (2009), Larry Sanders (2010)

The Bucks’ first four years in NBA Summer League were by far the best. Based on the pair of 4-1 runs, one might think there was solid future NBA talent on these teams.

And while that was true for Ramon Sessions (2008), we all know how Joe Alexander turned out. After a dismal rookie season in 2008, the former lottery pick averaged 16.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in the summer of 2009. Despite this potential resurgence, Alexander was sidelined due to injury for his sophomore tenure with the Bucks, and he was later traded to the Bulls that year. He wouldn’t play in the NBA past that season.

Alongside Alexander on that ’09 team were Jodie Meeks and Brandon Jennings, who combined to average 33.6 points per contest.

Other notables from this first chunk of seasons included Luc Mbah a Moute, Larry Sanders, and Amir Johnson, who was approaching Year 4 of a long 14-year career.

2012-2015

Notable players: Tobias Harris (2012), John Henson (2012-13), Doron Lamb (2012), Larry Sanders (2012), Nate Wolters (2013-14), Ish Smith (2013), Giannis Antetokounmpo (2014), Jabari Parker (2014), Sean Kilpatrick (2015), Rashad Vaughn (2015)

This was perhaps the most exciting Summer League era to look back on, sheerly due to the hype around several prospects, including our guy.

Giannis and Jabari averaged a combined 32.6 points per game on the 2014 team. While they only managed one win, we got to see an extension of Giannis’ rookie season and what was to come.

Sean Kilpatrick and Rashad Vaughn combined for 35.4 points per night in 2015. Vaughn was, of course, one of the Bucks’ seemingly numerous draft busts. Kilpatrick, meanwhile, put together a solid season with the Brooklyn Nets in 2016-17 (13.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists per game) but was out of the league shortly after that.

He at least put together some productive minutes as a two-way player with the Bucks for three months of the 2017-18 season.

And we can’t forget about Jabari Parker.

2016-2019

Notable players: Rashad Vaughn (2016-17), Thon Maker (2016-17), Malcolm Brogdon (2016), DJ Wilson (2017-19), Gary Payton II (2017), Sterling Brown (2017-19), Bronson Koenig (2017), Christian Wood (2018), Jock Landale (2019), Elijah Bryant (2019), Bonzie Colson (2019), Rayjon Tucker (2019), Xavier Munford (2019)

The late 2010s produced a number of notable Summer League Bucks, for better or worse. Some found future success with the Bucks and other NBA teams (GP2, Brogdon, Wood, Landale), some were notable for Wisconsin Herd history (Munford, Colson, Tucker), and others were Bucks draft busts (Vaughn, Wilson).

Thon Maker infamously fouled out of a Summer League game in 2016. Why is this significant? You need ten fouls to foul out in the summer.

As mentioned, Sterling Brown (Bucks, Rockets, Mavs, Lakers), Gary Payton II (Bucks, Lakers, Wizards, Warriors, Blazers, Warriors again), Malcolm Brogdon (Bucks, Pacers, Celtics, Blazers, Wizards), and Jock Landale (Spurs, Suns, Rockets, Grizzlies) have all found long-term success in the NBA.

But the best performer of this era? Christian Wood, hands down. He dropped 20.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game in 2018. Wood spent significant NBA time with the Bucks, Pistons, Rockets, Mavs, and Lakers, but went unsigned in the 2024-25 season. Despite this, he has yet to turn 30, and could still be a serviceable big man for several teams in need of one.

Second-round pick Sterling Brown put up a solid line of his own that year to the tune of 16.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists a night.

2021-2024

Notable players: Jordan Nwora (2021), Sandro Mamukelasvili (2021-22), Mamadi Diakite (2021), Georgios Kalaitzakis (2021), MarJon Beauchamp (2022-24), Lindell Wigginton (2022-23), AJ Green (2022-23), Rayjon Tucker (2022), Chris Livingston (2023-24), Nico Mannion (2023), Andre Jackson Jr. (2023-24), Tacko Fall (2023), Ryan Rollins (2024), TyTy Washington Jr. (2024), AJ Johnson (2024), Tyler Smith (2024)

We didn’t get a Summer League in 2020, but we did get a winning Bucks Summer League in 2022.

The trio of Lindell Wigginton (18.2 PPG/4.6 APG/1.2 SPG), Sandro Mamukelashvili (17.0 PPG/8.8 RPG/2.4 APG/1.4 SPG/1.0 BPG) and MarJon Beauchamp (12.8 PPG) combined for 48 points per game that year.

And then, we have the latest “What if” Buck, AJ Johnson.

It’s far too early to lock in that trading AJ Johnson was a mistake, but early returns suggest it was. Numerous highlight reels of his time on the Wizards suggest the Bucks screwed this one up.

And all for a (so far) failed Kyle Kuzma experiment? Tough to swallow.

2025’s Team

Notable players: Keita Bates-Diop, Terrence Edwards Jr., Andre Jackson Jr., Chris Livingston, Bogoljub Markovic, Pete Nance, Mark Sears, Tyler Smith

This year’s team is largely a mix of former Bucks draft picks and a lot of undrafted guys trying to find their footing somewhere. The one exception to this is Keita Bates-Diop, who the Timberwolves selected in the second round of the 2018 draft.

Bates-Diop bounced around five different teams before not playing in 2024-25. His best season in the league was in 2022-23 in San Antonio, where he averaged 9.7 points (51% FG, 39% 3PT, 79% FT) across 67 games and 42 starts.

The remainder of our notables include the recently waived Chris Livingston, Andre Jackson Jr. for a third summer, second-round pick Bogoljub Markovic, rising sophomore Tyler Smith, college standout Terrence Edwards Jr., new two-way signee Mark Sears, and Pete Nance.