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Former NBA Player Draws Backlash Over Pick For Greatest Milwaukee Bucks Small Forward

Shandel Richardson

Former Bucks teammates Marques Johnson (left) and Sidney Moncrief were both named finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday. 1983 Press Photo Milwaukee Bucks Players Marques Johnson And Sidney Moncrief
Former Bucks teammates Marques Johnson (left) and Sidney Moncrief were both named finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday. 1983 Press Photo Milwaukee Bucks Players Marques Johnson And Sidney Moncrief / John E. Biever, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Former NBA player Brandon Jennings recently caused a stir with his pick for best small forward in Milwaukee Bucks history.

He made his choice of Khris Middleton while speaking on the Gilbert Arenas podcast. Middleton is no doubt one of the top players to ever wear a Bucks uniform. He helped them win a title playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021.

"He got it done," said Jennings, who also played for the Bucks during his career. "He had big shots. He hit big shots. We don't get there without Khris Middleton. It took 50 years. We've been waiting 50 years."

The pick was met with backlash from fans. Other top Bucks small forwards are Marques Johnson and Glenn Robinson.

Johnson's son, Josiah, was among those to chime in. He posted a pic of his father's accolades and jersey hanging in the rafters at the Bucks arena.

Johnson was a five-time All-Star, first-team All-NBA once and second-team twice. Middleton is a three-time All-Star but has never made an All-NBA team.

The Bucks took Robinson with the No. 1 pick in the 1994 draft. A two-time All-Star, he had his best years in Milwaukee while playing alongside Ray Allen and Vin Baker. He and Allen led the Bucks to the Eastern Conference finals in 2001, falling in seven games to Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Robinson trails Middleton on the Bucks' career scoring list but mainly because of fewer seasons in Milwaukee.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com