Bucks All-Star Taking Young Milwaukee Player Under His Wing

Milwaukee is looking for some internal development this year.

Mar 28, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) slaps hands with forward Khris Middleton (22) and center Brook Lopez (11) after a play against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

After making marginal moves in free agency this summer, the capped-out Milwaukee Bucks are no doubt hoping that one of their young charges on a rookie-scale contract can take a leap this year to help improve the club's chances of advancing past the first round, for the first time in three seasons.

One tantalizing candidate for this kind of development is 6-foot-6 swingman MarJon Beauchamp, whom Milwaukee selected with the No. 24 pick in 2022, following a season with the G League Ignite.

During a fresh conversation with Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda just before the start of the 2024-25 regular season, the third-year forward reflected on where the team stood now, and its goals moving forward. In 2023-24, the Bucks flipped All-Defensive Team starting point guard Jrue Holiday for All-Star Damian Lillard, and the club's defense on the perimeter promptly fell apart. Milwaukee also fired head coach Adrian Griffin halfway through the season, replacing him with Doc Rivers. The team finished with a solid 49-33 record, but fell in the first round of the playoffs when All-Stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard missed time with injuries.

“We’re building something special here,” Beauchamp told Afseth of this year's vintage. “Our focus is on getting better every day, and I think that’s going to show this season.”

Another former Bucks All-Star, small forward Khris Middleton, has apparently been critical in helping Beauchamp's growth.

"Khris Middleton has been a big help. He sees a lot of himself in my game, so working with him and taking knowledge from him has been great," Beauchamp said. "He told me that in practices, he, Giannis, and O.J. Mayo used to fight over guarding the best player. You've got to have that mentality every day, and that's helped me be more competitive and improve on defense."

Last year, Beauchamp appeared in just 48 contests, averaging 4.4 points on .488/.400/.679 shooting splits, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.6 dimes a night. The 24-year-old revealed what he focused on this offseason with regards to his development.

"Yeah, just quick decisions, you know, and being ready to shoot. I shot 40 percent last year [from long range], so I'm just trying to build off that," Middleton said. "Also, getting stronger, getting quicker laterally so I can defend, and trying to make the right reads."

When asked how he hoped to contribute, Beauchamp was open-minded.

"Just to help the team win," Beauchamp said. "I feel like the things I do, you can't really teach — bringing energy every day, getting rebounds, guarding the best players, and trying to make their night tough. They're going to make shots, of course, but I can bring effort and energy. I'm a young guy, so I just want to help the team win."

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