He’s Back! A Grateful Brandon Jennings Explodes in Return to Milwaukee Bucks

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Brandon Jennings signed a 10-day contract with the Milwaukee Bucks over the weekend. He returned to the Bucks nearly five years after playing his last game with the team –April 28th, 2013 — signing on to provide some much-needed scoring off the bench. Jennings, who spent his first four years with Milwaukee (2009-2013), had been with the Bucks G-League team — the Wisconsin Herd — for seven games before getting the late-season call-up.

And on Monday night — sporting No. 11 this time around — the lightning-quick point guard put on a show in just 24 minutes at Memphis. It was a true blast from the past, with Jennings looking more like a Lottery Pick than a guy who didn’t have a roster spot at the beginning of the season.

Fresh off an impressive, seven-game G-League performance (21.4 PPG, 7.6 APG), Jennings entered the game for Eric Bledsoe at the end of the first quarter. He wasted no time getting into the mix, snagging an offensive rebound and dishing out an assist on his first possession of the year. From there, he was in the groove, eager to show that he belongs in this league — not in China or on G-League courts.

The former No. 10-overall pick created open looks for teammates all night long, played the pick-and-roll like a veteran, and was annoying on the defensive end. Plus, he was efficient from the field — something Bucks’ fans wished for back in the day. The Bucks beat the Grizzlies 121-103, with Jennings almost notching a triple-double: 16 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds.

He sank three of his six three-point attempts, finishing 5-9 overall from the field. (Jennings was also 3-3 from the free-throw line.)

“Just putting on that jersey was a blessing.” -Brandon Jennings after his first game back with Milwaukee.

With what the NBA has become, it seems like Jennings is better suited now more than ever. He played with a fast (but controlled) pace, pushed the ball in transition, and brought the type of energy off the bench that keeps you in the rotation.

Interim head coach Joe Prunty praised Jennings after the game when questioned by reporters.

“He was great tonight,” Prunty said. “He is an extremely talented player. Had a nice day of practice yesterday, and it paid off today.”

ASHER ROTH (2)

As a Bucks’ fan, seeing Jennings swag on an NBA court again was really cool. I remember watching him score 55 points in three quarters as a rookie against the Steph Curry’s Warriors (which broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s team record for most points as a rookie). Adding Jennings to the team they already had is like heaven for a Bucks’ fan, so hopefully, they can keep it rolling into the playoffs.

Most importantly, though, it’s great that he actually wants to be here.

 

CATEGORY: NBA