NBA Draft: Bucks draft Thon Maker with No. 10 pick

With the 10th pick of the 2016 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks gave us our first big surprise. They selected Thon Maker, a 19-year-old power forward who jumped to the NBA right out of high school. Most did not see Maker going in the lottery, and possibly not even the first round at all. Milwaukee, however, is taking the gamble.

Maker first made waves thanks to a mixtape that went viral among basketball media. The hype was clearly greater than his actual talent at the time, but he already possessed some intriguing tools as a 16-year-old. Two years later, the Australian seven-footer declared for the draft, becoming the first player in over a decade to jump straight out of high school to the NBA.

The process behind Maker’s decision was complicated. Though high school players are not normally allowed to enter the draft, Maker and his guardian claimed that he had graduated in 2015. Because of that, and because he was 19 years old, they argued he should be allowed to enter the draft. The NBA agreed, so he declared.

Initially it was unclear whether he was even going to be drafted, as decision-makers had seen little of him, but his unique combination of length, mobility and skill was clearly hard to pass up. He climbed up draft boards and was ultimately selected 10th by the Bucks, which is still much higher than most expected.

It’s hard to see Maker having a consistent role as a rookie. He needs to put on a lot of muscle before he’s able to battle NBA big men on the boards and the post. His shot is not as deadly as it needs to be for him to earn minutes as a stretch power forward right off the bat, either, according to scouts. Right now Maker is the definition of a long-term project. Yet it’s impossible not to be intrigued by his potential.

There are not a lot of 7’1 players who have his mobility and athleticism. The fact that he has a budding jump shot that stretches to the NBA three-point line is an added bonus. He also reportedly has great work ethic and is mature for his age, as he showed in an interview with DraftExpress.com:

I’ve only been playing this game seriously since January 28, 2011. I still have my train pass to my first practice at Next Level Basketball Australia. The sky is the limit on what I can become and what I can do. In the league you have access 24/7 to the best teachers in the world. All you have to do is listen and work and live in the gym. My routine will be the same everyday no matter the day. Look at Kawhi Leonard or Jimmy Butler. That’s just work. Even look at Kobe from when he first got to the league to now. You have to work and love it.

There’s no doubt that Maker will have to put in significant work just to be a viable NBA player. To start, he’ll have to gain weight and hope he doesn’t lose his mobility in the process. He’ll have to improve across the board on offense as well and he will never be the difference-maker his physical profile suggests he can be on defense if he doesn’t improve his awareness. Maker is a year or two away from making an impact, assuming everything goes well.

If he does hone his shot and figures out the nuances of NBA defense, though, he could be worth the wait. There are few prospects as divisive as Maker, but even at this point in the draft, he’s worth a flyer.