Update: As of July 1, Alando Tucker is not on the Milwaukee Bucks Summer League roster. Rest assured I’ll be speaking with John Hammond and Scott Skiles about this at the first Summer League practice next Thursday, July 8.
By Jake McCormick
Starting Monday, July 12, one of the most famous and popular Wisconsin Badgers will begin his fight for a chance to play in front of fans most familiar with his college glory days.
Alando Tucker, Wisconsin’s all-time season and career scoring record holder, will be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks Las Vegas summer league team as a shooting guard/small forward, and has the rest of the summer to prove he belongs on an NBA roster.
Tucker’s chances of latching on to the Bucks are about as high as any non-roster invitee in the summer league, but Tucker has some qualities that are sure to appeal to coach Scott Skiles and his style of play.
The former Badger’s contract is not guaranteed, but he was intrigued the possibility of playing in front of fans that watched him mature into the 2006-07 Big Ten Player of the Year and First Team All-American by his senior year as a Badger and chose Milwaukee over at least two other suitors.
“The Bucks called and we discussed and broke down the situation,’’ said Kevin Bradbury, Tucker’s agent. “We had two or three other teams inquiry about Alando, too, but it came down to what he (Tucker) wanted to do.
“He was excited about the possibility of playing before some of the same fans who rooted for him at Wisconsin and the potential to make the roster.’’
Tucker’s work ethic has never been questioned, and he has carried that “first one in the gym, and last one to leave” mentality with him from Phoenix to Minnesota, and now will be playing for a regular season roster spot alongside rookies Larry Sanders, Tiny Gallon, Darington Hobson, and veteran big men Sean Williams and Darnell Jackson. Tucker’s jump shot and ball handling skills will always be a work in progress in terms of consistency, but he has improved in both areas over his three year NBA career.
“He’s really been working on his outside shot,’’ Bradbury said. “He’s just very excited; he’s thinks it’s an excellent opportunity for him.’’
Even with an improving mid and long range game, Tucker’s path of least resistence towards the Bucks roster will most likely be the result of his lockdown defense (courtesy of Bo Ryan) and his ability to attack the basket and play above the rim (he also holds the Wisconsin record for vertical leap, at 38″). Tucker has shown an ability to dominate in the D-League at times, and he’ll have at least a couple impressive scoring and rebounding outbursts in the summer league.
In the end, it could come down to what Scott Skiles and John Hammond decide to do with Darington Hobson. Hammond talked about the point-forward like he was a kid that had just won a $5,000 GameStop gift certificate, and may want the versatile Hobson to learn on the job behind Corey Maggette, Chris Douglas-Roberts, and Carlos Delfino.
Tucker could certainly be a quality veteran option for one of the three reserve positions, but it’s tough to accurately predict his future until the Summer League plays out and Milwaukee casts their line into the free agency waters. Still, I’m sure that Bucks fans would have no problems with a hometown kid (and all around nice guy) filling a spot on the Bucks roster because it would have more to do with his attitude and ability than his roots in Wisconsin.
Finances shouldn’t be much of a concern if he plays well enough to make the team, as Tucker definitely won’t command the short and long term salary commitments of other potential free agent shooting guards/small forwards poised to ride the pine for most of the season. It will most likely come down to team positional needs and experience vs. raw talent.
Even if the Bucks don’t pick up Tucker’s contract, he’ll get a few looks from other teams because of his defensive skills that are always in demand at the NBA level. Tucker would get fan support in Milwaukee he couldn’t find anywhere else, but it would be hard to blame him for pursuing an opportunity for more playing time in another city. In that case, he’d just have to settle for a slight rise in cheers from Bucks fans when he steps foot on the Bradley Center floor in a different uniform.
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