D.J. Wilson is trying to get out of the shadows in Year 2 with the Bucks
Most of D.J. Wilson's short NBA career has been spent out of the public view.
The 17th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Wilson played just 71 minutes as a rookie for the Milwaukee Bucks last season. He also appeared in 11 G League games for the Wisconsin Herd, although outside of the most hardcore Bucks and Herd fans, few probably saw much of that action.
That doesn't leave much – limited samples from last preseason and two stints at summer league – on which to form an opinion on Wilson's professional development. This preseason looked like another opportunity to gauge Wilson's progress, but after a brief, solid start to the Bucks' open scrimmage on Sept. 29, Wilson limped to the locker room holding his right hamstring and ultimately didn't play at all in the preseason.
“It’s part of the game, it wasn’t too frustrating for me," Wilson said Saturday after being a full participant in practice, which he believes bodes well for his availability for Wednesday's season opener.
"I feel like once you get frustrated while you’re hurt it just slows up the process of coming back. … I’m good mentally, I have been, and I feel real close to 100% right now.”
Wilson's injury meant another few weeks operating behind the scenes. Par for the course.
While that doesn't provide any fodder for those assessing Wilson from outside the Sports Science Center, those inside the building believe they've seen noteworthy growth from the second-year forward. After some open gyms and one day of training camp, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was already impressed by the differences he noticed.
"He was playing extremely hard, like, I’ve never seen him play that hard," Antetokounmpo said. "I told him the second day of training camp, ‘Look, you’re playing great right now, but you’ve got to do this every day. Can you do this every day?’ He said, ‘I’m going to try to do that every day.’
“I said, ‘You’ve got to bring that energy and the way you’re locked in every freaking day for the rest of the season.’ … As a player he can become a really good player in this league. He has all the tools – he can shoot the ball, he can dribble the ball, he’s 6-10, 6-11, strong, jump, he can do everything. He’s just got to lock in and try to play hard every day.”
Wilson took his lumps as a rookie. He sat out game after game never knowing when his next opportunity would come. He toiled in practices, but with coaches Jason Kidd then Joe Prunty at the helm, never seemed to be much of a priority.
Kidd, for years whenever asked about his rookies, often responded with statements like, "He's a rookie," insinuating that players would just need to go through being a professional and wait their turn. With Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton ahead of him playing huge minutes and eventually Jabari Parker and Shabazz Muhammad grabbing playing time as well, Wilson didn't have many chances.
This summer, Wilson wanted to do everything he could to prepare himself ahead of his critical second season. By the end of October, the Bucks will have to decide if they will pick up his third-year team option valued at just shy of $3 million.
During the off-season, Wilson spent most of his time working out in Las Vegas where his agent is located. His primary goal was building up his body to better absorb contact at the NBA level.
“I feel like I can just bring my energy, athleticism, versatility to the floor whenever my number’s called," Wilson said. "I feel like I have a new level of confidence and assertiveness that I didn’t have last year that I gained throughout the summer from the work that I put in.”
Now, with Mike Budenholzer as his coach, Wilson believes in the possibility of more ample opportunity if he can translate his offseason work into success onto the court. He finds Budenholzer's system, especially on offense, involves more of the pace, space and free-flowing elements he was used in college to under John Beilein at Michigan, something that gives him more comfort.
It also helps Wilson's comfort level that Budenholzer and his staff have a good reputation for player development, something they built over five seasons in Atlanta. Wilson has taken to Budenholzer's efficient, individually-tailored approach, often working well after practice with assistant coach Charles Lee.
In his short tenure in Milwaukee, Budenholzer has already been impressed by what Wilson has put forth on the court during summer league, open gyms and preseason. With Milwaukee's depth, Wilson still has a lot of work to do in order to create opportunities for himself and earn a regular role once he's cleared physically. However, Budenholzer sees the foundation of a player who meshes well with the style he employs and the traits he values.
"I’m very impressed by his skills, by his IQ, by what he brings," Budenholzer said. "He’s a very good fit for the way we like to play, for the things we like to do. It just looks and feels like he’s in his comfort zone just playing kind of instinctually, so I think he’s got a great chance to play for us.”
Roster trimmed: The Bucks waived Tyler Zeller on Saturday. That leaves guard Tim Frazier and forward Christian Wood as the two remaining players competing for the final roster spot.
Zeller joined the Bucks in February in a trade that sent Rashad Vaughn and what became the No. 45 pick in the 2018 draft to the Brooklyn Nets. Zeller averaged 5.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in 24 games with the Bucks last season, but entered the 2018-'19 season with a non-guaranteed contract forcing him to compete for his spot.