The Milwaukee Bucks have not won an NBA championship since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar still went by the name of Lew Alcindor. But things are looking up in Milwaukee.
With reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way, a multitude of Bucks news is once again considering Milwaukee as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference.
Antetokounmpo has already solidified himself as one of the most transformative players in league history. His unprecedented size, length, and athleticism make him an unstoppable force in the modern NBA.
But does the “Greek Freak” stack up with the best players in franchise history?
Here we break down the best Milwaukee Bucks players at each position:
Point guard: Oscar Robertson
The Big O might have played just four seasons in Milwaukee, but his impact on the franchise is immense.
Despite being at the tail end of his career, Oscar Robertson‘s arrival immediately led the Bucks to the 1971 NBA title, and he made consecutive All-Star teams in each of his first two seasons in Milwaukee.
Perhaps the best descriptor for Robertson is that he was utterly selfish. He clearly could have scored if he chose–he averaged over 25 points per game for the Cincinnati Royals during the 1969-70 season–but he understood that Alcindor was the focal point of those Bucks teams.
Robertson averaged 16.3 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.9 rebounds in his four seasons with the Bucks, but he will most be remembered for bringing a title to Milwaukee.
Shooting guard: Sidney Moncrief
Sidney Moncrief was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019, and he was the most identifiable Bucks superstar in the 1980s after Alcindor was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Drafted with the fifth overall pick in 1979, Moncrief developed into an All-Star by his third season in the league. He was a combo guard that could slash and finish at the rim, and he made a habit of getting to the free-throw line in a more physical era with fewer rules to limit defenders.
Moncrief could certainly score. He averaged more than 20 points per game in four consecutive seasons between 1983 and 1986. But he is probably better known for his smothering defense.
“The Squid” won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1983 and 1984, and he was named to an All-Defensive team five times.
Moncrief spent 10 of his 11 seasons in the league with the Bucks, averaging 16.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.3 steals during his time in Milwaukee. He was a tremendous competitor, and he ranks second all-time in win shares in Bucks history.
Small forward: Bob Dandridge
Bob Dandridge is easily the most overlooked player on that 1971 championship team, but he averaged 18.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game that year.
He was a true playmaker at the small forward position and an exceptional ballhandler at the time. Dandridge was also a unique scorer in that he had a hybrid post-game.
Dandridge used an assortment of spins and midrange jumpers to score the ball, but he could also use his length and nifty footwork to create space for open looks.
“The Greyhound” averaged 18.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.5 steals in nine seasons with the Bucks while making three All-Star teams.
Dandridge would later go on to make an All-Defensive team and win a second NBA title with the Washington Bullets, which speaks to his pedigree as a winner.
Power forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Yes, Giannis does make this team. And because he has so much positional versatility, we will put him at the four and feel absolutely no remorse whatsoever!
Antetokounmpo already ranks fourth in Bucks history in win shares in little more than seven seasons, and he could be the all-time leader in that category when all is said and done.
He is just the second Buck to win the MVP award (more on this in a second), and he has had an undeniable impact on turning this franchise into a winner.
Center: Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)
The man formerly known as Alcindor spent just six years with the Bucks, yet he is the franchise leader in win shares. He led the NBA in scoring in consecutive seasons and even led the league in blocks per game in his final season in Milwaukee.
“Cap” won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award to go along with three MVPs and an NBA Finals MVP. He made the All-Star team in each of his six seasons in Milwaukee.
We could go on about the accolades, but Abdul-Jabbar's greatness speaks for itself.
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