When the NBA draft started Thursdaythe Milwaukee Bucks were not in possession of their second round draft pick because it was forfeited “gun jumping” in conversation with Bogdan Bogdanović in the low season of 2020.
But general manager Jon Horst worked a deal with the Indiana Pacers for the second year in a row to acquire the final pick in the design. Hugo Bessonwho selected Indiana at number 58. That was announced in the early morning hours on Friday.
Last season, the Pacers chose Sandro Mamukelashvili (No. 54) and Georgios Kalaitzakis (No. 60) and sent them to the Bucks for squad No. 31 (Isaiah Todd).
Journal Sentinel Analysis
The Bucks signed Argentine guard Luca Vildoza at the end of the regular season and added another international combination guard in Besson, ostensibly to give some more depth to scoring and handling. If Besson chooses to sign with the Bucks and start his NBA career, he would probably have to prove he can defend on the NBA perimeter and equalize his three-point shot to earn significant playing time.
Hugo Besson vitals
Age: 21
Height: 6-5.
Weight: 180.
Vertical jump: 31.5 inches
Must know
He said
Hugo Besson was in the crowd at the Barclays Center and then met with the media.
When drafting
“I am very grateful to have been chosen. I have worked hard all my career. I am very grateful and can’t wait to get to work.”
About his greatest skill, and what he needs to work on
“I think I can score very well. I think I have to improve my body, especially my defense.”
Draftniks say:
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer: “Projects like a good shooter thanks to the soft touch of the line and the midrange. While that skill hasn’t translated into three-point success on a regular basis, there are plenty of positive indicators for a fearless shooter like him who can suck out threes of the catch and throw buckets of getting the bounce….Strong finisher around the rim who can use both hands to put it on from awkward angles….Creative passer….Straky shooter who has been up and down with his percentages throughout his career. Fouls will target him as a defender. He is undersized and often lacks focus, which one would hope he overcomes due to his athletic limitations.”
BasketballNews.com: Although he is a stripe shooter, Besson has shown that he can score on three levels and is a strong marksman. At six foot tall, he excels at pick and roll and is a capable marksman of the a top athlete and an average defender, but his skill and ability to lead the attack with speed and vision are special. Besson has the opportunity to guard minutes early in his NBA career.”
NBADraft.net: “Sneaky athlete, better than meets the eye. … Body can fill up nicely. …Has a quick first step. … Can drive from either direction. … Confident. Good basketball IQ… Flashy ball handler, with a series of hesitant and change of pace dribbles. … Below average – in all concepts – for a shooting guard. … Not a top athlete. … Average wingspan. … Not strong or tall enough to consistently play as a shooting guard at the NBA level. … Not a real point guard.”
HUGO BESSON highlights
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Bucks take over Hugo Besson from Pacers on the night shift