Former Wisconsin Badgers forward Jon Leuer was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 40th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
The Bucks made headlines with their three-way trade involving the acquisition of Stephen Jackson earlier in the night and then added the versatile Leuer who many see as a great value pick in the second round.
Follow the jump to find out what Leuer brings to the Milwaukee Bucks organization.
By: Nick Grays
Leuer is the third Badger selected in the NBA Draft in the last seven years and the 35th of all-time.
The Orono, Minn., native is the fifth Badger to be chosen by the Bucks and the first since Rashard Griffith in 1995. In fact, with Leuer’s selection, three of the past seven Badgers to be drafted have been chosen by Milwaukee.
An honorable mention All-American in 2010-11, Leuer was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and led the Badgers with 18.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this season. With 1,376 career points, Leuer finished 12th in school history, while his 621 points last season ranked as the third-highest single-season total in UW history.
Prior to Leuer, the last Badger to be drafted was Alando Tucker who was chosen 29th overall by Phoenix in 2007.
The Sports Bank had the opportunity to catch up with Jon Leuer in this video interview at the Draft Combine.
Leuer’s biggest strength is his ability to hit his jumper from almost anywhere on the court. He can also create off the dribble and contains a very high basketball IQ.
However, the big man doesn’t have the most well-rounded game in the post. At times, he can disappear defensively and has never been a great rebounder.
The Bucks other draft pick Tobias Harris from Tennessee also plays the forward position and will get the opportunity to directly compete with Leuer for minutes and I would expect the Bucks to have good production from their front line in the near future.
More can be found in a feature profile on Leuer done earlier this year.
Overall, what did you think of the Bucks 2011 NBA Draft? Do you think Jon Leuer can make an impact or will he merely ride the bench? Let me know by commenting below!
Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.
The Orono, Minn., native is the fifth Badger to be chosen by the Bucks and the first since Rashard Griffith in 1995. In fact, with Leuer’s selection, three of the past seven Badgers to be drafted have been chosen by Milwaukee.
An honorable mention All-American in 2010-11, Leuer was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and led the Badgers with 18.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this season. With 1,376 career points, Leuer finished 12th in school history, while his 621 points last season ranked as the third-highest single-season total in UW history.
Prior to Leuer, the last Badger to be drafted was Alando Tucker who was chosen 29th overall by Phoenix in 2007.