Bucks first round pick AJ Johnson - Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images
MILWAUKEE, WI (WSAU) – The Milwaukee Bucks have found their young athletic guard of the future, selecting AJ Johnson 23rd overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Johnson, 19, stands 6’5, weighs 165 LBS, and played professionally for the Illawarra Hawks in Australia last season. He is seen by scouts as a player with a lot of upsides but will need time to develop before playing major NBA minutes, including adding more muscle to his frame. However, with his 6’9 wingspan, an 8’6 standing reach, and a 38-inch max vertical, Johnson is considered one of the most athletic prospects in this draft class.
CBS Sports gave the selection a C+, saying, “This is a stretch even though Johnson is a potential first-round talent. In Milwaukee, they need players who can come in and play right now. Johnson was a five-star recruit who decided to go overseas instead of Texas. He’s a big-time talent who is smooth but a ways away.”
Johnson averaged just 2.9 points per game and shot 37% from the field for the Hawks while only averaging seven minutes played per game. He was a top-50 prospect out of Southern California Academy and originally committed to Texas before choosing to play overseas professionally.
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