The Milwaukee Bucks' 2024 draft decision is starting to look more like a missed opportunity with each passing game - and Kyshawn George just added a little salt to the wound.
Appearing on The Old Man and the Three podcast, George opened up about his pre-draft process and dropped a nugget that Bucks fans might want to forget - or maybe can’t afford to. According to the Wizards forward, Milwaukee was one of the teams that gave him strong feedback after a solid individual workout.
In his words, they were part of his “floor,” a team he fully expected would take him if he was still on the board. But when the Bucks’ pick came around, they went in a completely different direction.
“I had a couple of teams that I had really, really, really good feedback from and was kind of my floor, and they didn’t pick me... The team was Milwaukee,” George said.
Let’s rewind to that 2024 NBA Draft night. The Bucks were on the clock, and the need was clear: they needed a wing.
Not just for depth, but for the kind of two-way presence that could take pressure off Giannis Antetokounmpo and help extend the team’s championship window. George was still available.
So were Ryan Dunn and Terrence Shannon Jr. All three were viewed as NBA-ready wings with upside.
It felt like a layup.
Instead, Milwaukee pulled a surprise move, selecting AJ Johnson - a 19-year-old guard who most draft boards didn’t even have going in the first round. The pick raised eyebrows at the time, and in hindsight, it’s even harder to justify.
Johnson was a long-term project from day one, and he didn’t get much of a chance to develop in Milwaukee. He was traded before the season was even over.
Meanwhile, George, taken just one pick later by the Wizards, is starting to look like a gem. In his second NBA season, he’s averaging 15.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and five assists per game while shooting nearly 40% from deep. At just 22 years old, he’s already showing signs of becoming a foundational piece in Washington’s rebuild.
And here’s the kicker: George is exactly the kind of player the Bucks are missing right now. They’ve been thin on wings for years, and it’s become even more glaring this season.
George’s size, shooting, and feel for the game would’ve made him an ideal fit next to Giannis - a floor spacer who doesn’t need the ball in his hands to make an impact, but who can also create when needed. He would’ve slotted in nicely alongside Milwaukee’s younger pieces like Ryan Rollins and AJ Green, giving the team a more balanced mix of youth and experience.
Now, it’s fair to wonder how George’s development would’ve played out in Milwaukee. AJ Johnson struggled to find minutes under Doc Rivers, and it’s possible George might’ve faced similar challenges.
But that’s the nature of the draft - it’s not just about talent, it’s about fit, opportunity, and timing. The Bucks had a chance to fill a glaring need with a player who was not only talented but also ready to contribute.
They passed.
And George hasn’t forgotten.
For a franchise trying to squeeze every ounce of contention out of Giannis’ prime, decisions like these aren’t just footnotes - they’re turning points. Whether it’s a missed pick, a trade that doesn’t pan out, or a player who slips through the cracks, the margin for error is razor-thin.
This one might sting for a while.