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Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Bucks catch break in rising star Brandon Jennings

ST. FRANCIS, Wis. -- Tuesday night in Chicago, Lindsey Hunter, who has been in the league just three years less than the kid has been on the planet, was letting the rookie have it from his catcall perch on the Bulls' bench.

Slow down, young fella, come on, slow down!

Apparently, that's not the way it's going to be for Brandon Jennings. The first three games into his NBA career, and already the kid's governor has been disconnected.

When was the last time the Milwaukee Bucks had a player with this much natural ability and personality in one package? Probably Ray Allen, and you saw what he did for the organization. If there was ever a right player at the right time for a franchise starving for success and attention, Jennings just might be it.

Still, let's not get too carried away here, this early into it and all, because you want to see Jennings take a lap or two around the league, go up against Chris Paul, Jason Kidd, Deron Williams and the like. He's already faced the standard for young point guards, the reigning rookie of the year in Derrick Rose, and more than held his own until right there near the end when Rose made an experienced play, blocking the kid's shot.

Upon review, Jennings didn't make a bad decision. And that's the thing. He's only going to make better ones from here because at 20, Jennings has such an instinctive feel for the game.

Scott Skiles, one of the smarter point guards in his day, recognized it from the start in Jennings. The feeling was reinforced after the two dissected the Chicago film Wednesday.

"Brandon has shown from the moment he got here in the summer that he can pick up things and learn things quickly," the Bucks' coach said. "He's shown the ability now to look at the tape and take things from one game to the next and bring them right out there.

"During a timeout, you can say, 'Hey, do this,' and he'll go right out there and do it. I know everybody who would read that would probably think, 'Well, what are they supposed to be doing?'

"But that's a very underrated quality that probably a lot of people in general don't have, let alone players. Basketball is such a quick game with so many quick decisions. To be able to learn and go out there and do it is a great quality."

And that's beyond the 22 points a game Jennings is scoring, by far the most among rookies, or his ability to get the ball where scorers need it. He's playing veteran minutes while getting the rookie treatment.

"I played the whole fourth quarter (against Chicago) and think I took about 60 picks from D. Rose and (Joakim) Noah," Jennings said. "It took a lot out of me and I had to come down and try to make a play for my teammates. Something like that I have to get used to and have to tough it out. It's part of the game. It's the NBA."

And that's been Jennings' biggest adjustment after hardly playing at all last season for Lottomatica Roma. What were those people thinking? But had Jennings been a European star, maybe the New York Knicks, already being criticized for not drafting him, would be promoting maybe the league's next great thing. Maybe the Bucks were just due to catch a break.

The only thing for certain is the kid is not about to slow down.

Just the majority of the season to go, he is reminded.

"That's a long time," Jennings said. "I'll be fine."

Actually, he's probably going to be more than that.