NBA G League hoops are tipping off this weekend! The Wisconsin Herd play their first game tonight against the Windy City Bulls. Ahead of opening night, the Herd released their final 13-man roster, headlined
by Milwaukee’s two-way guys. Here’s the full team:
- #0 Kaden Anderson (forward, Point Loma Nazerene, tryout player)
- #1 Stephen Thompson Jr. (guard, Oregon State, returner)
- #2 Johnny Davis (guard, Wisconsin, acquired via trade)
- #3 Kira Lewis Jr. (guard, Alabama, acquired via trade)
- #5 Philip Alston (forward, Loyola-Chicago, returner)
- #12 Craig Randall II (guard, Tennessee-Martin, acquired via trade)
- #13 John Butler Jr. (big, Florida State, returner)
- #19 Mark Sears (guard, Alabama, two-way)
- #23 Jeremiah Tilmon Jr. (center, Missouri, acquired via trade)
- #29 Alex Antetokounmpo (forward, Greece, two-way)
- #30 Cormac Ryan (wing, North Carolina, acquired via trade)
- #33 Onno Steger II (forward, Western Carolina, 2025 G League draft selection)
- #35 Pete Nance (big, Northwestern, two-way)
For Bucks fans, the most important names to monitor here are the two-way crew of Pete Nance, Mark Sears, and Alex Antetokounmpo. Out of that trio, Nance has played the most NBA minutes and is closest to being a contributor at the next level. The 25-year-old should be expected to play above the competition in the G, as his number could be called by the Bucks at any time this regular season, especially if Giannis misses a game or Bobby Portis keeps slipping out of favor. Sears should also be one of the best players on this Herd team. The G League is a lot kinder to small guards than the NBA, and Sears showed us time and time again at Alabama how good he can be against lower-tier opponents.
Alex Antetokounmpo is the single most intriguing name on this squad, mainly because this is his prime chance to prove he’s not an utter waste of a roster spot (strictly in on-court terms, because we all know the main reason he was signed). With Wisconsin back in 2023–24, he averaged 5.9 PPG on just 33.8% shooting in 20 minutes a night, so odds are he won’t become any sort of stud. However, he’s only 24, he’s toolsy, and he’s an Antetokounmpo. Counting out a guy with that last name is never wise.
Other potential NBA players on this roster include Johnny Davis, John Butler Jr., and Cormac Ryan. Davis, whose three-year career with the Wizards was infamously disappointing, is a second-draft candidate who could pay dividends. Situation is the lifeblood of player development, and Washington was not setting Davis up for success at all. A fresh opportunity with another team could awaken some of the dormant lottery talent in the former Wisconsin guard.
Butler Jr. is a raw but alluring prospect. He’s a 22-year-old seven-footer who can block shots and space the floor without being totally stiff. His spindly 190-pound frame is a glaring red flag, though. Bucks fans will recognize Cormac Ryan from this year’s Summer League and preseason games. The North Carolina product’s skillset is well-defined at this point, which would play to his advantage if he made an NBA team. Coaches could put him on the court and trust him to knock down threes and make sharp decisions right away. All three of Davis, Butler, and Ryan are two-way eligible and will be nipping at the heels of Nance, Sears, and Antetokounmpo all season long.
Most of this year’s Herd will never sniff an NBA floor, but some of them are/can be successful minor league players. Craig Randall is one of the most electric scorers in the league. He’s posted career averages of 21.2 PPG and 4.6 APG in three years with the Long Island Nets, Iowa Wolves, and Rip City Remix. Stephen Thompson Jr. averaged an efficient 14.1 PPG with Wisconsin last season. Kira Lewis Jr., who was the 13th overall pick in 2020, will at least theoretically be one of the most talented players in the gym. Unlike Johnny Davis, though, he’s no longer two-way eligible, putting him in a tough position as he tries to earn another NBA look.
One thing stands out for most of the notable players on Wisconsin’s roster: they’re not clear fits for Milwaukee’s identity. Ryan’s role with the Bucks would be pretty clear—he could just follow the path AJ Green blazed. Nance has similar strengths to Myles Turner and Bobby Portis. Overall, though, the Herd have assembled a relatively random collection of talent. The most successful developmental programs across the NBA do a good job of identifying prospects who could pop in their systems and adding them to their farms. Oklahoma City and Golden State, for example, have G League rosters littered with guys whose playstyles align with their on-court philosophies. The Bucks need off-ball players with solid positional size and athleticism who can hit threes and defend. Lots of these Herd members don’t check those boxes at all.
Either way, it should be fun to monitor the Herd this season, especially if you’re a basketball sicko.
