The Bucks didn't let the Richard Jefferson deal dissuade them from selecting Joe Alexander 8th overall, so why let the presence of Jefferson, Desmond Mason, and Alexander stop them from taking another small forward in the second round? The Bucks grabbed UCLA forward (and Cameroonian prince) Luc Richard Mbah a Moute 37th overall, a move clearly aimed at bringing added athleticism, toughness and defense to the frontcourt. Watch some workout video here.
Mbah a Moute was in the June 6 workout with Alexander, so the Bucks saw both of their picks in action against one another at the Cousins Center. Plenty of chatter wondering why Chris Douglas-Roberts wasn't taken here, which I think is a very fair question, and you can also wonder if the Bucks should have gone big with a guy like Richard Hendrix. But this wasn't a huge surprise, as Alex mentioned LRMAM in our second round preview yesterday. Mbah a Moute averaged just 9 ppg in each of his three seasons at UCLA and will never have the offensive game of those guys, but he does bring above average athleticism and excellent defense--which will give him a great chance to be a quality role player. As Dave Babcock alluded to after the pick, this is another move aimed at boosting the Bucks' athleticism and defensive chops.
Chad Ford's comment: "Mbah a Moute is a terrific defender who is a little like a bigger Bruce Bowen. He'll never wow you offensively, but he should be in the league a long time." Ford had Mbah a Moute slotted to the Bucks in his mock, so kudos to him for nailing that one. There's always room for a guy like that, though it understandably makes you think Desmond Mason is as good as gone.
If the season started tomorrow then these picks combined with the Jefferson deal don't add up, but it seems pretty obvious that this is just the beginning of the Bucks' changes.