Le Basketbawl

Going to college is not meant for everybody. It was not meant for Milwaukee Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings as his grades in high school would have made it highly unlikely he could have gone to a top Division 1-A so he could showcase his talents for a year before being eligible for the NBA Draft. Instead he became a trend-setter spending last year in Europe and playing ball for Italian powerhouse Lottomatica Virtus Roma in the Euro-league.

Jennings did not particularly like being in a foreign country thousands of miles away from family and friends and living in a much different culture than he was used to. However he stayed focused, stuck it out and so far it seems to be paying off for him in the NBA.

The Milwaukee Bucks rookie point guard was named NBA Player Of The Week for the week of November 9-15 after he would have a night that forced people to sit up and take notice. He became the youngest player in the history of the NBA to score 50 points in a game when he dropped 55 on the Golden State Warriors last Saturday night pushing the Bucks to a 129-125 victory.

The 20 year old native of Compton, California expected to go a lot higher in the NBA Draft than he did this past June sliding all the way to the number ten slot. Jennings has taken a liking to the city of Milwaukee as it reminds him of a European city. The rookie told the “Associated Press” that everything has worked out for the best playing for the Bucks. Jennings said “Everything that happened to the draft, not going to those teams that I thought were going to pick me up, I think I’m in a great situation right now.The city of Milwaukee is laid back, and that’s what I need right now.”

The relationship seems to be working out for both sides as the Bucks are off to their best start in quite a while currently in second place in the NBA Central Division with a record of 6-3. Jennings through nine games has averaged 24.8 points, 5.8 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game and has become a name that is being bandied about in the early stages of the season as a possible NBA Rookie Of The Year candidate.

The young man seems to have his priorities in order and his head on straight despite all the hoopla that goes with his new life. The rookie was asked by reporters what he wanted to accomplish in his first year in the NBA? Jennings responded “My main goal is coming out here, making the playoffs, getting my teammates involved and trying to bring the winning back to Milwaukee. We have to win. I’m going to do my part and I’m going to try and make sure the team does their part.”

Brandon My Man; you keep playing the way you have been and keep that attitude then Your Old Pal New York Vinnie believes you will have a long and prosperous career in the NBA.