Charles F. Gardner

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A disappointing rookie class has not wowed NBA fans over the first 30 games of the season.

In fact, the leading candidate for rookie of the year was not even a member of the 2016 draft class. Instead, the consensus top rookie is center Joel Embiid, who underwent two right foot surgeries and sat out his first two seasons after being selected No. 3 overall by Philadelphia in the 2014 draft.

The Milwaukee Bucks’ plan strategy with their two 2016 draft choices is progressing according to plan, and second-round pick Malcolm Brogdon has exceeded expectations after being selected 36th overall.

Brogdon is coming off a career-high 17-point game against Washington on Friday as the Bucks prepare to face the Wizards again Monday night to open a four-game road swing.

The Bucks’ first-round choice, 7-foot-1 Thon Maker, was taken 10th overall with the idea he could develop into a star in a few years. Maker has the ability to put the ball on the floor and shoot the three-pointer, two traits not often seen in a player his size.

Maker did get to play 8 minutes in the fourth quarter against the Wizards in the Bucks’ 123-96 victory on Friday, and he had five points, two rebounds and two fouls. The BMO Harris Bradley Center crowd went wild when Maker drilled a three-pointer from the left wing.

Brogdon’s rise in the rookie charts has surprised many observers. The 24-year-old has eclipsed many lottery picks, including Minnesota’s Kris Dunn (third fifth overall pick) and New Orleans’ Buddy Hield (sixth overall).

Brogdon is ranked third on the latest rookie ladder compiled by Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com, behind Embiid and his 76ers teammate Dario Saric.

The Bucks guard ranks first among rookies in three-point percentage (44.4%), second in assists (3.3) and second in steals (1.04) despite playing 21.8 minutes per game as a reserve.

His three-point percentage ranks ninth among all NBA players.

Brogdon also has a player efficiency rating of 13.26, ranking third among league rookies. The rating takes into account positive and negative results and strives to measure a player’s per-minute performance while adjusting for pace.

The former Virginia guard’s play has made him a key factor off a productive Bucks bench, and Brogdon has played in tandem with starting guard Matthew Dellavedova at times recently.

Brogdon also has developed a strong on-court bond with reserve center Greg Monroe, something that has helped both players thrive. Brogdon tied a career-high with seven assists against the Wizards on Friday while Monroe hit 5 of 7 shots and recorded a double-double (12 points and 11 rebounds).

“I think it’s a product of where we came from,” Brogdon said. “He came from a Georgetown system that was predicated on passing and IQ, and I came from a Virginia system that’s a lot the same.

“The fact that I’m a guard and he’s a big, we play well together. I love playing with him. He’s smart; he can score. He’s a threat. He brings energy.”

Brogdon sometimes will give a holler to let know Monroe where he is on the court.

“He knows the signal, the sound that I give him,” Brogdon said. “It’s consistent. He hears it every game.

“Most of the time he sees me and gets me. Sometimes he misses it but he knows it was there.

“It’s the first time I’ve played with a big like that and he’s been terrific.”

Back-to-back again: The Bucks were scheduled to leave Milwaukee and practice Sunday night in Washington before Monday’s rematch with the Wizards.

Michael Beasley has missed the last five games with a sprained left foot but could return Monday if he continues to make progress. The 6-9 forward was a late scratch before Friday’s game.

//Bucks coach Jason\\ Kidd was pleased with the way his team held down Washington’s high-scoring backcourt of Bradley Beal (10 points) and John Wall (18 points, 10 assists) on Friday.

But he said the tandem is extremely difficult to control.

“You just try to make it tough; they’re going to score,” Kidd said. “They get too many looks. They touch the ball too many times.

“If you think Beal had a bad night, he’s going to come back Monday and be ready to go. That’s who he is. We understand that.

“And Wall plays at a very high speed, high level. Those two have been in the league a long time...”

Milwaukee is 5-2 in the back-to-back sets against the same team, with three games to go – against Washington on Monday and vs. the New York Knicks on Jan. 4 and 6. The Bucks went 4-0 against Brooklyn and Chicago and 0-2 against Cleveland.