Don’t worry—Milwaukee will have a rookie actually rostered for the 2025-26 season
The NBA draft may officially be over, but teams are far from done making moves—the Bucks included. In the midst of a swarm of undrafted free agent signings that started right after the second round ended, Milwaukee added Mark Sears from Alabama on a two-way contract. This is not a surprising move, as we know the Bucks had interest in Sears—they worked him out back in May.
So, who is Mark Sears? He’s a floor general, a winner, a hooper, and a two-time All-American. The 6’0” point guard spent five years in college and got better in each one. He averaged 19.6 PPG as a sophomore at Ohio before transferring to Alabama. In his senior and graduate campaigns with the Crimson Tide, he earned his two All-American nominations and spearheaded deep NCAA tournament runs. One thing is certain about this guy: he’s a pro.
Sears’ game is centered around his truly elite playmaking feel. His career 3.9 assists per game does not tell the full story. The lefty is as trustworthy as it gets as a lead ball handler. His cadence and demeanor are never shaken, and pressure does not affect his decision-making. The Alabama native’s ability to run an offense is accentuated by his reliability as a shooter off the catch and the dribble. Sears’ poised scoring ability from three and the mid-range gives off Jalen Brunson vibes if you squint your eyes the right way.
Of course, as a 23-year-old guy who’s barely taller than the average 14-year-old high school center, Sears’ journey to success in the NBA will be a difficult one. However, his experience and established skillset make him the type of guy worth swinging on with a two-way contract for the Bucks.
Sears fills Milwaukee’s last vacant two-way contract slot, with Pete Nance and Jamaree Bouyea occupying the others. Stanley Umude, who was signed to one for the 2024–25 season and is currently in Greece with Giannis, will seemingly not be returning. His two-way deal only covered one season.
More in-depth words on Sears (and Bogoljub Markovič) will be coming soon!