The Milwaukee Bucks are welcoming back a former lottery pick to bolster their developmental pipeline. According to longtime NBA reporter Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, the Wisconsin Herd will bring back point guard Dennis Smith Jr., the journeyman floor general who entered the league as the ninth pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
The 27-year-old initially joined the Herd in December 2024, though he never took the floor for Milwaukee’s G League group. A month later, he shifted overseas and secured a spot with EuroLeague contender Real Madrid in January 2025.
Dennis Smith Jr. before joining the Bucks
Dec 27, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Smith Jr. (4) dribbles in front of Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Smith saw limited action during his brief run with Real Madrid, logging minutes in only two Liga ACB games and two EuroLeague matchups. He later made his way back to the Dallas Mavericks, the franchise that drafted him, signing just before the 2025-26 preseason opened. Dallas ultimately waived him on October 17.
The newest member of the Herd is set to report to Wisconsin next week, with the the team retaining his G League rights as he continues his push for an NBA return. According to Robinson, the Texas Legends, the Mavericks’ G League affiliate, had attempted to secure those rights, but Wisconsin chose to keep them.
Fayetteville native and NBA basketball player Dennis Smith Jr. in partnership with the Two-Six Project host the fourth annual Smithway Youth Basketball Camp at Fayetteville State University on Friday, June 27, 2025.
Across seven seasons in the league, Smith has taken the floor for the Mavericks, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets and, most recently, the Brooklyn Nets. He has not appeared in an NBA game since the 2023 to 2024 campaign with Brooklyn.
Over the course of his career, Smith has averaged 9.7 points on 40.7 percent shooting from the field, 29.8 percent from beyond the arc and 67.4 percent at the free throw line, along with 4.2 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.
The Herd’s stacked lineup
Feb 25, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Dennis Smith Jr. (8) guards against Miami Heat guard Victor Oladipo (4) in the second quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports
Dennis Smith Jr. joins a strong group with the Herd this season. Former two time All Star Victor Oladipo, who has been away from the NBA since the 2022 to 2023 campaign, is also using the Herd as a platform to work toward his own return to the league.
All three of Milwaukee’s two way spots are already filled. Guard Mark Sears, forward Pete Nance, and wing Alex Antetokounmpo, the younger brother of nine time All NBA forward Giannis, continue to move between the Bucks and the Herd throughout the season.