The rookie's first game-winner; the Bucks found a gem in their first year of rebuilding.

In the final moments of the Summer League matchup between the 76ers and the Bucks, the game was deadlocked at 94. The Bucks' 10th overall pick, Burris, brought the ball up from the backcourt, powered through his defender with a forceful bump, and then finished with a hang-time layup against the opposing center for a go-ahead basket. As far as I remember, this was the first buzzer-beater by a rookie in this year's Summer League.

Throughout the game, Burris shot 9-of-18, finishing with 27 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 turnovers. This wasn't even his best performance in the Summer League. He played a total of four Summer League games: in the first, he went 3-of-8 for 12 points, a mediocre showing; in the second, he exploded for 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three; in the third, he continued his hot streak with 23 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals on 8-of-15 shooting, and the second and third games were back-to-back.

After the first three games, Burris had only one turnover. Adding today's game, he committed just three turnovers in four games, showcasing exceptional ball control compared to other rookies in this draft class. Across four games, Burris averaged 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, with 50% shooting from the field and 36.4% from three-point range. This is undoubtedly one of the top performances among rookies in this year's Summer League.

Interestingly, before the draft, Burris was considered the best guard outside the "Big Four point guards." Those four were the 5th pick, Wagner; the 6th pick, Michael Brown Jr.; the 7th pick, Akafu; and the 8th pick, Flemings. After the Summer League, Burris outperformed all four of them, truly staging a comeback.

After Giannis left the team, the Bucks immediately entered a rebuilding phase, and they had two lottery picks this year. With the 10th pick, they selected the steady guard Burris, and with the 13th pick, they picked the potential forward, Ament. If Ament's development timeline is long, then Burris is a rookie who can contribute right away.

In his freshman year at the University of Arizona, Burris led the team to a 36-3 record and a Final Four appearance for the first time in 25 years, ultimately losing to this year's champion, Michigan. Throughout the season, he averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 turnovers, shooting 49.1% from the field and 39.1% from three, with a true shooting percentage of 61.6%.

Throughout the season, Burris showcased highly efficient offensive performances, with solid contributions from all areas of the half-court and no obvious offensive weaknesses. After the draft, the Bucks' general manager said, "To be able to select Burris with the 10th pick, the entire front office is ecstatic."

Burris stands about 1.92 meters barefoot and around 1.96 meters in shoes, with a weight of roughly 98 kilograms and a wingspan of 1.98 meters, which is not outstanding. However, his athletic testing was above average among rookies. He is the type of safe lottery pick—perhaps not the highest ceiling, but definitely a solid floor, somewhat like a Boozer on the guard line.

Burris's first-step explosiveness is not elite, but his rhythm and strength are his tools for getting past defenders. He is very skilled at using his body to create shooting space. He is not a traditional point guard; his passing is not flashy but solid. He is more of a combo guard leaning toward shooting guard. With Herro on the Bucks, he will likely still play point guard.

In college, Burris had excellent rebounding ability, and he brought that advantage to the Summer League. His physicality on both ends of the court is outstanding. His weight is already considered strong among NBA guards, so he doesn't need to add any extra bulk; it's already sufficient.

His playing style is very aggressive, and he applies frequent pressure on defense. He is a powerful guard who loves to initiate contact. However, his weaknesses lie in his ball-handling skills, which are not yet refined; his on-ball ceiling is not high, and his three-point shooting is inconsistent.

It is worth noting that Burris's maternal grandfather is from Guangdong, China, so he has more Chinese ancestry than Li Kaier. If the Chinese men's basketball team were to start the naturalization process again, Burris would definitely be one of the top choices. Of course, this is just a hypothetical; don't get your hopes up too high.

Fortunately for Burris, he was drafted by the Bucks, who are in their first year of rebuilding and will give him plenty of playing time and touches. Therefore, his basic stats in his rookie season will certainly not be poor, and he might even be a strong contender for Rookie of the Year.

A couple of days ago, Burris talked about his goals for his rookie season: "I want to be an All-Star player, I want to make the Rising Stars Challenge, I want to be on the All-Rookie First Team, I want to win Rookie of the Year, and I also want to make the playoffs and go far."

It is foreseeable that the race for Rookie of the Year next season will be extremely intense.