MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) - A.J. Johnson perfectly summed up his excitement Tuesday morning by saying, "I like that I'll be part of a winning culture."
Johnson, the Bucks' first round draft pick, met the media Tuesday along with second round selection Tyler Smith. Both players are still teenagers, but they're excited to spend the next few seasons learning how to win in the NBA from Bucks veteran players.
"We have a lot of great vets around us," says Smith. "We have a lot of time to develop here, and I feel like we're going to get better fast."
Bucks coach Doc Rivers points out that both players are starting out in the NBA with a strong skill set. General Manager Jon Horst says the team had chances to trade their picks, especially their second-round selection, but they were impressed enough with Johnson and Smith that they chose them over players like Marquette's Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro.
Johnson, Smith and the rest of the Bucks' summer league team hits the court starting next week in Las Vegas.