Koenig’s audition ends with injury
UW star rolls ankle during his workout
ST. FRANCIS - Bronson Koenig’s four years at Wisconsin were full of successes. He was a key contributor in backto-back Final Four runs, helped the Badgers make four straight Sweet 16’s and finished with more three-pointers made (270) than anyone else in school history. His off-season preparations for the next level, though, have gotten off to an unlucky start.
In April, Koenig rolled his left ankle early in his second game at the Portsmouth Invitational, causing him to miss the remainder of the showcase event for college seniors. In early May, Koenig was not listed among the 67 invitees to the NBA draft combine in Chicago.
And on Thursday, Koenig made it through about threequarters of his first NBA predraft workout with the Milwaukee Bucks before getting tangled up with other players in the midst of the action and rolling his right ankle, knocking him out of the rest of the workout.
“I thought I was doing really well until I rolled my ankle a little bit,” said Koenig, who was standing with the use of crutches with a brace on his ankle . “It’s definitely frustrating, as is any injury, but I’ve been blessed my whole career to be pretty injury free.
“Especially it being my first workout it’s more frustrating, but I was playing well. Hopefully I proved myself a little bit to everybody and showed what I could do a little bit.”
Fortunately for Koenig, the injury is not expected to be a major setback. He’s not sure of the severity but he was able to put weight on the ankle and says he’ll take it day by day.
Also, if it was going to happen, it came at the right place. The Bucks are as familiar with Koenig’s skills as any team in the NBA.
“We’ve seen enough of him for the last four years,” Bucks vice president of scouting Billy McKinney said. “The workout sometimes is just a formality. We feel like when a player’s in our backyard like this we see them probably more than anyone in the nation.
“We’re very comfortable with what we’ve seen from him . ... It was his first workout and he was doing a terrific job before his injury.”
For Koenig, missing out on the opportunity to show his skills in Chicago was something he won’t forget soon.
“Yes, just because I’m a competitor and you always feel like you’re better than the next guy and everything like that,” Koenig said, when asked if he was disappointed at not being invited. “Just have to use that as motivation to work harder.”
As Koenig goes through the pre-draft process — he has “quite a few more” workouts lined up — the 6-foot-4 guard hopes to show teams that his shooting, shot creation, passing, athleticism and defensive skills can all translate to the NBA game.
“He’s a combo and I think that’s very valuable,” McKinney said. “When you talk about athleticism, he’s a much more deceptive athlete and a better athlete than people have seen at Wisconsin.”
Workout group: Koenig was joined on Thursday morning by an experience-laden group that included four other seniors — Arkansas forward Moses Kingsley, Virginia guard London Perrantes, Syracuse guard Andrew White and Georgia guard J.J. Frazier.
Michigan’s Moritz Wagner, a 6-foot-10 sophomore forward from Michigan, was the only underclassman in the group. Wagner was also the only player participating in Thursday’s workout who attended the NBA draft combine and he’s the only one who isn’t fully committed to becoming a professional next year — he hasn’t signed with an agent yet and will test the waters before making his decision by the May 24 deadline.
Virginia connection: Perrantes spent three years at Virginia following Malcolm Brogdon’s lead. On Thursday, he was at it again, working out in Milwaukee where Brogdon blossomed this season on the way to becoming a favorite in the rookie of the year race.
“Obviously being behind him for three years at Virginia was huge for me,” said Perrantes, a 6-foot-2 guard. “I tried to take everything I could from him day in and day out — still am. I still try to pick his brain and text whenever I need something or whenever I just need to hear something positive or if I have a question.”
The two texted back and forth, with Brogdon telling Perrantes to keep him updated as to when the Bucks would bring him in for a workout. Unfortunately Brogdon wasn’t in town on Thursday.
“But it’s cool to be out here to see where he’s living and the team he’s playing for,” Perrantes said.