Milwaukee Bucks select Australian pro AJ Johnson at No. 23 in the 2024 NBA draft

Johnson, 19, is a native of Fresno, California. He played for the Illawarra Hawks of the Australian National Basketball League. He was initially going to play for entertainer Kanye West’s Donda Academy in high school, but when the school closed he finished his prep career at Southern California Academy.

He originally committed to play at the University of Texas but then elected to go pro. Johnson played less than eight minutes per game and averaged just over two points per game.

The Bucks have developed a pipeline of sorts to Australia, as they signed Jaylin Galloway out of the NBL to a two-way contract last season.

This is also not the first time the Bucks have taken a California teenager after one season abroad. The Bucks picked Brandon Jennings No. 10 in the 2009 draft after the point guard spent a year playing professionally in Italy. Jennings, however, played nearly 20 minutes per game for Lottomatica Roma.