Bucks’ Chris Livingston on Year 2 prep, summer-league work and Doc Rivers

LAS VEGAS — After being taken with the final pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Chris Livingston had limited opportunities with the Milwaukee Bucks, playing just 90 minutes at the NBA level in his rookie season.

He was able to show more of his potential in 21 games with the G League’s Wisconsin Herd, averaging 13.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists while hitting 48.2 percent from the field, including 37.1 percent from 3. And now, playing in his second NBA Summer League, Livingston is carrying that momentum forward. In Las Vegas, he has been one of the Bucks’ most solid players through four games.

Livingston has averaged 15.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 28.1 minutes despite Milwaukee dropping its first four games of the July session. Though the team has struggled, Bucks summer-league head coach Pete Dominguez has been happy with what he has seen from the rising sophomore.

“I think his effort and his energy has been great,” Dominguez said last weekend. “He’s obviously shown some improvement with his outside shot. He’s in the gym every day working on that, and I’m really happy to see the steps that he’s taken.

“Overall, man, he’s such a Swiss Army knife in what he can do on the court. He’s another young guy who’s got a tremendous future ahead of him.”

With a solid group of experienced players signed on veteran minimum contracts — including this week’s addition of Gary Trent Jr. — Bucks general manger Jon Horst has managed to build a deep roster ready to contribute for next season. That might leave Livingston on the outside for a second straight season, but that hasn’t kept the 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward out of the University of Kentucky from trying to make his mark in Las Vegas before the 2024-25 NBA season gets underway.

After the Bucks’ first two summer-league games, Livingston caught up with The Athletic to discuss his rookie season, his role with the Bucks in Vegas, how he can impact the team for the upcoming regular season and what needs to be done to find a bigger role in his second season.

Editor’s note: This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.

In your rookie season, you didn’t receive much playing time. How have you approached summer league this July?

It’s a fight, you know what I’m saying? I’ve been working. Trying to get in the best shape of my life, that’s what I’m going to do. Working on my skill development, my shot. My shot’s always been there, but just speeding my shot up. Being ready to shoot, changing my mindset when it comes to that.

I think this year for me is going to be about sacrifice. I’m going to be doing a lot of things I’ve never done before in my life, whether that’s moving to the four or the five. I’m going to be everywhere on the court because I can do a lot of things. Instead of looking at it as a bad thing, I just want to embrace that the coaches believe in me to do certain things on the court that other people can’t do. So, just embracing that part of my game, sacrificing a lot for the team, just doing whatever I gotta do to find a spot on the court. Like last year, I’m a young guy on a very talented, vet-driven team, so I gotta do whatever it takes at this point.

Obviously I’m going to be locked in defensively, bringing the effort, the energy on that side of the ball. But offensively, just finding my niche, finding where the coach needs me to be. Whether that’s the corner, the dunker, screen-and-rolling, me at the five, two, three, four, it don’t matter to me. I’m just going to do whatever I’m asked to do.

Talking to Pete Dominguez, he said he’s asking a lot of you at summer league. How have you tried to handle that? More film study? More discussion with coaches?

I think it’s just a different level of locking in. Asking coaches questions, watching film with the coaches, just being locked in as far as knowing where I gotta be.

Defensively, me being on the wing, guarding the wings or picking up the ball is a lot different to me than guarding the big man. Guarding the five, I gotta be a lot more vocal. I gotta talk more. I’m the anchor of the defense at that point. Picking the ball up, that means I gotta fight through screens, I gotta be active with my hands.

I think just finding, embracing whatever the coach is telling me to do offensively to defensively, making that sacrifice … that’s going to be a big word for me: sacrifice. Just understanding (to) do what you’re told, do what’s asked of you. I’m just going to try to embrace it. I’m not going to look at it as a bad thing. Young players would be like, “He’s putting me out of position,” or, “I’m not doing what I want to do in the court.” At the end of the day, I’m just trying to do what I gotta do for the team to win and just be out on the court.

Players like you, Andre Jackson Jr. and MarJon Beauchamp were all here last summer. How have you embraced being a leader this summer?

I’m embracing that a whole lot, even if that’s just in training camp. AJ (Johnson) and Tyler (Smith), our new rookies, are coming in asking us questions, so (it’s about) just getting them right. But also, I’m a young guy, so I gotta listen as much as possible. Communication is not just telling people what to do; it’s listening, too.

Being a good listener, keeping my attitude in check, great body language, just understanding I’m trying to do what I gotta to do to win. Being vocal, but also saying the right things with the right tone. Learning how to say what you need, learning your teammates, learning how to talk to them, and just being an encourager more than anything.

Despite being in your second NBA season, you’re still only 20 years old. How do you keep in mind that this is still a pretty special place to be even if things haven’t completely gone your way?

I take none of this for granted, bro. I’m a hard worker. I come in early, I leave late. I think that’s what the coaches can expect of me and what the staff and everybody can expect of me.

I think, most importantly, being this young is not being discouraged that I’m young. I can still move like a pro, act like a pro, listen to the things that my vets are telling me, the dos and don’ts. Listening to what the coaches want from me and ask of me. I think just because I’m young doesn’t mean I can’t do the right things, on and off the court.

Did you have a moment during your rookie season where you thought you had it figured out or felt like you belonged?

I think throughout your career, it’s never really like, “Oh, I got it figured out. This is what I gotta do.” I think you just learn along the way. It’s a journey. Just embracing it, learning. You’re a third-year guy, you can listen to a rookie telling you something to do, you know what I’m saying? First-year guy, obviously listen to your coaches, your vets.

My teammates, they’re still learning stuff along the journey. They’re getting used to stuff as far as having to change their play style, because they’re later in their career rather than them being in their third year. So, I feel like along the journey, you’re going to learn a multitude of things. It’s just about taking all that in and just listening, for real.

You went through a coaching change during your rookie season, which is never ideal for a young player, but the result of that change is you are now being coached by a 25-year veteran NBA head coach in Doc Rivers. What has it been like getting to know him?

I think it’s been great, just learning him (and) him learning me. It’s been a process, but I understand what type of player he wants. He needs dogs around his superstars. He needs guys that are going to do the little stuff, the dirty work.

You can look at the previous history, the success that he’s had when he was the coach of other teams. Those types of players really thrive under his wing. I just feel like that’s the type of player I am, so I’m looking forward to him learning me even more and him really getting a liking to me. Hopefully, we can build our relationship as time goes on.

(Photo: Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)