MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – OCTOBER 30: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball against Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum on October 30, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
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Fans outside the Milwaukee Bucks probably didn’t know who Ryan Rollins was heading into Thursday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors. But in the words of the great Kevin Hart: “You gonna’ learn today!”
Coming into the season, Rollins — a former second-round pick who spent his rookie year with the Warriors — had a career-high of 23 points. He’d only crossed the 20-point threshold once in his career. That changed this week.
He dropped 25 points on the Knicks Tuesday, then upped the ante against Golden State, hanging 32 on his old team. It wasn’t fluky, either. Every bucket had intent. Every drive had purpose.
Attacking the Paint
It all started with his ability to play downhill.
From the jump, Rollins lived in the paint (see the video here). The first came on the Bucks’ first offensive possession of the game. Rollins received an inbounds pass from the sideline and casually dribbled the ball above the left slot, looking for Gary Trent Jr. coming off a pindown screen on the opposite side.
Trent Jr. wasn’t open, so Rollins went to work. He slyly crossed over from right to left, catching Jonathan Kuminga slightly off guard in the process. As a result, Kuminga was on the backside of Rollins’ hip, and Rollins didn’t let him recover. He glided toward the paint, raised the ball over a Draymond Green swipe attempt, and finished with his left hand at the rim.
Midway through the first, he went back to work.
He brought the ball across halfcourt near the left side of the floor before getting a double-ball screen that took him to the right slot. He used a hesitation to look back toward the part of the court he had just come from and feigned a potential pass to AJ Green.
This vet maneuver got Kuminga off balance and opened a path to the rim. Rollins took advantage of his newfound opening. He dribbled with his right hand to the hoop, but Green stepped up to stop him. No matter. Rollins euro-stepped between Green and Kuminga and finished a tough lefty layup with both defenders draped all over him.
Rollins continued his assault on the rim throughout the game. He went 6-for-7 on shots directly at the hoop and finished through contact several times.
“Watching him on film before tonight, you see he’s being very calculated with how to use his speed, create space, and get downhill,” said Stephen Curry afterward.
That rim pressure cracked open the rest of his game.
Finding the Stroke
Once Golden State started sagging back to protect the paint, Rollins made them pay. He went 5-for-7 from deep — four of those coming after halftime.
His biggest came with four minutes left.
The Bucks were clinging to a two-point lead when Al Horford switched onto him after a Myles Turner screen. Rollins toyed with him — a hang dribble, a jab, a step back behind the arc. Splash.
That was the moment when the arena tilted. Milwaukee’s bench lost it.
Then came the dagger.
With under 30 seconds left and the shot clock nearly dead, Rollins got Jimmy Butler in isolation near the left slot. Same setup: a teasing dribble drive, a subtle retreat dribble, and a high-arcing three that splashed over Butler’s outstretched hand. Ball game.
Beyond the Scoring
Rollins wasn’t just getting buckets. He also tallied eight assists, manipulating defenders once they began collapsing on his drives. The reads were quick and precise — skip passes, drop-offs, and creating for others.
“Shooting shots when he’s open. It seems like the game’s slowed down — he’s making the right reads,” said Curry, who sounded almost impressed that his former teammate had leveled up this quickly.
Cole Anthony echoed the sentiment. “He was hooping. Ryan’s a hooper, yo,” Anthony said. “He be in here grinding every single day. He’s a pro.”
What It Means
It’s only October, but Rollins might be forcing a bigger conversation in Milwaukee.
The Bucks entered the season still searching for a consistent second option behind Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sat this one out with knee soreness. Through the first few games, it’s been offense-by-committee — a rotating cast of scorers trying to fill that void.
But Rollins might be more than a hot streak. His combination of craft, burst, and poise feels sustainable — the kind of profile that could grow into something real.
If he’s for real, Milwaukee’s ceiling shifts dramatically. And in a wide-open Eastern Conference, that’s the kind of development that could tilt playoff series and change expectations.
For now, though, the Bucks will take what they got: a young guard who’s playing fearless basketball, making good reads, and hinting at something bigger.
One thing’s certain — nobody’s asking who’s Ryan Rollins? anymore.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/briansampson/2025/10/31/ryan-rollins-shows-he-could-become-second-star-for-milwaukee-bucks/
