Welcome to the Milwaukee Bucks, Thon Maker

MILWAUKEE - Thon Maker stepped up to half-court, and sized up the basket. The Summerfest crowd watched with baited breath as the Bucks first-round draft pick flexed his knees and raised the ball aloft.

Like honey pouring out of a jar, Maker's shot left his hand, following a sky-high arc toward the basket.

Wednesday marked Maker's first public appearance as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, as the seven-foot-one well-traveled basketball player was introduced to the crowd at the Gruber Law Office Sport Zone on the SummerFest grounds.

Maker, a seven-foot-one basketball player with the uncanny knack for ball handling, shooting and defending, was born in Sudan, grew up in Australia and later in Canada before finding his way into the United States, and ultimately in Milwaukee.

Maker was brought out to center court with Bucks announcer Jim Paschke as Maker played a free-throw shooting contest and a half-court shooting contest.

Maker towered over his youthful counterparts, maintaining a constant smile and high-fiving (or should we say low-fiving) audience members who were invited to the court for fun and games.

Where was Thon born? Milwaukee tries to figure it out:

He played a trivia games where contestants had to figure out where he was born (Sudan) and what NBA Combine record he held (highest vertical leap).

The Bucks picked Maker 10th in the NBA Draft. Some say he was drafted too early in the first round, while others see the pick of Maker as a savvy steal similar to that of budding star and future teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Thon tries a half-court jump shot:

Thon's half-court jumper seemed to hang in the air. At the same distance, audience members heaved and chucked their shot toward the rim. One member who admitted to "playing some ball," had a decent shot rim out.

Maker's shot got halfway down, rattled around the rim, hit the backboard, hit the rim again and ultimately bounced out. The crowd roared as though the newest member of the Bucks had just executed a perfectly-timed windmill slam dunk.

For Milwaukee, it was their first chance to see a young man who had been regarded in NBA circles as a mystery and an unknown quantity.

For one day, it was all fun and games.

Welcome to the NBA, and to Milwaukee, Thon Maker.