With the Milwaukee Bucks having beaten the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday night, there will be two players with Utah ties headed to the NBA Finals.
That pair would be Utah State legend Sam Merrill and former BYU guard Elijah Bryant, both of whom are rather seldom-used rookies on the Bucks.
Merrill, the Bountiful High graduate who was the last pick in the 2020 NBA draft, played eight minutes over two games in the Eastern Conference Finals, scoring a total of two points with four rebounds and two steals.
Bryant, who signed with the Bucks at the end of the regular season after three seasons playing in Israel, played 16 minutes over three contests in the Eastern Conference Finals, scoring four points with four rebounds and an assist.
This marks the third straight season the NBA Finals will have at least one player with Utah ties. Last season, former Utah Ute Kyle Kuzma played for the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers, and in 2019, former Ute Andrew Bogut played for the eventual champion Golden State Warriors.
The Bucks will face the Phoenix Suns in this year’s finals, with Game 1 slated for July 6 in Phoenix. The Suns beat the LA Clippers in the Western Conference Finals.