The irony hit me, as soon as the play happened.

During a Bucks practice before the Summer League started, Brandon Jennings was at mid-court, head up...and fed a cutting Joe Alexander for a thunderous dunk.

My first thought was I couldn't remember a Bucks point guard putting the ball on the rim, for more dunks, in any one practice.  My second thought was that's what a Bucks lottery pick should look like....since Joe Alexander clearly is a bust.

But folks, I'm calling it after 3 games.  Brandon Jennings is going to be the Rookie of the Year.  Brandon Jennings is going to be a multiple time All-Star.  And Brandon Jennings has that special "it" and sizzle that hasn't been seen in a Bucks uniform since Ray Allen left town.

I'm telling you, I was at the Bucks home opener...and that's the loudest I've heard the Bradley Center for a Bucks game since 2002, the last year of the Big 3 and the year after the Eastern Conference Finals, when there was still some juice around the team.  I loved that after every made shot, Jennings wagged his tongue and showed swagger that hasn't been seen in that building....well, almost never.

Sure the Bucks aren't going to win a lot of games this year.  Sure, eventually Jennings will hit the rookie wall, and his shot (26 of 54 so far) will fade and fail him.  You worry about his small and slight frame lasting through an entire 82-game, physical, grueling season.  And yes, he took an ill-advised, rookie type shot down 2 to the Bulls. 

But when else have you seen so many "meet me at the rim" parties, where someone in a Bucks uniform is throwing it up, for a throw down?  Or setting guys up in near perfect position for shots?

And praise needs to go to GM John Hammond and his staff.  After the wasted pick of Alexander, Hammond didn't stew over it and compound it.  He got back in the saddle, and picked the guy with the greatest potential and upside in the 10 spot.  And he signed the underrated Hakim Warrick.  And he dumped salary in Yi (notice he hurt his knee and he's already a disappointment with the Nets?) and Bobby Simmons in trades and letting Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions walk in free agency.  At the time, I only questioned the Sessions move...but now, it gives Jennings more playing time, and time to grow.  Just think...former starter Luke Ridnour got just 9 minutes of PT versus the Bulls.

And maybe Hammond was the one that actually learned at the foot of Ron Wolf, and not Ted Thompson...since rather than make another mistake by keeping a mistake, Hammond cut his losses with Alexander.  Where Thompson just can't let 1st round bust Justin Harrell go.

I'm totally down with ESPN, Yahoo! Sports and the Atlanta Journal Constitution.  The Bucks point guard is the front runner for the Rookie of the Year award.  And I'm loving the show so far. 

Emails at lallan@todaystmj4.com