Former Alabama guard Mark Sears reportedly agrees to 2-way deal with Eastern Conference team
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Mark Sears was not drafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, but he quickly found a home once the second round concluded on Thursday night.
According to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Sears has agreed to a 2-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. Sears will split his time during the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season between the Bucks and the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee’s G League affiliate.
The former Alabama All-American will be eligible to participate in up to 50 NBA games with the Bucks next season. If Sears is kept on his 2-way deal throughout the entire season, he would not be eligible to play in the postseason.
Two-way players typically earn half of the league’s rookie minimum salary. That number was just under $579,000 during the 2024-25 season. Their contract does not count against the salary cap, and their team can choose to convert their deal to a standard contract at any time. Recent NBA Champion Lu Dort began his career as an undrafted free agent who signed a 2-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019.
Dort isn’t the only player to make it after starting on a 2-way deal, though he’s certainly the shining example at the moment. Sears will look for similar success in Milwaukee.
A consummate winner, Sears spent 3 seasons at Alabama during which the Crimson Tide won 31, 25, and 28 games. Sears was a 3-time All-SEC selection and a 2-time consensus All-American. In 2024-25, he was a first-team All-American after averaging 18.6 points per game and 5.1 assists. During the 2023-24 season, Sears shot the 3-ball at a 43.6% clip and poured in 21.5 points a night.
He’ll give Milwaukee playmaking and premier shooting.
The Bucks went 48-34 last season, losing in 5 games to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. Doubt hangs over the franchise’s future, though. They have a superstar that might not be in town much longer and they have an expensive roster that doesn’t look likely to contend next season. According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Milwaukee would like to get out of the luxury tax. Star guard Damian Lillard’s Achilles tear in Game 4 of the Pacers series also means the Bucks will spend the bulk of (if not all of) next season without him. Depending on the direction the franchise takes, Milwaukee could afford Sears a real opportunity to get on the floor early.
RELATED: The NBA Summer League takes place from July 10-20 in Las Vegas. Want to watch Sears in action? Click the link to activate a free 30-day trial of FuboTV.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
