Here is the Milwaukee Bucks 1978–79 Roster and Regular Season Player Statistics:
Roster
No.
Player
Pos
Height
Weight
Birth Date
Age
College
Exp
4
Brian Winters
G
6-4
185 lbs
Mar 1, 1952
27
South Carolina
4
5
Junior Bridgeman
G/F
6-5
210 lbs
Sep 17, 1953
25
Louisville
3
6
Dave Meyers
F
6-8
215 lbs
Apr 21, 1953
25
UCLA
3
10
Harvey Catchings
C/F
6-9
218 lbs
Sep 2, 1951
27
Hardin–Simmons
4
12
Quinn Buckner
G
6-3
190 lbs
Aug 20, 1954
24
Indiana
3
14
Ernie Grunfeld
G/F
6-6
210 lbs
Apr 24, 1955
24
Tennessee
1
15
Alex English
F
6-7
190 lbs
Jan 5, 1954
25
South Carolina
2
20
Lloyd Walton
G
6-1
160 lbs
Nov 23, 1953
25
Marquette
2
21
George Johnson
C
6-11
205 lbs
Dec 18, 1948
30
Stephen F. Austin
6
22
Pat Cummings
F/C
6-9
225 lbs
Jul 11, 1956
22
Cincinnati
R
32
Marques Johnson
F
6-7
218 lbs
Feb 8, 1956
23
UCLA
1
R = Rookie
Regular Season Per Game
PLAYER
POS
AGE
G
GS
MPG
PPG
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
TOPG
FGA
FGM
FG%
3PA
3PM
3P%
FTA
FTM
FT%
Marques Johnson
SF
22
77
—
36.1
25.6
7.6
3.0
1.5
1.2
2.2
19.4
10.6
.550
—
—
—
5.7
4.3
.760
Brian Winters
SG
26
79
—
32.6
19.8
2.2
4.8
1.1
0.5
3.3
17.0
8.4
.493
—
—
—
3.5
3.0
.856
Junior Bridgeman
SG
25
82
—
23.9
15.5
3.6
2.0
1.1
0.5
1.7
13.0
6.6
.506
—
—
—
2.8
2.3
.829
Kent Benson
C
24
82
—
26.0
12.3
7.1
2.5
1.1
1.0
1.9
9.7
5.0
.518
—
—
—
3.0
2.2
.735
Ernie Grunfeld
SF
23
82
—
21.7
10.3
4.4
2.6
0.7
0.2
1.7
8.1
4.0
.493
—
—
—
3.1
2.3
.761
Kevin Restani
PF
27
81
—
19.7
7.1
4.8
1.5
0.4
0.3
1.2
6.5
3.2
.495
—
—
—
0.9
0.6
.699
John Gianelli
C
28
82
—
25.1
7.1
5.0
2.0
0.5
0.7
1.3
6.4
3.1
.486
—
—
—
1.2
0.9
.706
Quinn Buckner
PG
24
81
—
21.7
7.2
2.6
5.8
1.9
0.2
2.6
6.8
3.1
.454
—
—
—
1.5
1.0
.632
George Johnson
PF
22
67
—
17.3
6.2
5.4
1.2
1.1
0.7
1.5
5.1
2.5
.482
—
—
—
1.7
1.3
.718
Lloyd Walton
PG
25
75
—
18.4
5.0
1.4
4.7
1.0
0.1
1.6
4.4
2.1
.480
—
—
—
1.2
0.8
.678
Sam Smith
SF
24
16
—
7.8
3.5
0.6
1.0
0.5
0.4
0.5
2.9
1.2
.404
—
—
—
1.5
1.1
.750
Otis Howard
PF
22
3
—
7.3
3.3
2.3
0.3
0.0
0.0
0.7
3.7
1.7
.455
—
—
—
0.0
0.0
—
Norm Van Lier
PG
31
38
—
14.6
2.8
1.1
4.2
1.1
0.1
1.3
2.0
0.8
.390
—
—
—
1.4
1.2
.904
Del Beshore
PG
22
1
—
1.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
—
—
—
—
0.0
0.0
—
TEAM TOTALS
—
—
82
—
242.4
114.1
43.0
31.2
10.5
5.3
19.2
94.8
47.6
.503
—
—
—
24.6
18.8
.762
Regular Season Totals
PLAYER
POS
AGE
GP
GS
MIN
PTS
REB
AST
STL
BLK
TOV
FGA
FGM
FG%
3PA
3PM
3P%
FTA
FTM
FT%
Marques Johnson
SF
22
77
—
2779
1972
586
234
116
89
170
1491
820
.550
—
—
—
437
332
.760
Brian Winters
SG
26
79
—
2575
1561
177
383
83
40
257
1343
662
.493
—
—
—
277
237
.856
Junior Bridgeman
SG
25
82
—
1963
1269
297
163
88
41
138
1067
540
.506
—
—
—
228
189
.829
Kent Benson
C
24
82
—
2132
1006
584
204
89
81
156
798
413
.518
—
—
—
245
180
.735
Ernie Grunfeld
SF
23
82
—
1778
843
360
216
58
15
141
661
326
.493
—
—
—
251
191
.761
Kevin Restani
PF
27
81
—
1598
575
385
122
30
27
96
529
262
.495
—
—
—
73
51
.699
Quinn Buckner
PG
24
81
—
1757
581
210
468
156
17
208
553
251
.454
—
—
—
125
79
.632
John Gianelli
C
28
82
—
2057
584
408
160
44
57
106
527
256
.486
—
—
—
102
72
.706
George Johnson
PF
22
67
—
1157
414
360
81
75
49
100
342
165
.482
—
—
—
117
84
.718
Lloyd Walton
PG
25
75
—
1381
375
104
356
72
9
123
327
157
.480
—
—
—
90
61
.678
Norm Van Lier
PG
31
38
—
555
107
40
158
43
3
49
77
30
.390
—
—
—
52
47
.904
Sam Smith
SF
24
16
—
125
56
9
16
8
7
8
47
19
.404
—
—
—
24
18
.750
Otis Howard
PF
22
3
—
22
10
7
1
0
0
2
11
5
.455
—
—
—
0
0
—
Del Beshore
PG
22
1
—
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
—
—
—
—
0
0
—
TEAM TOTALS
—
—
82
—
19880
9353
3527
2562
862
435
1554
7773
3906
.503
—
—
—
2021
1541
.762**
Team Impact Spotlight
Player Name
Role Tier
MPG
Usage Tier
PPG
RPG
APG
STK (SPG+BPG)
Impact Index*
Notes
Awards
Marques Johnson
Alpha‑Core
36.1
High
25.6
7.6
3.0
2.7 (1.5+1.2)
19.45
Emerged as the clear primary offensive engine — top‑5 scorer league‑wide in 1978‑79. Showed scoring efficiency (55 FG%) and also provided all‑around value with rebounds, passing, and defense.
AS, All‑NBA 1st Team
Brian Winters
Secondary Scorer / 2nd‑Option
32.6
High‑Mid
19.8
2.2
4.8
1.6 (1.1+0.5)
14.20
Functioned as the secondary scoring and playmaking option — high usage though lower rebounding. Offered steady offense and assist burden, helping balance the attack when Johnson rested.
–
Kent Benson
Frontcourt Starter
26.0
Mid
12.3
7.1
2.5
2.1 (1.1+1.0)
11.20
As starting center, offered inside presence: good rebounding, interior scoring, and rim protection. Less usage offensively, but provided steady two‑way frontcourt minutes.
–
Junior Bridgeman
3rd‑Option Wing / 6th Man Type
23.9
Mid‑Low
15.5
3.6
2.0
1.6 (1.1+0.5)
11.35
Reliable scoring punch off the wing or from second unit, offered efficient FG% (≈ 50.6 FG%) and enough defense to support starters. Helped bridge bench-to-starters as a secondary offensive contributor.
–
Ernie Grunfeld
Role Wing / Rotation
21.7
Low‑Mid
10.3
4.4
2.6
0.9 (0.7+0.2)
8.60
Provided rotational depth: capable of contributing modest scoring, rebounding and playmaking in backup minutes; useful as a versatile wing off the bench.
–
Quinn Buckner
Primary Ball‑Handler / Defensive PG
21.7
Low‑Mid
7.2
2.6
5.8
2.1 (1.9+0.2)
8.85
Served as the backup/secondary point guard — led the bench in assists, played with defensive activity (steals), and helped manage pace when starters rested.
–
John Gianelli
Backup Center
25.1
Low
7.1
5.0
2.0
1.2 (0.5+0.7)
7.65
Offered reliable frontcourt minutes behind Benson: solid rebounding and interior defense, giving rest to starters without large dropoff.
–
Kevin Restani
Reserve Big / Depth
19.7
Low
7.1
4.8
1.5
0.7 (0.4+0.3)
6.55
Provided occasional frontcourt depth; modest but useful rebounding and defensive support in limited minutes.
–
George Johnson
Bench Forward/Big
17.3
Low
6.2
5.4
1.2
1.8 (1.1+0.7)
7.30
Gave rotational frontcourt minutes, with respectable rebounding and some defensive activity (steals + blocks) relative to low scoring role.
–
Lloyd Walton
Bench PG / Role‑Player
18.4
Low
5.0
1.4
4.7
1.1 (1.0+0.1)
6.10
As a reserve guard, contributed assists and modest defense; likely used to give rest to Buckner or shift guard rotations.
–
Sam Smith
Deep Reserve Wing
7.8
Very Low
3.5
0.6
1.0
0.9 (0.5+0.4)
4.50
Hardly played; minimal impact but provided occasional minutes as a reserve wing during rotation holes.
–
Otis Howard
Emergency/Spot Minutes
7.3
Very Low
3.3
2.3
0.3
0.0 (0+0)
2.95
Appeared only 3 games — negligible impact; likely used in rare depth or garbage time situations.
–
Norm Van Lier
Short‑Stint Backup Guard
14.6
Very Low
2.8
1.1
4.2
1.2 (1.1+0.1)
4.55
Played only 38 games with limited minutes — provided some playmaking and perimeter defense in spot appearances.
