On June 23, 2016, Brogdon was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 36th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft. On July 30, 2016, he signed with the Bucks. He made his NBA debut in the Bucks' season opener on October 26, 2016, recording eight points and five assists in 21 minutes in a 107–96 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. On November 1, 2016, he recorded 14 points and four steals in a 117–113 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. On December 23, 2016, he made all seven of his shots for 17 points to go with seven assists in 29 minutes in a 123–96 win over the Washington Wizards. On December 31, 2016, he recorded his first career triple-double with 15 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in a 116–96 win over the Chicago Bulls. On January 8, 2017, he scored a career-high 22 points in a 107–101 loss to the Washington Wizards. On January 23, 2017, he had his second game of the season with four steals in a 127–114 win over the Houston Rockets. Two days later, he was named in the U.S. Team for the 2017 Rising Stars Challenge. On March 29, 2017, he recorded 16 points and nine assists in a 103–100 win over the Boston Celtics. He had six key points and two assists in the final 2:46 to help Milwaukee fend off a late Boston rally. To conclude his rookie season, Brogdon was named the 2016–17 NBA Rookie of the Year, along with being a unanimous selection to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Brogdon joined Lew Alcindor (1969–70) as the only players in Bucks history to win Rookie of the Year, and became the first player drafted in the second round to win Rookie of the Year since 1965. Brogdon averaged both the fewest points per game and fewest minutes per game of any winner in the award's history.