Cormac Ryan is capitalizing on his opportunity with the Milwaukee Bucks

When your number is called, you best be ready to answer the call.

That's exactly what former Tar Heel Cormac Ryan continues to do as he's earned an extended opportunity with the Milwaukee Bucks organization.

Cormac Ryan continues to seize the opportunity

Ryan only spent one season in Chapel Hill, but he quickly became a fan favorite by how he played the game on a regular basis.

A tenacious defender, Ryan was often quoted by the fans (and his former Tar Heel fans) as being "sick in the head," a perfect analogy to describe the way he plays the game on both sides of the floor.

The traits that made him successful at North Carolina haven't gone away by any means, as Ryan has squared off against some of the league's biggest stars and didn't back down one bit.

First, it was Kevin Durant, who decided he was going to disrespect Ryan while guarding him. Durant regretted that decision, as Ryan blew past him for an easy layup.

When the Milwuakee Bucks took on the Boston Celtics, Ryan was tasked with guarding former Duke Blue Devil and NBA All Star Jayson Tatum. Ryan forced Tatum to pick up his dribble, and proceeded to pull the ultimate Cormac Ryan type of move: clapping in his face.

Cormac Ryan is intimidated by no one!

Since March 19, Ryan has made seven appearances for the Bucks, as his minutes continue to rise. Over the last four games, Ryan has played 20+ minutes per-contest, and his minutes logged total rises to over 30 minutes per-game in each of his team's last three games.

Ryan had his fair share of dominant scoring nights while wearing the Carolina Blue (one notably against the boys from Durham). He has proven that he can score the basketball at any level, collecting two 20+ point outings. With those performances, he became the first Bucks player to log multiple 20-point games in his first seven career outings since Brandon Jennings accomplished the feat during the 2009-2010 season.

His latest outing felt like he couldn't miss, as he drained seven of his eight attempts from the floor. His 21 points, five steals, four rebounds and three assists helped guide the Bucks to a 131-115 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

With the opportunity of a lifetime right in front of him, Ryan is hungry for more success. While the Bucks' season will end at the conclusion of the regular season, Ryan still has plenty to play for as he aims to prove that he deserves a full-time roster spot in the NBA.

So far, his audition has gone really well!