The Milwaukee Bucks, by their own admission, are about five weeks away from perhaps the most consequential draft night in franchise history. The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft is June 23, and co-owner Jimmy Haslam said having a decision made on whether trade future Hall of Famer Giannis Antetokounmpo should come by that date.
Because, quite simply, “if Giannis does play somewhere else, we ought to get a lot of assets,” Haslam said on May 6.
Since Haslam spoke, the Bucks found out they were picking No. 10 in the lottery and they’ve interviewed two handfuls of prospects, at least, at the NBA scouting combine the week of May 12. They’ve also, ostensibly, fielded firm trade offers from teams interested in their two-time MVP.
ESPN reported the Bucks are “operating” like they will have more than one first-round pick in the draft, which would track with Haslam’s statement. To place an artificial deadline for draft night, one would think the team would be seeking additional 2026 draft compensation. And if additional picks are a mandatory part of a post-Antetokounmpo plan, they should be interviewing and working out nearly every lottery prospect.
But for now, let’s focus on what we know for certain: The Bucks hold the 10th selection.
The draft class has widely been considered very strong for years, and even at the Bucks’ current spot on the board intriguing prospects likely will be available.
So, who will the Bucks settle on?
In this mock draft the Journal Sentinel pulled from 10 respected draft outlets and 11 experts, including USA TODAY’s Bryan Kalbrowski and Mark Giannotto, to see who they think will be in Milwaukee.
And, there was a consensus:
Who is Nate Ament?
Ament is a 19-year-old from Virginia who was a McDonald’s All-American and a five-star recruit who helped the 2024 U.S. Under-18 AmeriCup team win a gold medal. After a slow start to his freshman season at Tennessee, he came on strong in Southeastern Conference play and scored 20 or more points in six of eight games played in a month’s time. But he missed the end of his freshman regular season with injuries to his right ankle and knee, though he returned for the SEC and NCAA tournaments.
What do the experts say?
Unsurprisingly, Ament fits a mold for Bucks general manager Jon Horst, who has chosen to take “big swings” with many of his first-round draft selections. Here is a sampling of some experts on Ament.
ESPN: “He’s a ways away from impacting winning at the NBA level, which makes him a bit more fit-specific to teams that have minutes available and a runway to develop him.”
The Athletic: “He doesn’t have a ton of athletic explosiveness. His finishing at the rim has been concerning when he doesn’t get fouled.”
NBADraft.net: “Ament profiles as a high-upside, long-term developmental prospect whose ultimate value will hinge on physical and mental growth. …Viewed as a mid-to-late lottery talent, his draft range will depend heavily on team patience and developmental infrastructure.”
Yahoo.com: “Players who can handle, shoot off the dribble, and stand at 6-10 don’t grow on trees. This physical foundation kept Ament in lottery consideration even after a dreadful start to his freshman season when he struggled to score efficiently and make an impact defensively.”
What if the Bucks trade Giannis?
Owczarski’s analysis: If the Bucks do indeed move on from Antetokounmpo, they’ll need to hit on this draft pick, full stop. Gone are the days of luxury picks like Rashad Vaughn (No. 17, 2015), Thon Maker (No. 10, 2016), D.J. Wilson (No. 17, 2017), MarJon Beauchamp (No. 24, 2022) and AJ Johnson (No. 23, 2024). Ament fits a mold, for sure, with youth, size and some scoring punch. It is the NBA draft is it not?
But even if the Bucks can get a young all-star or fringe all-NBA player in return for Antetokounmpo, letting this front office bet big again would be the wrong move.
Milwaukee’s two best draft picks in the last decade were Malcolm Brogdon (No. 36, 2016) and Donte DiVincenzo (No. 17, 2018). Brogdon played four years at Virginia and went on to not only win the Rookie of the Year Award with Milwaukee, but the 2023 Sixth Man of the Year Award in Boston and helped the Celtics reach the conference finals.
Brogdon was also good enough for the Bucks to trade him to Indiana for a first-round pick (which the Bucks traded), for the Pacers to trade him for Aaron Nesmith and a first-round pick and for the Celtics to trade him for Jrue Holiday.
DiVincenzo played three years at Villanova and was a starter on the Bucks’ 2021 championship team and has been a big contributor on playoff teams in Golden State, New York and Minnesota.
That’s my way of saying the Bucks should stop with the big swings.
Go for solid contact, for a player with a proven track record of high-level success (preferably at a winning program) who will help you win games, but perhaps still have a high enough ceiling to be in the mix for some postseason honors.
What if the Bucks keep Giannis?
Owczarski’s analysis: I think the same mindset should apply even if the Bucks look to retool around Antetokounmpo. If that is the path they’re taking, and they choose to keep the pick, it needs to be a rookie who can contribute to winning. And that is possible to find, even this late in the draft.
No, there won’t be high lottery talent like Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel, Philadelphia’s VJ Edgecombe, or San Antonio’s Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. But the right kind of shooter who can play off Antetokounmpo’s shot creation and defender on the perimeter can play a big role early.
Owczarski’s pick for the Bucks: Yaxel Lendeborg, forward, Michigan
Lendeborg is an “older” prospect (he’ll be 24 at the start of the season) after spending three seasons in junior college, two at Alabama-Birmingham and then last year at Michigan. But the 6-foot-9 big man has a 7-4 wingspan and proved he can guard smaller players as well as wings his size. His 3-point shooting also improved each season. Moreover, he was instrumental in helping the Wolverines win the national title – all while playing through injury.
What are Nate Ament’s measurements?
At the NBA scouting combine in Chicago, Ament was measured in the following categories:
Nate Ament stats
Ament played one season at Tennessee and shot 33.3% (46-for-138) from behind the 3-point line in averaging 16.7 points per game. He also averaged 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.3 turnovers, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks. He shot just 39.9% overall and 79% from the free throw line.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Bucks mock draft 1.0 | Who do the experts pick at No. 10?
Reporting by Jim Owczarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
