Milwaukee Bucks: Ranking Top 10 Draft Picks In Franchise History

Ti Windisch

Now that the Milwaukee Bucks are finally moving forward, let’s take a look back at the Bucks ten best draft picks.

Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Things are exciting in Milwaukee right now. The Milwaukee Bucks may not be having a great start to their 2015-16 season, but there’s still a lot of hope here in Milwaukee. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker are the biggest contributors to that hope–good draft picks can do that for a franchise.

We here at Behind the Buck Pass have decided to take a look back, before the franchise continues to move forward. To be specific, we looked back at the Bucks best ten draft picks throughout the team’s long history.

#10 – Jabari Parker

Although he may not have done much of great importance in a Bucks uniform just yet, there’s no denying the impact that Jabari Parker (aka Major Cat) has had on the franchise already. He is the embodiment of hope for this team–the only positive (aside from another young player included later on this list) to come out of a franchise-worst 15-win season.

Parker isn’t higher on this list because he has yet to even play half of an NBA season–it’s hard to move him above Bucks legends based on some 40 games. But it seems doubtless that he’ll eventually leap over many of these names in classic Major Cat fashion.

That may be saying quite a bit considering some of the verified NBA legends to find their way on this list, but Parker went second overall for a reason. He’s got the potential to reach a very high peak, and his tireless work ethic should ensure he becomes the best player he possibly can.

Jabari gets this far thanks to the hope and energy he has brought to Milwaukee. That’s something that was missing in casual Bucks fans. Now, even in this current slump, there’s no denying the optimism that Parker brings to Milwaukee. That means he must’ve been a pretty good draft pick.

Next: Round One, Pick 20, 1982

Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

#9 – Paul Pressey

Pressey, who now serves as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, was an integral part of some great 80s Bucks teams under Don Nelson. Nellie led those Bucks to the Eastern Conference Finals a few separate times, but unfortunately he and Pressey never made it to the NBA Finals.

Still though, Pressey deserves acclaim for being a crucial part of those exciting Bucks teams. His per game statistics aren’t crazy, but he did a lot of ball-handling for those teams and was solid at it. And he also potentially created the term point forward, although another member of this list would dispute that story!

No matter who created the term, Pressey embodied the point forward ideal. In Nelson’s forward-thinking scheme, Pressey led Milwaukee in assists for five straight seasons, from 1985-89. Pressey also leads all Bucks in all-time assists, with a whopping 3,272.

Pressey was a steal for the Bucks at the 20th overall pick back in 1982. Getting a player of his caliber in the draft despite winning 55 games the season before was huge for the Bucks of the mid-80s, and for the franchise in general. He isn’t the highest ranked draft steal in this piece, though…

Next: Round One, Pick 15, 2013

Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

#8 – Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo could end up being not just one of the biggest steals in Bucks history, but in the history of the entire NBA Draft. Giannis dropped all the way to 15th overall, mostly because nobody really knew who this kid from Greece was. Well, almost nobody did.

John Hammond had a good enough idea of the Greek Freak’s abilities though, and took him. That was taking one hell of a big chance, but it’s paid off in a huge way. Giannis is Milwaukee’s second star. That’s unimaginably huge for the Bucks.

Of course Parker was going to be great–he was a second overall pick in a loaded draft class. But having Giannis to pair with him takes the Bucks out of the dicey territory of having one star that keeps Milwaukee too good to tank, but not good enough to win.

With prime Giannis and prime Jabari, there’s no telling how good the Bucks could be. Both players already look like future stars, but Giannis gets to be higher on this list because he’s shown more in the NBA, and because he was such a steal. Not even Antetokounmpo is the best steal made by the Bucks on this list, however…

Next: Round Two, Pick 13, 2000

#7 – Michael Redd

Apart from very early on in the decade, the 2000s were not a good time for the Milwaukee Bucks. Aside from a 2001 trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Bucks either didn’t make the playoffs or lost in the first round each season in the first decade of the 21st century.

Although he wasn’t good enough to truly change any of that, Michael Redd still performed every single night for Milwaukee. He was the best player on the Bucks by a fairly wide margin from 2003 to 2008, and still one of the most electric scorers in Milwaukee’s history.

The above video showcasing his franchise record-setting 57 point performance against the Utah Jazz in 2006 is a microcosm of Redd’s time with the Bucks. He was flashy and awe-inspiring, but not quite good enough to make the Bucks a winning team for most of his time in Milwaukee.

Still though, Redd embodies an entire era of Bucks basketball, and himself was a steal in the draft, although Redd stil wasn’t the best value Milwaukee ever found with one of their draft picks. Having a late second round pick carry a team for most of a decade is pretty extraordinary, just like Michael Redd himself.

Next: Round One, Pick Eight, 1993

#6 – Vin Baker

Vin Baker was a steal at eighth overall in the 1993 NBA Draft, and went on to have a great if short-lived career in the Association. Much of his career happened outside of Milwaukee, but three of his absolute best years came when Baker was a Buck.

Despite playing just four of his 13 NBA seasons in Milwaukee, Baker should always be remembered as a Buck. He scored 12,000 of his 25,000 points and grabbed over half of his 5,800 rebounds in Milwaukee, despite playing in the Cream City for just a third of his career.

The Bucks may not have won much with Vin, but he sure made an impression in his time in Milwaukee. Baker averaged 18 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.7 steals in his four Milwaukee seasons. Baker was an All-Star for his last three seasons with the team.

Sadly Baker struggled with alcoholism both during and after his playing days, costing him the chance to truly leave his legacy in the Association. Happily, Baker is now clean and making a living working at a Starbucks. Maybe Baker could be the next ex-Buck to come back in some capacity to the team. He did help coach Milwaukee’s Summer League team this past summer…

Next: Round One, Pick One, 1994

#5 – Glenn Robinson

Forever immortalized on Jay Z’s Blueprint 2, the Big Dog, Glenn Rob was definitely one of the Bucks best draft picks. Big Dog spent most of his career in Milwaukee, and was there for the best Bucks team since the Don Nelson years.

Big Dog could do it all. He shot at least 30 percent from three-point territory as well as averaged at least 18 points, 5.5 rebounds, two assists and a steal per game in all of his Milwaukee seasons. That versatility helped the Bucks to make it farther in the playoffs then they had in some 15 years.

Milwaukee lost to Philadelphia in the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals, but Big Dog, along with Ray Allen and Sam Cassell, sure made it difficult for Allen Iverson‘s 76ers. Both for his large role on that team and for his eight seasons of very high-level forward play in a Bucks uniform, Robinson deserves this spot on the list.

Robinson averaged 21 points, six rebounds and three assists per game in his Milwaukee years. Big Dog may not be the best first overall pick on this list, but he was far from a disappointment for the Bucks and has earned the right to be called one of the best five draft picks the team has ever made.

Next: Round Four, Pick Two, 1969

#4 – Bob Dandridge

Bob Dandridge, also known as Bobby D, also known as the Greyhound, is probably the best fourth round pick in NBA history. This might be the best value pick to ever happen–Giannis will have to settle for second in that category of Bucks history.

Dandridge’s number 10 jersey is hanging in the rafters at the BMO Harris Bradley Center for a reason, after all. In addition to his great regular season statistics, Dandridge was a crucial part of Milwaukee’s 1971 championship. He just missed averaging a double-double in that postseason, posting 19.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

Bobby D wasn’t the best Buck pick in 1969, but he’s right up there. Dandridge won rings with both the Bucks and later the Washington Bullets, and was remarkably consistent for both teams. The Greyhound could do it all–he averaged 20 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game in his prime Bucks years, from 1971 to 1977.

Dandridge was a major contributor to Milwaukee’s only title team, and was ultimately loyal to the Bucks, coming back to retire in Milwaukee in 1982. In a franchise crowded with historically great talent at the forward position, the Greyhound still remains near the front of the pack.

Next: Round One, Pick Three, 1977

#3 – Marques Johnson

Although these days Marques Johnson is at the broadcaster’s table, back in the early 1980s he was busy dueling with Dr. J in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. One of the best point forward’s the NBA has ever known, Johnson spent seven great seasons in Milwaukee before being tragically dealt to the Clippers.

Johnson was a truly elite NBA player in his time with the Bucks, making the All-NBA First Team in 1979 and making four different All-Star teams in his Bucks career. That All-NBA spot was a special honor–Johnson beat out fellow Bucks legend Bob Dandridge for a First Team spot at forward. Even later in his career, the Greyhound was still a special player.

Johnson helped lead the Bucks to several successful seasons in his tenure there, including a stretch from 1980-1984 where Milwaukee won an average of 53 games per season and made the playoffs each season. Milwaukee hasn’t seen that kind of success since those glory days.

Although those great Don Nelson teams never made the NBA Finals, they made the powerhouse 76ers and Celtics work hard for their Finals appearances. That’s saying quite a lot, considering those teams contained Julius Erving, Moses Malone and Larry Bird.

Next: Round One, Pick Five, 1979

Mandatory Credit: Beth Hall-USA TODAY Sports

#2 – Sidney Moncrief

Sid the Squid would be a legitimate contender for the top spot on this list, if it wasn’t held by arguably the best basketball player of all time. Still, Moncrief deserves to be a very close second, based on his incredible play in the 1980s in Milwaukee.

Michael Jordan gives the best possible endorsement of the Squid, saying that “He’ll hound you everywhere you go, both ends of the court. You just expect it.” Moncrief was a true two-way star, being known for playing both stifling defense and standout offensive basketball.

Moncrief’s list of accomplishments while playing for the Bucks is long: he won the first two Defensive Player of the Year awards ever given out, he was an All-Star for five straight seasons from 82-86, he was selected to the All-NBA First Team in 83 over NBA legends Isiah Thomas and George Gerwin, he was an All-NBA Second Team player four seasons, and an All-Defensive First Team player for four seasons as well.

Moncrief truly did it all in Milwaukee, and during his tenure in Milwaukee from 1980-1989 the Bucks never posted a losing record or missed the playoffs. Sid the Squid was too good to let that happen.

Next: Round One, Pick One, 1969

Mar 3, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Mar 3, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the leading scorer in Milwaukee Bucks and NBA history, waves to fans during game against the Utah Jazz at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

#1 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the obvious answer here, and the correct one. Kareem delivered Milwaukee its first and only NBA title, and also brought the Bucks to their only two NBA Finals. Like it or not, until Milwaukee can make it out of the Eastern Conference again there can be no debate as to who the best Buck is.

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Kareem was the obvious pick in 1969. He had just won three consecutive NCAA championships at UCLA, and the only reason he didn’t win four straight is because he was required to play on the freshman team his first season there. Abdul-Jabbar dominated the NCAA so hard they banned dunking after his sophomore season, not that that stopped him from continuing to outclass the rest of the country.

From there, Kareem came to Milwaukee, where he won the first of his six titles and three of his six MVP awards. Although he only stayed in Milwaukee for six seasons before requesting a trade out of the Midwest, six years of Kareem is more valuable than 15 years of pretty much anybody else.

Hopefully over time either Giannis or Jabari (or both!) can climb this list and one day knock Kareem down a spot, but it’s far too early to really think about that yet. For now, he remains the best draft pick the Milwaukee Bucks have ever made.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks: 30 Most Significant Moments In Franchise History

Feel we’ve made any egregious exclusions? Get in touch with us in the comments below or on Twitter!

Ti Windisch