Milwaukee Bucks: 15 best draft picks in franchise history

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo is already one of the greatest draft steals in Bucks history, but he can also be offered up as one of the more notably successful picks in recent NBA memory.

With two All-Star appearances and two All-NBA selections already to his name at the age of 23, Antetokounmpo has ascended to superstardom and is widely recognized as one of the players best equipped to become the new dominant force in the NBA as LeBron James approaches the latter stages of his career.

In revisiting the 2013 NBA Draft, it’s clear that it was a class with plenty of questionable prospects at the top, but impressive depth beyond that. The mid-to-late section of that year’s first round has produced an impressive number of valuable players, headlined by Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert (29th pick) at the top end, but a variety of capable role players beyond that too.

For as capable as some of those role players may be, the trajectory of the Bucks’ future would have been radically transformed for the worse if the franchise hadn’t been willing to take a gamble on the young Greek prospect.

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As an example, if Shane Larkin had been favored to Antetokounmpo, the Bucks may still be rooted in a state of perpetual rebuilding. The strides that have been made on and off the court since can largely be attributed to the Antetokounmpo effect and, without him, the franchise may have been in a very dark spot right now.