Milwaukee Bucks: 15 greatest draft steals in franchise history

The Milwaukee Bucks have a long history of successful homegrown stars. Who are the 15 greatest draft steals in franchise history?

The Milwaukee Bucks have had a checkered history of draft picks. As a brand new franchise, they hit on the best player in franchise history, drafting Lew Alcindor (who later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) with the first overall pick in 1969.

After Alcindor led them to an NBA Championship in 1971 and an NBA Finals loss in 1974, the Bucks have not yet returned to the championship round. They stayed competitive throughout the 1970s and the 1980s, pushing teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics, even though they couldn’t break through themselves.

Many of the Bucks’ best players throughout the years have been acquired through trades or free agency. Even so, there are a number of players drafted by the Bucks who have given their team a solid return. As much as any team, they have hit on some “draft steals.”

Players such as Alcindor and Marques Johnson (No. 3 overall) were selected too high to really be viewed as steals, although both gave the Bucks incredible value, despite being high picks. For players selected fifth or later, who are the greatest draft steals in Milwaukee franchise history?