Milwaukee Bucks NBA Draft Prospect Watch: Nico Mannion

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 29: Nico Mannion #1 of the Arizona Wildcats instructs the offense during the game against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion on February 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. The UCLA Bruins defeated the Arizona Wildcats 69-64. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 29: Nico Mannion #1 of the Arizona Wildcats instructs the offense during the game against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion on February 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. The UCLA Bruins defeated the Arizona Wildcats 69-64. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
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Nico Mannion, NBA Draft, Milwaukee Bucks
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 11:  (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Nico Mannion stands as one of the biggest names in this 2020 NBA Draft, but will he catch the attention of the Milwaukee Bucks when they’re on the clock in the first round?

Perhaps one of the most well-known prospects this 2020 NBA Draft class, Nico Mannion has a story and rise that has become all too familiar in this social media age.

The son of NBA veteran shooting guard and former Bucks player, Pace Mannion, and Gaia, a former volleyball player in her own right, Nico has been in the limelight for the better part of the last decade as his flashy game naturally led him to become something of a social media phenomenon. The same goes for scholarship offers from all sorts of college powerhouses around the country even before attending Pinnacle High School in Phoenix.

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After being spurned by Team USA for the their U-16 for the 2017 FIBA U-16 Americas Championship, Mannion committed to the Italian national team as he was born in Siena and holds dual citizenship.

Mannion made his debut with the senior team midway through their qualifiers for the 2019 FIBA World Cup at 17 years old on July 1, 2018 in what ended up being a 81-66 loss to the Netherlands.

Having been groomed for a life in basketball at such an early age, Mannion is on the cusp of realizing his dream of being in the NBA after attending the University of Arizona for the 2019-20 season. Where he will be selected, though, is of much debate at the moment, but the level of scrutiny is certainly nothing new to Mannion.

In his 32 appearances for the Wildcats, Mannion averaged 14 points on .392/.327/.797 shooting splits, 5.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals across 32.3 minutes per contest.

So without further ado, let’s dive into the strengths and weaknesses of Nico Mannion’s game, where draft experts currently rate him, and explore his potential fit with the Milwaukee Bucks.