For the last several years, the Milwaukee Bucks haven't had too many draft picks, but when they have, they've typically gone after project players. Bleacher Report's WAY-too-early 2026 NBA Mock Draft has them following the same route, selecting recent Duke commit Dame Sarr 17th overall. Based on everything the young wing has shown, it would be yet another gamble for the Milwaukee Bucks.
There's no telling how Sarr will look in a year (the potential is there)
It's clear that the Milwaukee Bucks are trying to find their next Giannis Antetokounmpo with these young, raw prospects. That doesn't mean they are hunting for a two-time MVP type of player. They are looking at players with untapped potential who can spend time growing before blossoming into what they can truly become. It's a fine thought process, but it hasn't worked out since... Giannis.
MarJon Beauchamp, Chris Livingston, Andre Jackson Jr., Hugo Besson, AJ Johnson, Tyler Smith, and recent draft pick Bogoljub Markovic all serve as examples of this risky gamble. Outside of Jackson, who is on thin ice right now following some recent roster moves, none of these players cracked the rotation in Milwaukee- two of them, Besson and Markovic, have been stashed overseas.
Dame Sarr is just 19 years old right now, so if he declares for the NBA Draft next season, he will still be incredibly raw, in all likelihood, no matter how good he looks this coming season. If the Bucks don't get contributions from any of the aforementioned draft picks, it will be difficult to justify this plan. They need players who can help rather than ones who need years to be ready.
To be clear, Dame Sarr has all of the makings to be a solid player. He's long, standing tall at 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot wingspan, athletic, and has the offensive chops to consistently make an impact. All of those things can help the Milwaukee Bucks, but with Giannis Antetokounmpo not getting younger, this team simply might not be able to afford to wait and see what Sarr might become.
A lot can change in a year. There's no telling how the Milwaukee Bucks will look next summer. They might not even be picking with this selection when they are on the clock. It's way too early to start analyzing draft prospects, but after years of these projects not working out, the Bucks might be wise to try a new draft strategy.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.