No one knows what direction the Milwaukee Bucks will go with their draft pick this summer, but their track record in recent years paints a bleak picture. Since striking gold with Giannis Antetokounmpo way back in the day, the team has continued trying to find more raw hidden gems to no avail. Yahoo! Sports' analyst Kevin O'Connor pointed out Milwaukee's flawed strategy in his latest mock draft.
"It would be on brand for Bucks general manager Jon Horst to take a raw prospect with theoretically high upside."
Bucks have plenty of misses trying to find their next Giannis
For a team that has felt like it's been a piece or two away from contending for several years—outside of 2025-26—Milwaukee's draft process has never made sense. Despite ready to help players largely being available, the Bucks have selected young, inexperienced players who will need years to work on their games before they are ready to contribute on a larger scale.
In 2022, the team used a rare first-round pick on MarJon Beauchamp. On paper, the upside existed, but the Bucks never unearthed it. Now, he's bouncing around the NBA. The next year, they gave Chris Livingston the richest deal ever for the final pick of a draft. Given how late they selected him, this was far from the worst offense, but it was clear Livingston would need time to work on himself.
The 2024 draft is Milwaukee's worst offense. Despite possessing a first and early second rounder to beef up the roster immediately, the Bucks landed a pair of 19-year-olds with little to no experience. It was stunning, especially given that there were plenty of day-one contributors available who went on to help other teams immediately.
Management didn't learn from that debacle, as they used a second-round pick on Bogoljub Markovic this past summer. Though the forward does indeed boast plenty of potential, he was yet another raw prospect who would not be ready right away. In fact, the Milwaukee Bucks sent him overseas to work on his game all season. Meanwhile, their season never got off the ground.
Bucks must look to go in a different direction this summer
The one time in recent years that the Milwaukee Bucks went with an experienced name was back in 2023, when they selected Andre Jackson Jr. The wing spent three years at UConn and helped lead them to a National Championship. Unsurprisingly, out of all of Milwaukee's recent draft picks, he has played the most prominent role of the bunch.
If Milwaukee's plan is to compete next season, taking a player who won't hit the hardwood for several years should be off the table. In a class as loaded as this one, it would be hard for the Bucks to mess it up, especially with a likely top 10 pick at their disposal. Yet, the Milwaukee Bucks clearly have a type, and it hasn't done them good in recent years.
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