The Milwaukee Bucks will select at No. 10 in the 2026 NBA Draft after the lottery results. Promising prospects include Nate Ament and Mikel Brown, who could be available for the team.
Key points
Milwaukee Bucks will pick at No. 10 in the 2026 NBA Draft
Bucks had over 66% chance to select at No. 10
Nate Ament and Mikel Brown are potential draft picks
The Bucks had a more than 66% chance to pick at No. 10 and though the team's draft choice was not elevated due to the lottery, the Bucks are still expected to have strong options with the No. 10 selection due to the depth of the draft.
Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg and Tennessee's Nate Ament are among the promising group of long wing players with tremendous upside that could be available when the Bucks pick at No. 10.
There is also a promising group of guards that outside of the top few picks. That includes Louisville's Mikel Brown who appears to have a chance to outplay his current draft slot.
While the dreams of drafting BYU's AJ Dybantsa or Duke's Cameron Boozer won't be coming true, with the Bucks holding a top 10 seclection, it will be one of the most anticipated drafts for local basketball fans in recent memory, especially with the possibility of Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the franchise in question.
Here's a roundup of Bucks' projections in various NBA mock drafts:
See every story in Sports ā including breaking news and analysis.
Nate Ament 6-10 forward, Tennessee
Sam Veccine explains why Ament, once a possible top five selection, could still be there when the Bucks pick:
"Amentās season was a true roller coaster, and his draft stock is a bit funky as a result. He averaged 14.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game in his first 15 games but was only shooting 40 percent from the field and 27 percent from 3. Those numbers were also buoyed by big games against bad teams, like his 23 points against Northern Kentucky, his 19 against Rice and North Florida and his 20 against Rutgers. Then, over 12 games before he sprained an ankle in Tennesseeās game against Alabama, few players were better in high-major conference play. He averaged 22 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 44 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3 and 84 percent from the line while getting there a ridiculous nine times per game in that run. But when he returned for postseason play, he clearly wasnāt 100 percent. He averaged just 13.3 points while shooting 31.3 percent from the field, including 28.6 percent from inside the arc as he had zero lift.
Still, that issue with his scoring inside the arc showcases problems with his game. Heās still quite skinny, and scouts arenāt sure how his frame will fill out. He added a lot of good weight in the offseason leading into his freshman year, which allowed him to at least deal with the rigors of college basketball. However, he doesnāt have a ton of athletic explosiveness. His finishing at the rim has been concerning when he doesnāt get fouled, as he made a ridiculously low 42 percent of his shots at the rim at 6-10, per Synergy."
Gary Parish believes an older Lendeborg can play immediately even if Antetokounmpo stays with the Bucks:
"Lendeborg transferred from UAB to Michigan and was the best player on a team that won the 2026 NCAA Tournament one year after he didn't even win Player of the Year honors in the sport's 11th-best conference (American). Just an awesome story. That he's already 23 years old will turn some franchises off ā but if Milwaukee decides to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo, adding somebody who is plug-and-play should be the priority, at which point Lendeborg's age should be mostly irrelevant to the decision-making process."
Jeremy Woo says Ament makes sense for the Bucks, especially if a split from Giannis becomes a reality:
"Milwaukee had just a 3.1% chance of moving into the top four, requiring a scenario in which both New Orleans' pick and its own jumped in the lottery, which would have conveyed the worse of the two. The Bucks desperately need backcourt help, but should be thinking best available, considering the uncertainty around the team's trajectory and with ownership wanting clarity onĀ Giannis Antetokounmpo's future by draft night. While they don't control their own picks over the next few seasons, they could still be operating with a longer view if they opt to part ways with their franchise player.
While Ament's stock has slipped from an early top-five projection, he had productive stretches this season within a tricky team context and has room to help himself in workouts. Although scouts are split on whether he has star potential or projects better as a long-term supporting player, there is still plenty of intrigue around the opportunity to select a prospect of his caliber later in the lottery. As a tall skill player with real shotmaking upside, Ament fits a player archetype that teams often love to swing on. As Milwaukee considers a post-Giannis future, a malleable upside swing like Ament could be a fit."
"TheĀ BucksĀ badly need to take an upside swing on talent. Brown might end up being the best guard in this draft. A back injury led to an up-and-down freshman year but he's the most creative passer in this class and was a lights-out shooter in high school before struggling with his shot in his lone year at Louisville. Whether they decide to move on from Giannis or not, Brown is the clear best talent who has a chance to be the next guy for Milwaukee.Ā "
If you want the Bucks to take the "best available player at No. 10, Brown is the logical choice according to Bryan Kalbrosky:
"The Milwaukee Bucks,Ā potentially heading toward an ugly Giannis Antetokounmpo divorce, must simply draft the best player available with whatever pick they have and will likely keep Louisville floor general Mikel Brown Jr. highlighted on their big board. The All-ACC guard has deep shooting range and was among the freshmen leaders in 3-pointers made from beyond 25 feet (27) this year,Ā per CBB Analytics. Brown was averaging 29.2 points per game over his last five appearances, including 45 points against NC State on Feb. 9, while hitting 10 shots from beyond the arc, before an injury on Feb. 28 forced him to miss March Madness. According to ESPNās Jeremy Woo, some scouts feel Brown has the highest āupsideā of the guards in this range."
Kevin O'Connor believes Ament is a natural fit for the Bucks as well:
"The Bucks should take a swing to jump-start their new era, whether or notĀ Giannis AntetokounmpoĀ is part of it. Players who can handle, shoot off the dribble, and stand at 6-foot-10 donāt grow on trees. This physical foundation kept Ament in lottery consideration even after a dreadful start to his freshman season when he struggled to score efficiently and make an impact defensively. But over the second half of the year for Tennessee, he flipped a switch and shots began to fall. He averaged 23.8 points over a six-game stretch in January and February that reminded everyone why he was a top recruit in the country. Then he dealt with an ankle injury that ruined his momentum entering March and he severely struggled during the tournament. Bucks general manager Jon Horst has never been afraid to take risks though. If Ament pans out, it could look like a stroke of genius."
