The Bucks own the No. 17 pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft. Who should they be targeting with their selection?
Milwaukee exceeded expectations during the 2016-2017 season, and earned a selection outside of the lottery as a result of their success. Their future looks extremely bright with their young core of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker, Khris Middleton, Thon Maker, and Malcolm Brogdon. If they hit on their picks this year (Bucks also own selection No. 48) it could go a ways towards making a rising young franchise even more formidable.
The Bucks don’t have any major holes in their roster. They could choose anyone who fits their profile as a player: long and athletic. Building their team this way enables Milwaukee to play defense differently than the rest of the league. Jason Kidd will want new players to fit this mold; GM John Hammond leaving won’t change the Bucks team identity. Milwaukee Bucks, green and growing.
Here’s a look at the five strongest fits for the Bucks in this coming draft:
5. Terrance Ferguson, Adelaide 36ers
Born in Oklahoma and raised in Dallas, Terrance Ferguson became a five-star recruit in the class of 2016 and committed to Arizona. He made waves when he opted to sign with the Adelaide 36ers of the Australian National Basketball League instead. While Ferguson only averaged 15.2 minutes per game for the 36ers, his draft stock has remained relatively steady. His potential as a wing player remains obvious, and it should get him selected in the first round.
At 6-foot-7, Ferguson has good size for a wing player. He is also explosive, as evidenced by this video of him throwing down a windmill dunk from the free throw line in high school. His athleticism should allow for him to become a good defender and rebounder as he matures. And while Ferguson struggles to create his own looks at times, he excels as a spot-up shooter. While he may be raw, he should become a Terrence Ross like player in the league, potentially more.
Ferguson’s potential role with the Bucks mirrors that of Tony Snell’s. Snell, a pending restricted free agent, who earned a starting wing position for the Bucks last year. His role on the Bucks was to guard the top wing on the opposing team and spot up for 3s on offense. Snell played his role, shooting 40.6 percent from on 3-pointers and bringing energy to the floor. Ideally, he would be back on a short term deal while Ferguson is developed to take his place. No matter what happens in free agency though, Ferguson would fit in well with Milwaukee.
4. Harry Giles, Duke
As the draft approaches, some are confused by Harry Giles. How is a player who averaged 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in one year of college basketball a first round draft pick? If you go back to 2015, you would find yourself wondering how Giles didn’t go in the top five. At that point in time, he was the number one ranked player in the class of 2016 and drawing Kevin Garnett comparisons. But then his senior season opened that fall and Giles tore his ACL in his first scrimmage. He had arthroscopic knee surgery in October before his only season at Duke.
Giles surprised some when he declared for draft, but he still has enough promise to go in the first round. While his knees are issues, he is a top five talent if he regains his athleticism. That is a big if, even for a young guy, but that kind of upside outside of the lottery is hard to find. If the Bucks can continue to catch lightning in a bottle with their draft picks, they will open up a championship window in Milwaukee. For that reasoning alone, Giles could be a worthwhile risk.
Adding to Giles’ case is the fact that he is represented by agent Jeff Schwartz. Schwartz also happens to be head coach Jason Kidd’s agent. Since Kidd’s arrival to Milwaukee in 2014, the Bucks have acquired fellow Schwartz clients Rashad Vaughn, Tyler Ennis, Axel Toupane, Michael Carter-Williams, Jerryd Bayless, Michael Beasley, and Mirza Teletovic. The pipeline between Schwartz and the Bucks is too expansive to be considered a coincidence. Giles is a good for for Milwaukee beyond his many talents as a player.
3. Justin Patton, Creighton
Justin Patton seems to be the player most commonly mocked to the Bucks, and it’s fairly easy to see why. The 7-foot redshirt freshman big from Creighton made his potential clear with the Bluejays. Many believe Patton to have star potential, a rarity coming out of Creighton. Many of the same arguments for Milwaukee drafting Harry Giles apply to Patton.
If a prospect has the ceiling that Patton has and can be drafted outside of the lottery, it also means that their floor as a player is pretty low. The bust potential with Patton is real; this is a player who needed a redshirt year before breaking out this season. Patton hasn’t proven himself as a strong rebounder and still needs to develop the nuance in his game. He also showed inconsistent effort, which could be chalked up to inexperience or may be the sign of something more. The G-League night be in the cards next season.
It doesn’t take a lot of film on Patton to understand why he is coveted in the draft. Not many 7-footers can move like he can, and he is a presence at the rim on both ends as a result. His agility suggests that he should be able to defend out to the perimeter, huge for a team like the Bucks who like to switch screens. His jump shot looks good when he is given time. Overall, Patton ascended rapidly from redshirt to potential lottery pick, and that may suggest he works hard on his game. There is still work to be done before he becomes a regular NBA contributor, but the risk is worth taking here.
2. Bam Adebayo, Kentucky/Ike Anigbogu, UCLA
Bam Adebayo and Ike Anigbogu are similar prospects. Both spent one year at major programs before entering this draft, where they look probable to be late first round picks. Both are listed at 6-foot-10, 250 pounds and project as rim-running centers in the NBA. The two did have different college experiences, however: Adebayo started at Kentucky while Anigbogu began the season injured and played behind Thomas Welsh at center.
Thon Maker has flashed enough to make Bucks fans believe that he’s the center of the future. The springy, sweet shooting 20-year-old will put on weight as his career progresses, but will likely always struggle against stronger centers. They will want bruisers for certain matchups as a compliment to Maker no matter how he develops. His strengths and weaknesses would be complimented well by Adebayo and Anigbogu.
While these centers are similar, they are not the same. Adebayo played over twice as much for Kentucky as Anigbogu did for UCLA, which suggests that he is more ready. But Anigbogu posted better rebounding numbers on a per 40 minute basis and possesses a seriously impressive 7-foot-6 wingspan. While both players are raw, centers with their athleticism and skills have been succeeding in the NBA of late: DeAndre Jordan, Clint Capela, Steven Adams and Tristan Thompson represent the best of what these two can become. Milwaukee would have to be patient with either of these players, but that patience could pay off.
1. Jonah Bolden, FMP Beograd
Jonah Bolden is a relatively unknown risky pick, but uncertainty hasn’t stopped the Bucks from selecting certain players recently. Bolden is an Australian native who attended high school in the United States, becoming a four-star recruit. Scout.com ranked him as their 25th best player in their class of 2014 rankings, barely ahead of Devin Booker. Bolden was forced to miss most of his freshman season at UCLA due to eligibility issues and only started only 11 games. He made the stunning decision to sign a contract in Serbia instead of opting to transfer or declare for the draft prior to last season.
Many thought they wouldn’t hear of Jonah Bolden again when he bolted from Beverly Hills to Belgrade. But then the 6-foot-10 forward arrived and quietly impressed overseas. Bolden averaged 12.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for FMP Beograd and won ABA League Top Prospect honors. Winning that honor placed Bolden in a class with Dario Saric, Nikola Jokic and Ante Zizic.
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Bolden has been a late riser in this draft class. He hasn’t appeared on many mock drafts but buzz has built late on the 21-year-old, who began draft preparation later than most prospects. Fran Fraschilla recently called Bolden a “a sneaky first round possibility”; his tools fit well in the NBA. He is an explosive athlete who shot 40 percent on 3-pointers. At his height, Bolden can play power forward at the NBA level if he continues to add weight to his frame. He would be an excellent replacement for Michael Beasley and act as a sort of Jabari Parker insurance for the Bucks. Draft night will be the fruit of a risky decision for Jonah Bolden.