Bucks 2026 NBA Draft grades for every pick

During the draft, teams typically don’t pay much attention to positional needs, unless that team is trying to win now and they’re picking towards the end of the first round or in the second round. It is definitely a waste of resources to not go best player available whenever possible.

For the Bucks, at pick 10, they thought that Burries was the best prospect available. Considering how guard-heavy the 2026 NBA Draft is, a talented ballhandler always had a good chance of falling to them at that selection. And Burries ended up being that man.

The appeal of Burries as a prospect is clear. He is a natural fit in today’s NBA as a volume three-point shooter; this past season in Arizona (his freshman campaign), he put up 16.1 points on a true shooting percentage of 61.6. He shot 39.1 percent from deep on a healthy volume (4.6 threes attempted per game).

Burries stands at 6’5″, so he has good size for either guard position. He projects to be a solid defensive player with natural instincts on that end of the floor, and he was disruptive in Arizona, recording over a steal and a half per contest.

The concern with him as a prospect is that he may not have the skillset to be a lead guard in the NBA, as his low assist numbers in college indicate. But that should not be an issue at all early in his tenure with the Bucks.

Burries will have Herro, Ryan Rollins, and Kevin Porter Jr. to handle the playmaking duties, while Jakucionis is also a more natural passer who can allow the Arizona guard to take his time in his development as a passer.

If nothing else, Burries, the 20-year-old guard, projects to be someone who can be a major part of a winning team with his floor-spacing ability and defense. If his playmaking production ever matures, he could become one of the best two-way guards in the NBA.

Grade: A

Nate Ament is this year’s ultimate boom or bust prospect

Scouts place a premium on the measurables of draft prospects, as it helps them project whether or not their production would translate to the NBA level. For Ament, it’s clear why teams in the lottery took an interest in him. He stands at 6’10”, and he’s shown the ability to create his own shot. Moreover, the potential for him to be a solid difficult-shot maker is there.

But therein lies the problem. Ament does not look like he has the burst to gain separation on defenders in the NBA, as he doesn’t have that lightning quick first step. Moreover, when he drives towards the basket, he settles for difficult shots, as he isn’t very fluid when it comes to maneuvering around the hoop. He doesn’t quite have that vertical lift to help him become one of the best finishers in the association.

Nonetheless, in the NBA, he’ll be tasked, at least as a rookie, to make open shots and defend his man at a high level. That is something that scouts believe Ament could do.

He shot under 40 percent from the field with Tennessee last season, and he drilled threes at just a 33 percent clip, but he has fluid shooting form and he should be able to capitalize on the opportunities he will get from playing with more talented players.

The positional versatility and the ease with which he fits in most lineups in the NBA make him a worthwhile lottery pick. But the Bucks may have to temper their expectations over Ament. He looks like he can have a long career in the NBA as a role player who can perhaps attack closeouts with his ability to at least punish smaller defenders, but if everything works out for him, he can at least be part of a starting five that wins a title.

The Bucks definitely had room to shoot for the moon, and that’s what they did with the selection of Ament.

Grade: A-

Milwaukee takes chance on Malique Lewis

With the 60th overall pick, the Bucks acquired Malique Lewis from the Washington Wizards. Lewis stands at 6’8″, although his two-way game is far from polished. He’s only 21 years of age, however, and has prototypical wing size for the NBA.

As far as lottery tickets go, Lewis is a solid one for the Bucks to take on, as every team that wants to win needs wing players of his size and skillset. But he has a long way to go before making an impact on the NBA level.

Grade: B