The Milwaukee Bucks came into the NBA draft lottery with the highest odds to end up with the 10th-pick. The ping-pong balls acted accordingly, slotting them right into the 10th spot.
The 2026 NBA class has been regarded as one of the deepest prospect classes in a while, so for the Bucks, there are many different ways they could look to utilize their pick. The list features five prospects the Bucks could look to draft. Factored into the rankings are: value, positional need, the odds of them being available at that pick, scoops so far and analysis of their play.
1. Brayden Burries
Brayden Burries is an uber-athletic scoring guard who, for the Bucks, perfectly fits the needs of the team.
The Bucks lacked consistent shooting and players with the ability to create for themselves last season. Because of this, Brayden Burries would be the perfect player.
Burries helped lead Arizona to a final four finish last season, combined with his ability to be a crafty finisher at the rim, a mid-range nightmare for defenders and a lights-out shooter from behind the arc at 39%.
His weaknesses come in the form of relying too much on self-generated shots. Improvements he could make is his ability to work more off-ball, and ball security; he tends to have a loose handle in traffic.
These weaknesses seem to be fixable, especially so in a Bucks roster that wouldn’t be reliant on his ball handling as much as he did at Arizona.
It is reported that the Bucks have had meetings with Burries. Most mocks have Burries landing in Dallas; some mocks do have Burries falling into the 10 spot. It seems very reliant on whether center Aday Mara jumps into the top 10 or falls in the middle of the first, which would allow Burries to fall into the Bucks’ lap.
2. Labaron Philon Jr.
Labaron Philon is a three-level scoring guard out of the University of Alabama. Philon would fit almost seamlessly into a Bucks team that needs better defensive play out of their guards.
Defensive issues are an entire roster problem and not just a guard issue, but at any position, it is valuable to improve. Philon was one of the best defensive guards in the Southeastern Conference last season, relying heavily on his IQ and instincts.
Philon is a player that does all the little things a coach loves and feels like a Taylor Jenkins player, is a three-level scorer, plays aggressive defense, has good passing vision and is one of the few guards that hits the boards aggressively pursuing rebounds.
The negatives are that people question whether his game can translate to the NBA. For someone that’s 6-foot-4, he doesn’t have a large frame, coming in at only 176 pounds and a 6’6 wingspan, and for someone that lacks that athleticism and burst you might expect, scouts have wondered whether those positives you saw at the college level will keep up with NBA level competition. Most mocks have Philon drafted between the eight pick and early teens.
Philon would be good value at 10. The Bucks have reportedly had several meetings with him during the draft process.
3. Yaxel Lendeborg
Yaxel Lendeborg is a player who comes in as a winner, most recently winning a national championship this past season at the University of Michigan.
Yaxel doesn’t jump off the page at you, a 6’9 forward projecting as a big man at the NBA level. He is a very win-now player and someone you can project to be a solid high-floor player that probably doesn’t have as high a ceiling as others.
For a team like the Bucks, adding an experienced big who will come in 23 years old and immediately bringing an impact that leads to winning is intriguing, he can stretch the floor, recently shooting a 37% clip from three at Michigan, a good rebounder which is something the bucks have missed outside of Giannis, and a big who actually can ball handle and feels comfortable doing so.
The concerns come in as Yaxel is 23 years old as a rookie and what his ceiling can be as an NBA player, as well as his foot speed, as he tends to struggle immensely on switches that force him onto smaller players; he struggles to stay in front of smaller-sized players on defense. Yaxel’s draft projection starts at 10 with the Bucks seemingly being the earliest he can go and also seemingly the player that’s most mocked to the Bucks at 10. The Bucks have not met with Yaxel this season, but it is reported that they did when he first declared last season before withdrawing and transferring to Michigan.
4. Kingston Flemings
Kingston Flemings was one of the most highly ranked recruits from this past cycle going into the college basketball season. He delivered on every measure he could, leading Houston deep into March Madness.
Fleming is an intelligent scorer using his quick burst and physical tools to allow him to get to the rim and be an elite mid-range scorer. He has a soft touch from the mid-range and arguably runs a pick-and-roll better than any guard in the class. He is a good defender and rarely turns the ball over, playing within the system and doesn’t force passes, as well as having an uber-controlled handle, rarely dribbling loose.
His weaknesses also stem from the things that allow him to play so well; he is an aggressive player on defense, who sometimes has the gamble go awry, always gambling on steals and passing lanes that, at times, allow offenses to score.
There is a small likelihood that Flemings will be available at the Bucks’ pick. It would take a few reaches and some shakeups for Flemings to land at 10, but it is not impossible. We’ve seen in years past where guys we didn’t expect to go high did, and it would take about two of those for him to fall, such as the previously mentioned Aday Mara.
Most mocks have him between the Kings at seven and the Hawks at eight. The Bucks reportedly have not met with Flemings, mostly due to the likelihood he isn’t going to be there, but at 10, if he falls into your lap, you would be remiss not to select him.
5. Cameron Carr
This selection would probably surprise some people. This would be higher than his current projected range and probably the highest you’d see him go, but I feel strongly enough about the fit to put him in my top 5.
Cameron Carr is an athletic guard/wing who has one of the best shooting strokes in the class. His feel for the three-point shot is undeniable; his ability to catch and shoot, as well as his off-ball movement, make him deadly from deep.
For someone who is primarily a shooter, his athleticism and ability to finish in transition may surprise you; he can jump out of the gym. Defensively, you are banking on projection, as he wasn’t the defender people expected at the college level. His length and athleticism create the belief that he has all the tools to be what you expect at the NBA level.
Regardless of defensive play, his ability to shoot lights out and the confidence to get to his spots will make him a thorn for defenses at the NBA level. Outside of defense and shooting, Carr does need to become a better playmaker at the NBA level. In college, he handled the ball more than you’d probably see at the NBA level, and yet he was only able to, in limited doses, create opportunities for his team.
From a frame perspective, you’d like to see him fill it out more as he did struggle with physicality some at the college level. The Bucks reportedly have met with Carr and are at the beginning of his range in most mocks.