Which direction will the Bucks go?
The Milwaukee Bucks finished the 2025-26 season at 32-50 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Injuries piled up, the roster never clicked, and the franchise's future got murkier by the month.
Now the attention turns to the draft, where ESPN's Jeremy Woo has the Bucks selecting Tennessee forward Nate Ament with the 10th overall pick.
Ament is a prospect front offices will argue about all the way up to draft night.
The 6-foot-10 freshman averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists across 35 games at Tennessee while shooting 33.3 percent from three and 79.0 percent from the free throw line.
His stock slipped from an early top-five projection after some uneven stretches, but a strong run from late January through mid-February, when he scored 20-plus in six of eight games, reminded scouts why he was the No. 4 recruit in his class.
What ESPN Said
Woo noted that scouts remain split on whether Ament has true star upside or projects more as a long-term supporting player, but added that "as a tall skill player with real shotmaking upside, Ament fits a player archetype that teams often love to swing on."
That matters in Milwaukee, where everything revolves around Giannis Antetokounmpo, who posted 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in a career-low 36 games this season.
Woo also pointed out that how Milwaukee resolves the Giannis situation could influence the direction of their pick entirely.
If Antetokounmpo stays, the Bucks need players who can contribute right away.
If he gets traded, swinging on a high-upside prospect like Ament makes a lot more sense alongside young pieces like Ryan Rollins, who had a breakout season averaging 17.3 points and 5.6 assists while shooting 40.6 percent from deep.
How Ament Fits
Ament's size and skill set would give the Bucks something they haven't had in a while.
A long wing who can shoot over defenders and create in the mid-range would pair well next to Rollins, and the new coaching staff under Taylor Jenkins has a history of bringing along young guys.
Jenkins spent six seasons building around Ja Morant in Memphis before landing in Milwaukee this offseason, and Ament would benefit from that kind of patient development.
Other Names
Ament is not the only option at No. 10. Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. has been rising in mock drafts and fills a more immediate need as a lead ball handler, while Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler shot 41 percent from three and earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.
Both would address Milwaukee's backcourt gaps more directly than Ament.
The backcourt has been thin all year, especially after Kevin Porter Jr. went down with a knee injury that ended his season at 38 games.
The Bucks also hold a slim chance at jumping into the top four thanks to a pick swap tied to the 2020 Jrue Holiday trade.
Realistically, Milwaukee is picking around 10th and needs to nail whatever selection they make.