Last year, here is who the draft day mock drafts had the Bucks picking at #10:
- Deyonta Davis (4)
- Jakob Poeltl (4)
- Henry Ellenson (4)
- Wade Baldwin (2)
- Dejounte Murray (2)
- Skal Labissiere (1)
Which is to say, everyone except Thon Maker.
And, here are the predictions from two years ago at #17:
- Bobby Portis (8)
- Kevon Looney (4)
- Trey Lyles (4)
- Montrezl Harrell (2)
- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (2)
- R.J. Hunter (1)
- Frank Kaminsky (1)
- Kelly Oubre (1)
- Cameron Payne (1)
- Rashad Vaughn (1)
So over the past two years, we have exactly one correct pick out of 44 surveyed. Not great! (Credit goes to NBADraft.net for nailing the Vaughn pick in 2015, though it looks like they changed their prediction to Sam Dekker on draft day.)
The Bucks are back at #17 this season, and once again, no one has a clue. Nevertheless, here is what 10 experts are going with, for now (listed alphabetically by the player predicted).
DraftExpress.com – May 16, 2017
- Jarrett Allen
- C – Texas – 19.1 years old – 6’11” – 224 pounds
ESPN.com (Chad Ford) – May 17, 2017
- Terrance Ferguson
- SG – Adelaide – 19.0 years old – 6’7” – 186 pounds
NBA.com (Scott Howard-Cooper) – May 17, 2017
- Harry Giles
- C – Duke – 19.1 years old – 6’11” – 222 pounds
- “On talent, Giles is in the conversation for at least the top five and possibly even No. 1. But he tore ligaments in both knees in high school and missed the first 11 games this season while recovering from a third procedure, arthroscopic surgery on the left knee, meaning a general manager is really, really going to have to trust his medical staff before spending a high pick on Giles. He averaged just 11.5 minutes in 26 games without the consistent standout play front offices want to see from a lottery pick, but also with the understanding 2016-17 was a double transition as a freshman and working back from injury.”
SportsIllustrated.com (Jeremy Woo) – May 17, 2017
- Harry Giles
- C – Duke – 19.1 years old – 6’11” – 222 pounds
- “Giles and his balky knees carry more injury red flags than anyone in the draft, but teams are fully aware of his talent. As with any risk-reward proposition, a smart gambler is willing to hedge a bet at the right price. This is what the Bucks have done best over the last several drafts, and with a strong medical staff in the fold, they can continue to ease Giles back into basketball activity and play the long game. His touch, coordination and immense length and reach are still present if rusty, and even if his explosiveness doesn’t return in full, he could still become an outstanding player. He won’t have to be a superstar if the Bucks (and Giannis) continue on their present trajectories.”
USAToday.com (Adi Joseph) – May 17, 2017
- Harry Giles
- C – Duke – 19.1 years old – 6’11” – 222 pounds
- “The Bucks savor high-end potential picks in the middle of the first round. Giles may be the ultimate in that regard. It’s exceptionally rare for a player to be ranked first in his recruiting class and not end up a lottery pick, but a series of knee injuries led to some big questions about Giles. Still, he tested well in the combine, notably handling the agility course faster than any other big man.”
CBSSports.com (Gary Parrish) – May 17, 2017
- Donovan Mitchell
- SG – Louisville – 20.7 years old – 6’3” – 210 pounds
- “Mitchell had a breakout season and averaged 15.6 points and 4.9 rebounds for a Louisville team that won 25 games. He's an undersized but strong shooting guard with above-average athleticism who could fit nicely next to Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.”
HoopsHype.com – May 17, 2017
- Justin Patton
- C – Creighton –19.9 years old – 7’0” – 226 pounds
- “The Bucks are in solid shape in the backcourt and overall talent and would like to add a big man to compliment their nucleus of Greek Freak and Jabari Parker. They have handed the keys over to Giannis as their quarterback, so a young, skilled big would seem to fit the bill. GM John Hammond has had an outstanding recent track record, and seems to target length with his picks.”
NBADraft.net – May 16, 2017
- Justin Patton
- C – Creighton – 19.9 years old – 7’0” – 226 pounds
SBNation.com (Ricky O’Donnell) – May 17, 2017
- D.J. Wilson
- PF – Michigan – 21.2 years old – 6’10” – 240 pounds
- “The Bucks could use some insurance on Jabari Parker after his second torn ACL. That’s where Wilson comes in. His combination of length, shooting, and shot-blocking makes him a rare talent. He finally started to put it all together at the end of the season for Michigan. Picking Wilson this high is a bet on tools over production. That bet has paid off for the Bucks before.”
SportingNews.com (Sean Deveney) – May 18, 2017
- Hamidou Diallo
- SG – NY Rens – 18.8 years old – 6’5” – 188 pounds
- “Diallo was the talk of the Combine with his 44.5-inch vertical leap that had NBA types bumping him into first-round consideration. There is still a chance he could play at Kentucky, but he has enough raw ability to be worth a late first-round pick.”