Alex Boeder

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Three years ago, I ranked every Bucks jersey in franchise history.   Two years ago, the Bucks unveiled a few new kits. The other day, they   made a little addition to the existing versions. All of this is to say,   it is time to re-do the all-time rankings.

Here is some great background on the history of the Bucks  logo and nickname, dating back to the start of the franchise in 1968, including  logo history.

The Jersey: 1971-72 to 1974-75 (Home)
  Pictured: Kareem  Abdul-Jabbar

The Jersey: 2006-07  to 2009-10 (Road)
  Pictured: Earl  Boykins

The Jersey: 2006-07  to 2009-10 (Home)
  Pictured: Jerry  Stackhouse

The Jersey: 1994-95  to 2000-01 (Home)
  Pictured: Shawn  Respert

The Jersey: 1994-95  to 2000-01 (Road)
  Pictured: Ray  Allen

The Jersey: 2001-02  to 2005-06 (Home)
  Pictured: Toni  Kukoc

The Jersey: 2001-02  to 2005-06 (Road)
  Pictured: Michael  Redd

The Jersey:  1975-76 to 1976-77 (Home)
  Pictured:  Junior Bridgeman

The Jersey: 1995-96  to 1998-99 (Road)
  Pictured: Glenn  Robinson

The Jersey:  2008-09 to Present (Road)
  Pictured:  Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Jersey:  1968-69 to 1971-72 (Road)
  Pictured: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

The Jersey: 1968-69 to 1971-72 (Home)
Pictured: Bob  Dandridge

The Jersey:  1977-78 to 1984-85 (Road)
  Pictured: Alton  Lister

The Jersey:  1977-78 to 1984-85 (Home)
  Pictured:  Brian Winters

The Jersey: 1975-76 to 1976-77  (Road)
  Pictured:  Elmore Smith

The Jersey:  1976-77 to 1977-78 (Home)
  Pictured:  Quinn Buckner

The Jersey:  1976-77 to 1977-78 (Road)
  Pictured:  Dave Meyers

The Jersey:  1973-74 to 1974-75 (Road)
  Pictured:  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

The Jersey:  2015 to Present (Home)
  Pictured:  Jason Terry

The Jersey:  2015 to Present (Road)
  Pictured:  Malcolm Brogdon

The Jersey:  1986-87 to 1992-93 (Road)
  Pictured:  Ricky Pierce

The Jersey:  1986-87 to 1992-93 (Home)
  Pictured:  Paul Pressey

The Jersey:  2015 to Present (Alternate)
  Pictured:  Giannis Antetokounmpo

bucks-jersey-rankings-update

Bucks Jersey Rankings Update

Before last  season, you probably would not have circled an early-December road game against  the Wizards as one of the best games on the schedule. Same goes for that  November game in Boston, or the February home tilt against the Knicks. Yet all  three of those ended up being some of the most memorable games of  the season when they  actually happened.

And so we  know it is futile to predict which games will be the best when the schedule  comes out. Nonetheless, it is August. Which means circling games on the  calendar is what we will do, and not just that… no, we will feel good about  doing it.

Because the  fun part is having no idea. The fun part is wondering… and then watching all of  the games, so you don’t miss this on a brisk February night in Milwaukee.

Anyway: Here  are 10 games that sound moderately great now. Check out the full  schedule here.

Download Printable PDF Subscribe via GCAL/iCAL Calendar CSV (right click to save)

10.  Oct. 29 – Bucks @ Hornets – 6:00 p.m.

9.  Nov. 26 – Bucks @ Timberwolves – 7:00 p.m.

8.  Dec. 13 – Clippers @ Bucks – 6:30 p.m.

Chris Paul  missed last season’s visit to Milwaukee. He is the best point guard in the  world, and one of the real basketball treasures we have. But he will probably  be out of his prime by the time the Bucks make the Finals in 2019, so this is  as good of a time as ever to see him play. At 6-0 and 175, he is reasonably close  to the average male height and weight in the United States. Despite this, he  manages to control a game made for excessively large humans. In short,  impressive.

7.  March 28 – Warriors @ Bucks – 7:30 p.m.

Somewhat  surprisingly, the Warriors rated as merely the 12th-best offensive  team in the NBA last season, but the 4th-best defensive team. Still,  when Stephen Curry is on, they rank approximately 1st in enjoyment. Curry was  off last season when the Warriors visited Milwaukee, so a shootout may be in  order. (This is probably one of those times when I am completely wrong.)

6.  Oct. 31 – 76ers @ Bucks – 7:30 p.m.

It is the Home  Opener. It is Halloween. And it is two teams with eyes on running the conference  in five years. Home Openers on Halloween are always the ideal excuse to not  figure out a costume. Good for me. Not only that, the 76ers and Bucks have some  of the top young talent in the game, including rookies Nerlens Noel and Parker.

5.  Jan. 15 – Knicks @ Bucks – 2:00 p.m.

The Bucks are  the home team, but home is really in quotation marks, because the game is  taking place in England. For the first time ever, the Bucks will play a regular  season game overseas, and it is just one of two NBA games this upcoming season  to be played outside of the United States or Canada, and the only game outside  of North America. Plus, we may get to see Giannis and Thanasis (of the  Antetokounmpo collective) match up. And again: Here is what happened last time the Bucks played the Knicks at home, Europe or not.

4.  Dec. 31 – Bucks @ Cavaliers – 6:00 p.m.

I am over  here Google Mapping how long of a road trip it is from Milwaukee to Cleveland  right now. LeBron James is firmly in his prime, but it won’t last forever, and  so everything he does in the next few years is a must-watch. Plus: this is New  Year’s Eve. It just feels like something absurd should happen. For those of  you, like me, who decided that a six-and-a-half hour car drive in a rear-wheel  drive vehicle in late-December might not be the most reasonable thing to do,  the Cavaliers visit Milwaukee on March 22 and April 8.

3.  March 9 – Pelicans @ Bucks – 7:00 p.m.

Anthony Davis  is both the trendy and logical pick to break out this summer and lead Team USA  to gold at the FIBA World Cup. The Pelicans are an honest playoff contender,  even in the super-competitive West, and that is largely because Davis will  probably be verging on entering top five or six territory of all NBA players  when this spring game rolls around.

2.  Jan. 10 – Bucks @ Bulls – 7:00 p.m.

So, the Bucks  have split their last four in Chicago, including my favorite game of last season. Here’s to John Henson breaking out  early again – and more often. (He went for 25 points, 14 rebounds, six blocks, three  steals and two assists on that December night in Chicago last year.)

1.  Nov. 5 – Bulls @ Bucks – 7:00 p.m.

Fun Fact  Except Light On The Fun: The Bucks have lost eight straight home games to the  Bulls. All of them have been excruciating in their own way. Exactly half of  those eight games were decided by three points or fewer. One of them was a  Derrick Rose last-second game-winner on my birthday coming off his MVP season. Less  of some of these things, please.

alex-boeder-10-games-of-intrigue

Alex Boeder: 10 Games of Intrigue

Since the  last time we mock draft surveyed three weeks ago, things have changed quite a lot.

With one week  before the draft, it is now impossible to fit the words Joel Embiid in his  small slice of the Bucks pie chart. Tough formatting times for me. 

A few weeks  ago, it went like this: Joel Embiid (7), Jabari Parker (7), Andrew Wiggins (6).

Now it looks  like this: Jabari Parker (15), Andrew Wiggins (9), Joel Embiid (1).

Naturally, a  lot of the previous Embiid picks switched to Parker picks, including from notables  such as Chad Ford. And then, Wiggins also picked up some of those old Embiid  picks, including from Chris Mannix.  

A lot of this  depends on the projections for Cleveland at #1 of course, and, Embiid has  locked down the top spot in a majority of these mock drafts.

Here are the 25 surveyed. Thanks again to all.

Parker:Yahoo, ESPN, Draft  Express, SB Nation, NBA.com, SheridanHoops, Basketball Insiders (Koutroupis), Basketball Insiders (Kennedy), Basketball Insiders (Kyler), Rotoworld, CSN Chicago, Dime, Philly.com, CBS Sports (Moore),Bleacher Report

Wiggins:NBADraft.net, Sports Illustrated, HoopsHype, CBS Sports (Harper), CBS Sports (Parrish), USA Today, Net Scouts, Houston Chronicle, Fox Sports

mock-draft-survey-update-2

Mock Draft Survey Update

Everyone gets  dressed in the morning, everyone has a favorite Bucks jersey and a least  favorite Bucks jersey, and everyone has very strong feelings about this.

Some like the  originals, some like the purple, some like the green-on-green, some like the current  alternate reds, some like the old-school cursive. Some want to go back to  something from long ago, some want something very completely new.

Owners Marc  Lasry and Wesley Edens are a part of this group of everyone, they have some  strong feelings about jerseys, and they also have a bit of power to do  something about it.

In a recent  radio interview with 1250 WSSP, Lasry hinted at considering  a change in the traditional red, green, and silver team colors.

It should be  noted that these things cannot happen overnight. There is some administrative  red (green? purple? black? silver? orange?) tape including going through league  approval, so any potential color change and jersey change will take some time.  There are also plenty of higher priority items right now, so even if the team does embrace a  new color scheme or jersey, don’t expect to see it for at least a few years.

That said, this  is a great excuse to write about a fun topic, and look back at old jerseys, and  think about new ones.

In all, the  Bucks have worn 20 different jerseys. This is the part of the story where my  favorite jerseys are ranked by me in reverse order accompanied by an enjoyable photo.

bucks-jersey-rankings

Bucks Jersey Rankings

Andrew  Wiggins – 6’8” – 197 pounds – SG/SF – 19 years old – Kansas

Oh, Canada? —  Born in Toronto, he might become the second consecutive Canadian to be drafted  first overall (remember Anthony Bennett?). He is also probably the most hyped  basketball prospect since LeBron James, the completely normal type of 13  year-old who had a mixtape… which now has nearly 5 million  views. His father played in the NBA and his mother was an Olympic sprinter.  That might have something to do with why he jumps  like this.

Not in Kansas anymore —  These titles. Sorry about them. Anyway. Wiggins played one up-and-down (usually  up) season at Kansas, where he went from starring in an early win over Jabari  Parker and Duke in one of the most anticipated regular season college games in  recent history… to increasingly sharing the spotlight with fellow superstar  freshman Joel Embiid…. to ending the season with a 1-6 shooting performance and  second round tournament loss… to regaining consensus #1 prospect status.

7.9 —  Despite not getting to the rim in the half court as magnetically or ferociously  as someone like Dwyane Wade in his day, Wiggins still managed to attempt 7.9  free throws per 40 minutes (and he converts a healthy 77.5%). That is almost  even with Jabari Parker (8.0), considered by virtually everyone to be the more  polished and assertive offensive player. By the way: Wade, who went on to win  an NBA ring at the line, averaged 6.6 free throw attempts per 40 minutes as a  freshman at Marquette.

34.1% —  Wiggins attempted at least one three-pointer in each of his 36 games at Kansas,  averaging 3.6 three-point attempts per game. His shooting form is consistent  and his mechanics are solid. Threes in the NBA are more important than ever, this  season marked yet another record for most threes attempted, and Wiggins should be able to lift  this 34.1% number soon.

http://giphy.com/gifs/is-prove-wiggins-U3tVTQzaKcXS

Two-way star quality —  One way or another, Wiggins always seems to end up as the top-rated basketball  prospect in the world. This has been going on for a while now, and that is a  good sign. He would also be the splashiest draft pick, sell a lot of jerseys,  bring some national exposure to the city, and perhaps reignite the local fan  base at just the right time, coinciding with the ownership refresh. These are  good things… but all that matters in the end is choosing the best player, the  star (because there probably is one but not necessarily two in this group).  Wiggins is already a top-shelf NBA athlete with a good-looking shot and two-way  star potential. You could pass on anyone else and get away with it, but if you  pass on Wiggins and he turns into something like Vince Carter With Defense,  this will sting. Also: Best-case scenario, he fits the mold of star wing  player, and the shooting guard position is short on stars.

Jabari  Parker – 6’8” – 241 pounds – SF/PF – 19 years old – Duke

Parker and Recommendations — Way back in high school, Parker led Simeon High in  Chicago to four straight state titles. After being courted by all the top  schools, he committed to Duke and played one mostly breathtaking season,  earning first-team consensus All-American status. A tailor-made one-and-done  prospect, the confluence of Duke’s shocking first-round tournament loss to  Mercer, Parker’s Mormon background (mission trips are custom), and Mike Krzyzewski’s  counsel combined to make people like us sweat a bit. Alas, he declared for the draft via Sports Illustrated.

Knowledge his Power – Parker is regarded as a smart kid off the court and a polished talent on the  court. Everyone seems to consider him the guy most ready to contribute on Day  One in the NBA. He hit double-figures in points in 33 of 35 games at Duke, and  showed off a diverse offensive game well beyond his years. There is some  question about his position at the next level, but most people are now saying  power forward.

8.7 —  Parker is known first and foremost as a pure scorer. Yet he didn’t lead the  league in scoring, rather, he led the ACC in rebounding as a freshman with 8.7  per game. Defense is not considered his strong suit (to put it lightly), but if  defensive rebounding counts as defense, he might have something here.

28.7 —  PER is not nearly as useful in the college game as the pros because there is  such a massive variation in strength of schedules in college. The competition  varies way too much to make meaningful comparisons. That said, Parker’s 28.7  PER is a quick and easy reference to his impressive efficiency as a freshman.  He ranked in the top 10 in the nation among players from major conferences.

http://www.sbnation.com/2013/11/13/5098746/jabari-parker-andrew-wiggins-duke-kansas-nba-draft-2014

High score —  When people compare you (like Chris Collins above and seemingly everyone else  everywhere) to an All-Star scoring champion who has been the best player on a  playoff team almost every year in the pros, that is a very good sign. Yes, if  you can get someone like Carmelo Anthony, you do it. Even if the comparisons  are optimistic (and they are), few players since Anthony have looked like more  sure bets to score 20+ per game by Year Two. By all accounts, Parker is a  level-headed guy with a rare ability to create his own shot and adapt his game  to any defense.

Joel  Embiid – 7’0” – 241 pounds – C – 20 years old – Kansas

Cameroon to grow —  Embiid grew up in Cameroon (like former Bucks forward Luc Mbah a Moute, who  helped discover Embiid as a basketball player) and arrived in the United States  at 16 years old with more soccer and volleyball experience than basketball, so  the story goes. He was a quick study and  transformed into an elite high school prospect, but arrived to Kansas firmly in  the shadow of Andrew Wiggins. That changed quickly.

Dreaming — He blocked seven shots in the second half of a win over UTEP a few weeks into  the regular season, and finished the year as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the  Year. He projects as a very good defensive player, but what bumps him into  number one overall pick candidacy is his fluid offensive footwork and touch in  the post. This is the part of the biography where we inevitably note that  Embiid patterns his game after Hakeem Olajuwon. Plenty of people have done the  same, but few have looked near the part as Embiid.

4.5 —  A menace of defense already, Embiid averaged 2.6 blocks per game, including  eight swats in a January win over Oklahoma State. But his per-game numbers only  tell roughly half of the story, because he only averaged 23.1 minutes per game.  True, Embiid probably won’t be ready to play more minutes than that as a  rookie, but his 4.5 blocks per 40 minutes rate suggests good things.

68.5% —  Embiid has only been playing basketball for a few years, and he is already  rounding into a competent free throw stroke for a center. He got to the free  throw line in every game he played, and made 17-21 (.774) to finish the season.  Encouraging.

Center of attention —  This one is pretty simple. Embiid is one of the best center prospects of the  last 10 years. He is considered a good teammate, hard worker, receptive to  coaching, and attentive. He moves well in the post on both ends of the floor. He  is seven feet tall and could be a great defensive player and very good  offensive player. How many of those do we have in the NBA?

Dante  Exum – 6’6” – 196 pounds – PG/SG – 18 years old – Australia

Wizard of Oz —  Like the last fellow the Bucks selected with the number one overall draft pick,  Exum hails from Australia. His father, Cecil Exum, won an NCAA championship with Michael Jordan at North Carolina in the 1980s (and went on  to play seven years in Australia’s NBL). Exum had considered playing college,  but opted for the pros, and most recently played with Australian Institute of  Sport, which previously produced NBAers such as Andrew Bogut, Luc Longley,  Patty Mills, and Matthew Dellavedova.

Dante’s chic —  At just 18 (he turns 19 in July), Exum is the youngest of the top five  prospects. He is the mysterious pick, the fun pick.

0 — Part  of the fun with Exum is that we have so few stats. We do know that he averaged  18.2 points and 3.8 assists in nine games at the FIBA U19 tournament in 2013,  earning All-Tournament Team honors.

6’9.5” —  Exum reasserted at the NBA Combine in Chicago that he is a point guard, and he  will be one of the longest in the league, with a 6’9.5” wingspan. For the sake  of comparison, the good people at Draft Express likened his physical stature to that  of 76ers point guard Michael Carter-Williams, though Exum is slightly ahead of  Carter-Williams in height, weight, and wingspan.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1731390-introducing-basketballs-best-kept-secret-australian-guard-dante-exum

Exum marks the spot —  Exum knows more about the NBA than NBA writers know about him, so inevitably he  was asked at the NBA Combine in Chicago recently whom he would compare himself  to in the league. To Exum’s credit, he initially went out of his way to avoid  comparing himself to established stars and simply didn’t answer the question,  but after being pressed again, he mentioned Russell Westbrook and Manu Ginobili,  focusing on their ability to get to the basket. Exum has an ultra-quick first  step and great body control, and he just looks smooth as can be going to the rim. A real glide in his step.

draft-prospect-update

Draft Prospect Update

Technically  it is Athanasios Antetokounmpo. But most people call him Thanasis Antetokounmpo  for short. He is the slightly older brother of Bucks guard/forward/everything  Giannis Antetokounmpo.

And today (if  you are reading this on June 2), he will join a small group of NBA hopefuls in  a pre-draft workout at the Cousins Center in front of Bucks staff.

Since there  is a reasonable chance that your favorite player is Giannis, here are a few  quick notes about Thanasis.

Thanasis was  born in Athens, Greece on July 17, 1992.  At that time, he was not 6-6 or 205 pounds. He  now is 6-6 and 205 pounds and plays shooting guard and small forward. He is 21  years old. He started his pro career playing for Filathlitikos in the Greek second-division in 2012, then he declared for the 2013 NBA Draft,  before withdrawing. He played in the NBA D-League last season.

He played for  the Delaware 87ers in the NBA D-League last season. In 50 games (and 42 starts),  he averaged 12.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.3 blocks  in 29.3 minutes. He shot 46.9 percent from the field, 30.9 percent on threes, and 66.3 percent at  the line.

In his final  game of the season, he went for a season-best 28 points, seven assists, and two  rebounds. You could even watch a full replay of that game here to see him within the flow of a game, rather than just  highlights.

Thanasis seemed to enjoy the experience, and his  decision to play a season in the D-League (rather than in Greece) leading up to  the draft, via JS Online.

"I think it (the D-League) was  great. People may not see it, but basketball-wise I had the privilege to play  with pros. If I was in college basketball I would have played with college  kids. I had guys who were draft picks that came down to the D-League... guys  who had already played in the NBA and had a lot of experience came through the  D-League."

It is always  difficult to compare the college game to the D-League. The D-League is getting  better and better. Right now, 149  current NBA players have D-League experience, which is a pretty fair percentage. Perhaps the most  familiar name on the 87ers roster last season was Tiny Gallon, whom the Bucks  had selected with the #47 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

Athleticism  is a good start. He is an NBA-level athlete with a nice first step and ability  to finish at the rim in transition. He isn’t quite as tall or as long as  Giannis, but he still has nice size and a very nice bounce in his step for an  NBA shooting guard. That athleticism and constant energy also has the good  people at Draft Express optimistic about his defensive  potential.

Some  refreshingly straightforward things about his year in the D-League, via Jake  Fischer at Liberty Ballers."I was nervous in every game, but  not nervous in a bad way. Nervous in a good way. Because if you’re nervous,  that means you want to do good. I was nervous because I didn’t know if everyone  would see how I can play. When I was back home, everyone would always say, ‘Oh,  you’re really athletic and really fast.' I wanted people to see that I can  stand out and make a difference. So it felt like I was playing in my first game  the whole year."

In fact, he  squared off against Bucks D-League call-up Tony Mitchell in the finals of the 2014 D-League  Slam Dunk Contest. (Mitchell won, but still.)

You can watch  the video of Thanasis dunking over Giannis below, and then catch some more  highlights here and here.

Thanasis measured at 6-6.25 in shoes and 205 pounds. He  registered a 7-0 wingspan, and only two people shorter reached that mark. Translation:  He is long. And his 39.5 inch max vertical tied for 11th best of all prospects  this season (among those who tested), ahead of guys like Aaron Gordon, ahead of  most. 

Where  is he ranked by the draft experts?

Draft Express slots Thanasis at #40 in their latest  mock draft, while NBADraft.net has him going at #39 in their latest.

Where  do the Bucks pick in the second round?

In addition  to the #2 overall draft pick, the Bucks also own #31, #36, and #48 in the  second round.

What  else could I click on to learn more about Thanasis?

Here is an enjoyable Instagram photo from Thanasis of the  Antetokounmpo family from back in their day.

Here is a long-form feature titled Meet the Dela-weird 87ers via Grantland about his D-League sojourn  and quirky teammates.

Here is an interview from the draft combine in Chicago via  Draft Express.

thanasis-antetokounmpo

Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Bucks Word Association Game: Greece. Turkey. Georgia. Morocco. Canada. Cameroon.

If you have  been to a Bucks home game since 2009, you have probably seen flags in Section  212 or thereabout. (If you haven’t been to a Bucks home game since 2009, you  should probably go to a Bucks home game.)

Soon the  Bucks will call Europe home for a night, as the team is scheduled to play  against the Knicks in London on Jan. 15, 2015. The game will take  place at The O2 arena, the world’s busiest venue, busier than Madison Square  Garden.

The night  will mark the first time that the Bucks play a regular season game overseas,  and it is one of just two regular season games to be played outside the United  States next season (Rockets/Timberwolves are scheduled for a game in Mexico  City) as part of NBA Global Games.

This is a  good hour or two of the day to feel good about being a fan of the Bucks.

In the last  five seasons alone, the Bucks have employed players from Greece, Turkey,  Georgia, Serbia, Cameroon, Haiti, Slovenia, Mexico, Australia, Argentina,  Netherlands, Croatia… and the United States.

With that in  mind, I checked out the latest Google Trends to find out what countries produced  the most search results for Milwaukee  Bucks over the past five years.

This doesn’t  explain completely where the most Bucks fans live, there are plenty of other factors,  but it is an interesting start.

green-and-globing

Green and Globing

Last year  around this time, we gathered 20 different mock drafts.

The most  popular choice for the Bucks at #15 was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. In all, 11  players made the chart as potential future Bucks. None of them were Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Here we are  again. Still without any real idea, still enjoying the idea of not having any  real idea, but this time with a much smaller group called Possible Bucks Draft  Picks.

Out of 20  mock drafts, just three names are typed after the word Bucks: Joel Embiid (7), Jabari  Parker (7), Andrew Wiggins (6).

Click on the View Bio buttons here in Bucks Draft Central for profiles  of each of the top prospects. Featuring things like: Embiid blocked 2.6 shots  per game, in 23.1 minutes… One of these prospects has a dad who played in the  NBA and a mom who was an Olympic sprinter… Wiggins actually made more free  throws per minute than Parker… Parker goes coast-to-coast against Kansas via  GIF.

To some, it  is a prediction of what will happen. To others, it is what someone thinks  should happen. To most, it is some combination.

For the  purposes of the graph at the top, all of the mock drafts are weighted equally.  That said, some writers/websites are more informed than others, in terms of  connections to front offices or in terms of knowledge of the prospects. One of  the best is Draft Express, so we will really watch them.

Here are some  quotes from the 20 mock drafts. As the chart at the top shows, it could not be  any closer. I actually had pulled data for 21 mock drafts, and it was 7-7-7,  but I wanted to trim to a round number.

The Bucks  will have their choice between two stud small forwards, and they can't go wrong  either way. Andrew Wiggins has the length and athleticism pro scouts rave  about, and Jabari Parker has an NBA-ready offensive game that could make him a  primary option as a rookie. For a Bucks team that finished No. 26 in offense  and No. 29 in defense, either player is a great pick.

We'll go  with Parker just because he's ready to carry the scoring load from day  one. Parker is the master student and an offensive force with outside  shooting ability, post moves and counters to his counters. His defensive  ability will be a question, but with Larry  Sanders and Giannis  Antetokounmpo backing him up, the Bucks should be just fine  relying on Parker for offense first and defense second.

The best  place to be in this draft might be at the No. 2 spot, because the decision is  made for you in a lot of ways. Obviously the Bucks could go in many different  directions and be an outlier here, but after the coin lands on Wiggins for the  Cavs they can calmly walk to the podium and accept their consolation prize.  Parker is a pure, natural scorer that can play the three or the four on the  offensive end. He fits in right away with the athletic bookends of Larry  Sanders and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the front-court as the counterbalance and  scoring threat. Parker’s shooting, scoring, and offensive acumen make him an  easy pick here. Not to slight his talent, Parker is an option to go No. 1  Overall any year, and could be the best overall player long-term in this class.

One scout  I spoke to calls Parker one of the most polished elite prospects to enter the  draft in years. While Parker is not the athlete that Andrew Wiggins is, he has  shown his scoring prowess, and his game will translate to an immediate impact  as a rookie. Parker is able to run an offense or play off the ball. From the  sound of things in Chicago, the Jazz would love a chance to make Parker –  raised as a Mormon – the face of their franchise. A majority of the executives  I spoke to at the combine believed that Parker is the frontrunner for Rookie of  the Year. No chance Parker falls outside of the top three. The Bucks need a  player like Parker who can step in and play right away and help shoulder the  burden on offense with Brandon Knight.

The  feeling among a lot of front offices is that the back injury will turn out to  be a temporary setback at the end of his college career, not a serious problem  that will last into the pros. Teams picking at the top of the draft will  obviously scour the medical reports to find out for themselves. Let the rise  from unknown to the top three continue.

Some in  the Bucks organization really liked Embiid before his back injury. But there  are questions about whether they will actually be able to get him in for a  physical before the draft. If they can, he is likely the No. 1 pick with  Wiggins off the board. If they cannot, Parker or Dante Exum could move into  this spot. Parker is the safe pick, but there are concerns that he plays the  same position as Giannis  Antetokounmpo. Exum could be their point guard of the future, as  they would like to move Brandon Knight to the 2.

If  Wiggins is on the board, this becomes a tough decision. But the Bucks need  another big man and an Embiid-Larry  Sanders frontcourt has tremendous defensive promise. The question  Milwaukee (and others) must answer: How bad is Embiid's back?

The Bucks  under new ownership will want to make a splash with the biggest star in the  draft, and there isn't a bigger potential star than Andrew Wiggins. He'll give  them options with lineup versatility, he'll be incredibly easy to market, and  you're going to put fans in the stands right away to see what kind of star  he'll be in the league. 

Scout's  take: "He became more assertive, aggressive and confident as his freshman  season went on. Has amazing athleticism and a huge upside."

Wiggins is  as physically talented as any wing player to come along since LeBron James. He  still has only begun to scratch the surface in terms of skill development and  realizing his abilities. After inconsistency through the first half of the  season, Wiggins answered his critics with a strong finish. He really emerged in  the season's final month putting up a 41 and 30 in back-to-back games, though  he struggled with just 4 points in Kansas' season-ending tourney loss to  Stanford. His defensive potential is far superior to Jabari Parker's, though he  may struggle to score initially.

Here are the 20 surveyed. Thanks, all. We will check back  with you soon.

Parker: Draft  Express, SB Nation, NBCSports, SportingNews.com, SheridanHoops, CSN Chicago, Dime

Embiid: NBA.com, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports (Parrish), CBS Sports (Moore), Bleacher Report, Houston Chronicle

Wiggins: NBADraft.net, Yahoo, Basketball Insiders, HoopsHype, CBS  Sports (Harper), USA Today