2026 NBA Draft Prospects for Bucks to Watch in March Madness

The 2026 NBA Draft may be right around the corner, but March Madness has just begun!

The Milwaukee Bucks have the 10th-best odds entering the NBA Draft, with goals of finding Giannis Antetokounmpo a runningmate, finding a blue-chip talent to build around long-term, or finding the piece that will be traded to further chase one of those first two goals.

With NCAA freshman taking over college hoops in one of the deepest, talented classes in draft history, the big tournament is full of matchups featuring potential NBA Draft picks.

Let's highlight potential draft prospects in each matchup from today's Second Round games.

With the 4th pick in The 2026 Wings Only NBA Draft, @League_Him selects...

Keaton Wagler

"Late bloomer... 6'6", decent wingspan...

Polished, poised, calm decision maker (who) can operate out of ball screens

Super nimble, savvy at creation separation, drawing fouls

Nuclear… pic.twitter.com/EfTOTNClgw
— Swish Theory (@SwishTheory) March 6, 2026

Prospects To Watch March Madness Day 3 Saturday Slate:

(1) Michigan vs. (9) Saint Louis | 12:10 p.m. | CBS

(3) Michigan State vs. (6) Louisville | 2:45 p.m. | CBS

(1) Duke vs. (9) TCU | 5:15 p.m. | CBS

(2) Houston vs. (10) Texas A&M | 6:10 p.m. | TNT

(3) Gonzaga (11) Texas | 7:10 p.m. | TBS

(3) Illinois vs. (11) VCU | 7:50 p.m. | CBS

(4) Nebraska vs. (5) Vanderbilt | 8:45 p.m. | TNT

(4) Arkansas vs. (12) High Point | 9:45 p.m. | TBS

1. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

Yaxel defends — Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) defends Howard guard Cam Gillus (2) during the second half of NCAA Tournament First Round at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Thursday, March 19, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Yaxel Lendeborg brings an imposing physical big wing presence to the court.

Lendeborg has recorded absurdly high impact via BPM this season, holds his own as a versatile, strong defender who can guard any 3-5 frontcourt member, force turnovers with steals, and shows all-around ball skills.

Scoring, shooting, passing at above average efficiency indicates a two-way team-first player who will find impact at the next level as a potential defensive anchor at forward who does the little things to help his team win.

While there's plenty of exciting pull-up shooters elsewhere, there's few players who will walk into the league touting as impressive two-way measurables as Lendeborg.

Michigan bolsters two other strong big men being considered late in the first round and early in the second – Aday Mara and Morez Johnson; both are cleanup-crew play-finishers worth looking at later in the draft.

Yaxel Lendeborg goes coast to coast for the bucket 😮‍💨

(via @CBSSportsCBB)pic.twitter.com/t1WmYbDcII
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 14, 2026

2. Jeremy Fears (Michigan State, ACTIVE) (HM: Mikel Brown Jr, Louisville, OUT)

Fears floater — Mar 19, 2026; Buffalo, NY, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) takes a shot during the second half against the North Dakota State Bison during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

All Big-10 G Jeremy Fears will lead his Michigan State team against the Mikel Brown-less Louisville Cardinals in Round 2 of March Madness.

Fears leads the entire country in dimes dishing out 9.1 Assists Per Game; he ranks 5th in the Big 10 in FT% (89% FT), 2nd in Assist-to-Turnover ratio (4.1 AST/TO), and 16th in scoring. (15.3 PPG)

While this class is deep with talented guards, Fears is a name to keep an eye on moreso in the second round range as a capable backup guard who makes team first decisions and gets buckets efficiently.

Potential lottery Pick Mikel Brown Jr. will miss the game to injury, but is the type of marquee prospect who could be considered in the lottery.

Brown is one of the best 3pt shooting prospects in the class, a natural point guard who could fill into the backcourt as a floor-spacer on and off the ball.

3. Boozer Twins + Duke Prospects

Cayden boozer celebrates — Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) reacts after scoring Thursday, March 19, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game against the Siena Saints at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. Duke Blue Devils won 71-65. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Duke has at least 5 prospects on 2026 NBA draft radars: Cameron Boozer, Cayden Boozer, Patrick Ngbonga (Questionable), Isaiah Evans, Dame Sarr.

Cameron Boozer is a generational prospect due to his record-high impact, efficient scoring versatility, and outlier traits in rebounding, outlet passing, and overall two-way feel forcing turnovers and making plays.

The taller Boozer twin is the best choice with the #1 pick if Milwaukee wins the lottery, which becomes all-time great 'draft value' if they somehow land him in the 2-4 range.

If Milwaukee ends up falling to the 10-14 draft slots, the only realistic prospect to consider would be Ngongba, a strong defensive rim-roller big man who brings legit winning impact of his own.

Duke's other draft prospects Cayden Boozer, Evans, and Sarr would more likely be considered as late first-round/early second-round level talents; while Milwaukee doesn't have a draft pick in that range, they could always shuffle their cards on draft night, so its good to be prepared just in case.

Cayden brings a floor-raising D&3 connector point guard settling presence who calms the waters as he steers the ship through them, helping his team find their groove on both ends as a natural born floor-leader to escape a near-upset to a 16-seed in Round 1.

Evans is a big-time athletic slasher who gets up and throws down big jams, stretches the floor from three, and plays intense on both ends to the point where one can envision him being able to attack closeouts and hold his own in a two-way role at the next level, with on-ball potential to continue developing as a downhill force.

Sarr is the rawest of the bunch at this point, but the explosiveness is clear as day, a big time play-finishing athlete with flashes as a 3&D connective playmaker.

Kingston Flemings in his March Madness debut:

18 PTS | 8-12 FG | 6 REB | 4 AST pic.twitter.com/nk8cObVAzG
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) March 20, 2026

4. Kingston Flemings, Chris Cenac Jr., and Houston

Flemings passes to Cenac — Feb 14, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) passes to center Chris Cenac Jr. (5) against Kansas State Wildcats guard PJ Haggerty (4) in the second half at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Houston is full of big time talent circling NBA Draft waters, between expected Top-10 pick Kingston Flemings, potential lottery pick Chris Cenac Jr., fringe first-rounder JoJo Tugler, and second-round prospects in Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan.

Houston runs such a tough ship that their head coach Kelvin Sampson is headed to the basketball hall of fame and their 4th and 5th options in Uzan and Sharp are seriously being considered for the draft – imagine how good your college team must be run if the NBA calls and says, 'hey, yeah, can we just take your whole lineup?'

This might happen every year for Duke, but is worth noting for Houston, highlighting the strength of this class, this team, and this culture.

Leaving the draft with Kingston Flemings would be an incredible outcome for any team, especially one like the Bucks hunting a win-now prospect who doubles as a potential long-term star.

Flemings should waltz into the association with effective flare, impressive body control, and natural point guard instincts that allow him to dissect the defense to score and create good looks for his team consistently.

The 6'4" Guard brings defensive intensity, next-level playmaking reads, and multi-level scoring to carve out a real pathway to two-way stardom.

Houston forward/center Tugler is a fierce defender, a rim-rocking rim-protecting rim-runner who throws down lobs on one end and blocks everything in sight on the other.

A high-flying athlete with mobile footwork, Tugler is a versatile defender and potential high-end frontcourt defender; if a team can unlock him in the right role as a dunker spot play-finisher rim-roller lob threat near the rim at the next level, his two-way impact could skyrocket.

Cenac is a modern big man with old-school traits, with a super power of incredible rebounding instincts, able to high point the ball off the glass as well as any other prospect in this class.

18 rebounds in 25 minutes in his first ever March Madness game underlines that skill.

With impressive postup footwork to counter mismatches down low, a go-to midrange jump shot, and a passable catch-and-shoot three, Cenac can develop into a versatile play-finisher able to pop or roll off picks, give his team second chances with offensive rebounds down low, and block shots from the help side, despite still being a a bit raw overall.

Drafting Cenac would make more sense in the 10-14 range for Milwaukee, or moving lower in the first round, but he's clearly a lottery-level talent in most draft classes with legit skills that will translate as a big to the NBA.

5. Dailyn Swain, Texas

Swain drives — Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) drives against BYU Cougars forward Khadim Mboup (7) in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Dailyn Swain is an incredible scorer with and without a screen.

Able to get downhill to the rim at will, the 6'8" plus-defender wing would be a daydream outcome for the Bucks, especially if he's still on the board in the 10-14 range if Milwaukee also ends up there.

He won't be taken 4th overall or in the Top-4, but he's good enough to seriously be considered just after that slot starting at 5th; when we look back years later, who knows how high he'll end up in a redraft.

Swain could walk into the league as a second option scorer, secondary creator, versatile wing defender and elite scoring threat playing off the downhill force gravity of Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Another player to watch in this matchup is efficient scorer Braden Huff for Gonzaga, who has also appeared on NBA draft radars.

18 points, 7 assists, 4 threes, and just 1 turnover for Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler in his NCAA Tournament debut. Poised decision-making, lights-out shooting, and craftiness on full display from the 6'6" point guard. https://t.co/QSlYf6zTYE pic.twitter.com/NVU0Z7ng8A
— Jacob Myers (@League_Him) March 20, 2026

6. Keaton Wagler, Illinois

Wagler floats — Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) shoots over Penn Quakers center Dalton Scantlebury (13) in the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Illinois' Keaton Wagler, along with teammates Tomislav Ivisic and Kylan Boswell, have drawn the eyes of NBA Scouts this season.

Wagler has skyrocketed up draft boards as the process goes on, primarily due to his exciting playstyle working so well while resembling what's worked so well lately for NBA offenses – a big guard who pushes the paces, pulls up for threes, gets to the rim, and organizes the offense on the fly.

His defense concerns scouts at the top of the draft – like other prospects, making an all-in bet on elite offense is riskier than making a bet on guys who clearly fill roles on both sides of the ball who still having realistic star upside.

Still, Wagler's game is undeniable; Keaton attacks the paint with decelerating body control, gets to his spots at his own pace with masterful handle, and pushes that pace any chance he gets to throttle his offense into overdrive.

His pull-up three, ball-handling, and grab-and-go pace-pushing playmaking generating consistent team offense will have draft evaluators considering Wagler as high as 5 in this class, which makes him a great bet for Milwaukee to make if he's still available in the 10-14 range.

Ivisic and Boswell can spread the floor from deep and make team-first decisions with the ball, skills every team covets.

7. Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt & Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska

Tyler Tanner celebrates — Vanderbilt Commodores guard Tyler Tanner (3) celebrates after making a basket during a first-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament between McNeese and Vanderbilt at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Thursday, March 19, 2026. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tyler Tanner is absolutely electric, a walking bouncing pogo stick who flies around the court with the body control of a rocket ship jumping to hyper speed through space.

Tanner finds a way to slow down as time and space speed up around him, exploding for blocks, dunks, and fly-by drives like he's been wearing ankle weights his whole life and just took them off for the first time like son Goku entering the ring in Dragon Ball – sometime the big tournament just brings that competitor out of you.

Tanner has bounced up and down big boards as high as 5th for those who appreciate his high-impact ratings, his impressive tough shotmaking, his defensive playmaking, and his all-around mastery of all ball skills provide one of the most enticing profiles of any draft prospect – the problem being, he stands 6ft-flat.

Can Tanner overcome those size limitations at the next level?

His volume of dunks, steals, blocks, explosive finishes, and the height of the 'jump' in his shot are all signs that his athleticism will translate, despite potential mismatches that can't be avoided.

Tanner's talent is so undeniable, he's very much worth considering rolling the dice on, even late in the lottery at 10-14 in such a talented class, or even later in the first round if Milwaukee were to trade back out of the lottery.

If Milwaukee hits on a talent like Tanner, perhaps freed up being paired with the Greek Freak's next-level athleticism flanking him, the Bucks might just stumble into their co-star of today and tomorrow by making one of the biggest high-risk high-reward high-potential bets in the draft.

Nebraska's Pryce Sandfort showed in his opening March Madness game why scouts are considering his nuclear 3pt shooting for the next level.

Tanner's teammate, Tyler Nickel, is another guard drawing scouts' eyes.

Tyler Tanner in the first round of March Madness:

26 PTS | 6 REB | 5 AST pic.twitter.com/ZMsdK161DP
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) March 19, 2026

8. Darius Acuff & Meleek Thomas, Arkansas

Acuff and Thomas talk with Calipari — Jan 3, 2026; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guards Meleek Thomas (1) and Darius Acuff Jr (5) talk to head coach John Calipari during the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Bud Walton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Darius Acuff is dominating the collegiate ranks with huge game after huge game to lead his Arkansas team through the SEC and into the big tournament.

Acuff has become one of the more polarizing names in NBA Draft talks due to his incredible college run as a bucket-getter and assist-dimer overcoming his near non-existent effort on the defensive end.

Clearly, this is an NBA player who will likely have a long career putting the ball in the basket; how his winning impact translates to the next level is the question, if that impact is only coming from the offensive side of the floor.

Will Acuff's offensive impact be so good it outweighs the lack of defense?

That remains to be seen, and that answer will determine if Acuff's impact is better utilized against starters or against backups at the next level.

Draft positioning matters for opportunity; if a team takes Acuff Top-5 or even Top-10, he will be given touches, opportunity, usage, shots and be expected to develop into a primary option star scorer; these are heavy expectations when the processing isn't off the charts and the impact is only coming from one side.

Normally, this archetype could be limited to a sparkplug scorer at the next level, unless he becomes a scorer so good he's an undeniable All-Star where the lineup around him must make up for the defense as a collective; if a team sees stare upside in Acuff, then it only takes on team to bet on him.

In Milwaukee, Acuff could be a reasonable option in the 10-14 range or later as a ready-made tough shotmaking scorer to drop in next to Antetokounmpo, although the backcourt is already full of that archetype.

Arkansas' other Freshman Guard, Meleek Thomas, offers another intriguing skill-set to consider; maybe the 10-14 slot is too rich for this draft given how he'll be available later, but Thomas could very well end up being that good when looking back, given his own special self-creation skills.

Meleek's super powers are his tough shot making, his 3pt shooting, his effective flare handle, and his smooth stroke scoring making bucket-getting look effortless.

Thomas' skillful attributes are a good bet to be a walking bucket in the league.