Who should the Bucks draft if they win the lottery?

After exploring the odds of landing an All-NBA player in the draft, what should the Bucks hunt for if they win the lottery? We will explore the options and begin a series of player profiles throughout the year leading up to the 2026 NBA Draft.

The now 11–18 Milwaukee Bucks are on the ropes after three straight losses. Whether Giannis stays or goes may not make a difference, as they appear to be lottery-bound.

According to tankathon.com the Bucks currently have the 9th best odds of winning the Draft Lottery at 3.8 percent. If they’re lucky enough and get the first overall pick. They will have a tough decision to make.

The top three prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft as of today would be Darryn Peterson (Kansas), Aj Dybantsa (BYU) and Cam Boozer (Duke). Stick with us all year long as I bring you player profiles and rankings on all of the 2026 NBA Draft class.

The Darryn Peterson possibility

Evaluation: Today we dive deeper into Darryn Peterson, the freshman from Kansas. He is currently number one on my big board. He is one of the most polished players I have ever seen at his age. He moves at his own pace. He is never sped up. He can play on or off ball.

Peterson stands 6'5" and weighs 205lbs averages 19.3 ppg, 3.8 rebs, and 2.8 asts per game. The advanced metrics are even more compelling. He boasts an efg% of .632, 3pt% 42, per of 32 and ws/40 .305. He is tops in his class in most of these metrics.

His handles are terrific. He can slither pick and rolls, while keeping players on his hip. His spot up shooting is excellent. His ability to shoot off the bounce is just as good. His ability to shoot the ball over length is special. He is a true three level scorer. He can pass the rock without turning the ball over and has natural instincts defensively in the passing lanes.

My biggest concern is we have not seen him fully healthy all season. He is in amazing shape but has struggled with a hamstring injury. Only playing in 4 games this season. Once we get to conference play it should help to solidify our evaluation. We use all the information including the NCAA tournament and NBA combine measurables.

The decision to move Giannis or not will begin to take shape in the coming months. If the Bucks move him before the trade deadline, they will be in prime position to enhance the roster for the start of next season. Landing the top pick in the lottery may be enough to accelerate the rebuild in 2026, giving the Bucks what Giannis always wanted. You can read more here.

A prospect like Peterson doesn’t just fit the modern NBA; he would thrive at the next level and push the franchise toward a bright future.