The Milwaukee Bucks hold the No. 10 overall pick at a franchise inflection point, with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee dominating trade rumors throughout the spring. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley projects them to start building their post-Giannis foundation by selecting Tennessee forward Nate Ament — a 6-foot-10 wing with a top-five recruiting pedigree and a price that fell dramatically after a difficult freshman year.

Ament’s freshman season at Tennessee was a genuine disappointment. He started slowly with poor efficiency and limited defensive impact, then showed a six-game flash in January and February where he averaged 23.8 points — the kind of performance that reminded everyone why he was a top recruit in the country — before an ankle injury derailed his momentum heading into March. He struggled severely during the tournament. His price is down for a reason, but Buckley argues the discount creates bargain potential at No. 10 for a team willing to look past one uneven college season.

The skills are legitimately compelling. Ament is a big, long forward who can shoot, handle, and create — a physical profile almost identical to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s size, though with a profoundly different skill set. The irony of following a walking mismatch with an attempt to build another large wing creation threat is not lost on Buckley, who notes that if Milwaukee helps Ament realize his full potential, it could follow the Greek Freak’s exit with the arrival of another oversized creation threat. His game and frame both need refinement, but he’s 19 years old with tools that don’t expire.

The direct opportunity cost at No. 10 is the Golden State Warriors’ pick at No. 11: Cameron Carr, a Baylor shooting guard with NBA-ready three-and-D instincts and a reliable perimeter shot. Carr is the more immediately deployable prospect — a wing who can contribute in a limited role from the start of his rookie contract. Ament is the bigger swing, with a higher ceiling and a less certain floor. For a Bucks organization that might be pivoting to a full rebuild, ceiling matters more than safe floors.

CBS Sports’ Adam Finkelstein and Gary Parrish both project Ament to Milwaukee at No. 10, reinforcing the consensus. CBS Sports’ Cameron Salerno diverges by projecting Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg — a 23-year-old senior with championship winning experience — to the Bucks, reflecting an alternative philosophy that prioritizes immediate floor over developmental ceiling. Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor also projects Ament to Milwaukee at No. 10. Tankathon projects Mikel Brown Jr. to Milwaukee, suggesting the Louisville guard might be on Milwaukee’s radar if Brown slips from the Brooklyn projection.

The decision of whether to take Ament has everything to do with what the Bucks believe their organizational timeline looks like. If Giannis is still in Milwaukee next season, Ament as a developmental wing creates no friction — he grows behind the franchise cornerstone. If Giannis leaves, Ament becomes an early-stage piece of the next era rather than a band-aid. Either outcome makes this pick sensible.

What Other Outlets Are Projecting

Outlet	Projected Player
Bleacher Report	Nate Ament, SF, Tennessee
CBS Sports	Nate Ament, PF, Tennessee (Finkelstein, Parrish)
Tankathon	Mikel Brown Jr., PG, Louisville
Yahoo Sports	Nate Ament, SF, Tennessee

Selecting Ament at No. 10 is wise because it prioritizes long-term organizational health over short-term relevance. If the Bucks are truly entering a transition away from the Giannis era, they cannot afford to spend a top-10 pick on a player with a 2027 role-player ceiling. Ament’s size, shooting, and creation upside give Milwaukee a player worth developing regardless of whether the next era arrives this offseason or in three years. The best time to plant a big-wing creation tree is before the rebuild begins — and this pick plants it.