The Milwaukee Bucks enter the 2026 NBA Draft facing one of the most meaningful organizational crossroads in franchise history, and CBS Sports projects them taking Nate Ament at No. 10 — a 6-foot-10 Tennessee freshman with top-five upside who is now available in the back end of the lottery after a turbulent debut season. It’s the kind of high-ceiling swing that makes sense for a franchise at an uncertain juncture, regardless of how the Giannis Antetokounmpo situation resolves.

Ament averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists at Tennessee while shooting 33.3% from three. His efficiency wasn’t impressive — he shot under 40% from the field — but CBS argues his combination of size, length, and skill as a shooter-driver hybrid is too rare to pass on in the mid-lottery. He entered the season as a potential top-five pick, experienced an inconsistent year hampered by an ankle injury that derailed his momentum entering March, and arrives at No. 10 as one of the more polarizing prospects in the class. His price is discounted; the talent is the same.

The opportunity cost at No. 10 is Yaxel Lendeborg — the Michigan senior who averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 37.2% from three. Lendeborg is described by CBS as having the combination of size, strength, and athleticism that’s hard to pass on in the late lottery, with the ability to slot into any NBA rotation immediately. Choosing Ament over Lendeborg is a higher-ceiling bet with higher variance — Lendeborg’s floor is more established, Ament’s ceiling is higher.

Bleacher Report and Yahoo Sports both project Ament to Milwaukee at No. 10, aligning with CBS’s assessment. Tankathon has Mikel Brown Jr. going to the Bucks instead, reflecting the split evaluation of which player offers the better risk-reward profile at this position. The CBS and Bleacher Report consensus around Ament to Milwaukee is strong, and their shared rationale — Ament as the biggest swing available with real franchise-altering upside — holds.

Outlet	Projected Player
CBS Sports	Nate Ament
Bleacher Report	Nate Ament
Tankathon	Mikel Brown Jr.
Yahoo Sports	Nate Ament

The Bucks’ roster situation adds urgency to this pick. With Giannis Antetokounmpo firmly in the trade rumor cycle, Milwaukee’s front office needs to begin building toward a future that doesn’t depend entirely on retaining him. Ament is described by Bleacher Report as the kind of player who could “follow the exit of its walking-mismatch with the arrival of another” — a long, skilled forward who can shoot, handle, and create in ways that transcend positional definitions. If Giannis leaves, Ament becomes a cornerstone. If Giannis stays, Ament is the next high-upside wing in the development pipeline.

Ament’s frame needs work and his efficiency at Tennessee was legitimately concerning. But someone will take a chance on a skilled 6-foot-10 wing who once carried top-five buzz, and the Bucks are positioned to get maximum value by taking him at a discounted price at No. 10. Developing Ament in a low-pressure role behind veteran players — particularly if Giannis remains — gives him the runway to reach his ceiling before Milwaukee needs him to lead. That developmental patience is exactly what the pick deserves.