College Basketball

Milwaukee Bucks: Draft Prospects To Watch In Sweet Sixteen And Beyond

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:17 a.m. ET

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Feb 25, 2017; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Malik Monk (5) celebrates with teammates forward Wenyen Gabriel (32) and forward Edrice Bam Adebayo (3) during the game against the Florida Gators in the second half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated Florida 76-66. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

The Milwaukee Bucks have played their way into the playoffs — and out of the lottery. Which college prospects still playing in the NCAA Tournament should be on their radar?

The Milwaukee Bucks are streaking towards the postseason, winners of 10 of their last 12 games to leap from outside the playoff picture to firmly inside. If the season ended today, Milwaukee would be the sixth seed and face the Washington Wizards.

That is a far cry from just a few weeks ago, when the Bucks had tumbled all the way to 11th in the conference and were trying to recover themselves on and off the court in the wake of Jabari Parker's season-ending injury.

With small hope of making the postseason, the team's scouts and front office would have been looking closely at those potential lottery picks plying their trade in college to try and improve the team for a run next season.

Suddenly their focus has shifted, as Milwaukee is currently slated to be selecting a player much later in the first round.

With just 16 teams remaining in the annual NCAA Tournament, a limited amount of college prospects have an opportunity to impress scouts on the court.

With surefire lottery prospects such as Lonzo Ball and Justin Jackson almost certainly out of reach for Milwaukee, they will instead be turning their attention to those players likely to fall in the middle of the first round.

Which players still alive in the NCAA tournament should Milwaukee be keeping a close eye on? Are there any left that could ascend draft boards as the Bucks have ascended the standings and become a viable choice for their pick in June's draft?

Mar 19, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Malik Monk (5) reacts after a three-point basket against the Wichita State Shockers during the second half in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Joseph-USA TODAY Sports

Unlikely To Fall: Malik Monk

Every season a few players pegged as lottery picks slip down the draft board, often due to an unusual combine measurement or the lack of any "buzz" leading into the draft.

There are a few players on teams still alive in the tournament currently slotted into the back half of the lottery that could conceivably slide down to Milwaukee's draft position.

Malik Monk is an elite scorer, able to put the ball into the basket from anywhere on the court. He has a number of highlight-reel performances from this season, including dropping 47 points on North Carolina in one of the year's best games.

He is expected to go anywhere from fourth in the draft to 10th.

Monk would be a perfect fit on a Milwaukee team always in need to scoring. With Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Matthew Dellavedova providing elite wing defense, Monk's defensive deficiencies would be less harmful.

His elite shooting would be conversely incredibly helpful, filling a need that has held the Bucks back from their offensive ceiling.

The reason Monk could drop is if he continues to have subpar outings in the tournament. The Kentucky Wildcats squeaked out a win against the underseeded Wichita State Shockers in the Round of 32 Sunday, with Monk contributing 14 points on just 3-10 shooting from the field.

He shot just 3-for-11 in the Wildcats' closer-than-expected win over the Northern Kentucky Norse.

Malik Monk should go in the lottery, but his defensive limitations and propensity to shoot himself colder and colder could make some teams wary.

Add in the recent busts among sharpshooting NBA prospects, and another poor game for Kentucky could see Monk slip further than many thought possible just a few weeks ago.

Mar 19, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Edrice Adebayo (3) is defended by Wichita State Shockers center Rauno Nurger during the second half in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Joseph-USA TODAY Sports

Bam Bam: Edrice Adebayo

While Monk was underwhelming in the wins against Wichita State and Northern Kentucky, his fellow Wildcat "Bam" Adebayo was having some of the best games of his basketball career.

The freshman center has had an up-and-down year for Kentucky, but the arrow was certainly pointing up this past weekend.

Adebayo dominated Northern Kentucky to the tune of 15 points and 18 rebounds, clearing the glass to keep the Norse from closing to dangerous territory in the second half.

Against Wichita State he not only put up another efficient stat line — 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting, 10 rebounds — he locked down the Shockers' best offensive players down the stretch.

The highlight Adebayo will be sending to every team will be his block of Wichita State guard Landry Shamet.

Down three with time expiring, Shamet raised up from behind the arc to hit the game-tying shot, only to see Adebayo's ridiculously long arm reach up to slap the shot away at the buzzer.

The Bucks have a talented center prospect on the roster in Thon Maker, a raw project brimming with the potential of a modern NBA center.

Adebayo could be the perfect rotational fit with Maker, as more of an interior presence setting hard screens, rolling to the basket, and fighting on every possession on defense.

Adebayo is currently projected all over the first round, from late lottery to late first-round. While another handful of strong games could see Bam shoot out of Milwaukee's reach, they also could confirm his value as part of the big rotation of the future.

Feb 12, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins forward TJ Leaf (22) shoots a free throw in the second half of the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA won 78-60. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

A Newer Model: T.J. Leaf

In the absence of Jabari Parker, the Milwaukee Bucks have put together a number of combinations in the frontcourt. Michael Beasley, Terrance Jones, Spencer Hawes, Antetokounmpo and even Khris Middleton have played minutes at power forward for this team.

But the expected backup at power forward for Milwaukee has been Mirza Teletovic, a sharpshooting big who juices the team's offense but gives much of it back on defense. In limited minutes he is a valuable rotation piece, but hasn't shown worthy of taking on more of a minutes load.

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For teams looking for a sharpshooting 4 that miss out on Lauri Markkanen, T.J. Leaf appears to be their guy. The UCLA forward scored 16.2 points per game for the Bruins on 61 percent shooting from the field and 45 percent shooting from three-point range. Leaf, not Lonzo Ball, led this team in scoring.

Leaf also hustles on the glass, unlike many of his stretch-4 compatriots, averaging 8.2 rebounds per game for UCLA. The freshman chipped in a block a game, providing value on the defensive end even when his specialty is offense.

At just 19 years old, Leaf is young and would provide Milwaukee with a prospect to develop as a long-term stretch-big for this squad. Their excellent developmental staff could turn Leaf into the next Ryan Anderson, and the Houston Rockets have shown how valuable a piece a sharpshooting big can be in the right hands.

Mar 19, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Devonte' Graham (4) reacts during the second half against the Michigan State Spartans in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Forgotten Man: Devonte Graham

The Kansas Jayhawks entered the season as a top-five squad, and Bill Self has delivered on yet another excellent season. The Jayhawks won the Big 12 for the 13th straight season and Kansas entered the tournament as a No. 1 seed.

Led by Wooden Award Finalist Frank Mason III at the point and freshman phenom Josh Jackson, Kansas obliterated teams all season and comfortably won their first two tournament games against UC-Davis and Michigan State.

Somewhat forgotten by all but committed college basketball fans is the third head of the hydra, Devonte Graham. The junior guard has been consistently solid, spacing the floor and staying in front of his man on defense.

While not as flashy as his star teammates, Graham is always there, scoring in single figures just five games all season.

Over their first two tournament games Graham has averaged 17 points on 11-for-18 combined shooting, 8-of-13 from distance. Graham has also swiped a combined seven steals in the two contests, attacking passing lanes and sparking a deadly Kansas transition game.

The Milwaukee Bucks have drafted well in recent years, but exclusively in the frontcourt until last year's second-round find in Malcolm Brogdon.

While Graham may not be the caliber of player the Bucks look for in the first round, he's a valuable piece who would step in easily to a bench role on a playoff contending Milwaukee squad.

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