The Chicago Bulls tried to strike gold in North Carolina again and the Milwaukee Bucks started their post-Giannis Antetokounmpo era in the first round of the NBA draft on Tuesday.
Both the Bulls and Bucks had two top-15 picks Tuesday to highlight the first night of the draft in the Central Division. That represented a major change from last year, when the only Central team with a first-round pick was Chicago, which took Noa Essengue at No. 12 overall.
Chicago selected North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson with the fourth overall pick and took Texas forward Dailyn Swain at No. 15. Milwaukee took Arizona guard Brayden Burries at No. 10 and Tennessee forward Nate Ament at No. 13. The other Central team to add a player Tuesday was Detroit, which traded for Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie after he went 17th.
Wilson becomes the third North Carolina player the Bulls have drafted in the first round. The Bulls selected Michael Jordan third overall in 1984 and Coby White seventh in 2019.
“I’m always going to do whatever it takes to get better,” Wilson said. "I want to be the greatest player of all time, man. Y’all got one of the GOATs in y’all’s history right now. So it’s time for another one. I’m hungry. I’m hungry to be the greatest.”
Wilson's lone college season ended prematurely when he broke his right thumb in a non-contact drill while trying to come back from a fracture in his left hand. He still earned second-team Associated Press All-America honors while averaging 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds.
“I feel great, better than ever," Wilson said. “Been working on my hand strength, so I’ll never have to go through something like that again.”
The Bucks had much at stake as they began to rebuild their roster a night after news broke that they were trading Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat. Burries said he didn't feel any extra burden from heading to Milwaukee just as the Bucks adapt to life without the two-time MVP forward.
“I wouldn’t say it’s pressure,” Burries said. "I’d say I’m just going to go there and be me and try to be the best version of myself.:
Burries, a 6-foot-4 guard, had 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 39.4% from 3-point range his lone season at Arizona to help the Wildcats reach the Final Four. The Bucks took Ament with the extra first-round pick they got in the Antetokounmpo trade. He averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists as a Tennessee freshman.
“They are big shoes to fill over there in Milwaukee, and I think that it’s just a tremendous opportunity for me and Brayden,” Ament said. “If anything, I see it as an opportunity and not pressure.”
Ament often was linked to Milwaukee in mock drafts, perhaps in part due to Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam's Tennessee ties. Haslam is a Tennessee alum who announced this month he is donating $130 million to the school.
Needs: Size, along with help in the backcourt. The Bulls acquired 6-foot-11 center Nic Claxton as part of a three-team trade in the run-up to the draft, but more size is needed after the team struggled defensively last season.
Who they drafted: Wilson upgrades Chicago’s overall athleticism. When Bryson Graham was introduced as the team’s executive vice president of basketball operations in May, he mentioned the acronym SLAP — size, length, athleticism, physicality — and the 6-9 Wilson fits right in. The 6-7 Swain averaged 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists last season with Texas.
NBA comparisons: Wilson has been compared to Chris Bosh and Kevin Garnett, but a more likely possibility is Indiana’s Pascal Siakam, albeit with more athleticism. Swain’s NBA comps include Herb Jones, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Naji Marshall.
Needs: Cleveland has an abundance of guards, but they still need some depth in the front court or a center who can shoot from the perimeter when the Cavaliers want to play five-out on offense. A rookie contract would also help the franchise’s bloated salary cap, with Donovan Mitchell due for an extension and James Harden on a player option.
Who they drafted: The Cavaliers took UConn forward Alex Karaban at No. 29, but they were trading him to Sacramento.
Needs: Outside shooters and ball-handlers. Detroit’s weaknesses were exposed in the playoffs, putting them on the brink of elimination in the first round as a top-seeded team and leading to their second-round exit.
Who they drafted: Okorie was drafted at No. 17 and acquired in a trade.
NBA comparison: Okorie draws comparisons to Dennis Schröder, who has been a solid NBA player for more than a decade. The 6-1, 186-pound combo guard can create his own offense off the dribble or set up teammates for shots.
Needs: Indiana filled its biggest need – center - with a midseason trade for Ivica Zubac. The problem was the Pacers sent a protected first-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers and lost it in the draft lottery, leaving them with no draft picks. The good news: All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton is expected to return from his torn Achilles tendon in the fall.
Who they drafted: Nobody.
Needs: The Bucks could use help everywhere as they retool their roster without Antetokounmpo. Losing Antetokounmpo and forward Bobby Portis, who also is headed to Miami, makes the frontcourt the biggest concern.
Who they drafted: Burries' all-around game made him a safe pick at No. 10. He could be a reliable part of Milwaukee's backcourt for years to come. Listed as 6-10 and 207 pounds, Ament will need to develop strength, but he has a high upside.
NBA comparison: Burries has drawn comparisons to Derrick White, a well-rounded performer who can play either guard spot. Auburn coach Steven Pearl has compared Ament to Jabari Smith Jr., a former Auburn star.
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AP Sports Writers Jay Cohen, Josh Dubow, Larry Lage, Michael Marot and Joe Reedy contributed to this report.
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