The Milwaukee Bucks ended up taking a swing with the 47th pick of the 2025 NBA draft, selecting 19-year-old Bogolijub Markovic out of Serbia. While it isn’t necessarily a bad pick – hard to call him that already – it ran contrary to many expert and fan predictions alike. It’s only a slight exaggeration to say that no one in Wisconsin even knew his name. Maybe he pans out, maybe he doesn’t. In any case, it sounds like he’ll spend next season overseas as a “stash” pick.
What happened to all the popular players mocked to Milwaukee in the days and weeks leading up to the draft? The following, far-from-comprehensive list includes a number of the more prominent suggestions that wound up elsewhere, ranked in the order their names were or weren’t called on draft night.
Milwaukee Bucks, Micah Peavy, NBA Draft, Bucks news
Mar 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Georgetown Hoyas guard Micah Peavy (5) celebrates during the second half against the Villanova Wildcats at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
8 Projected Picks the Milwaukee Bucks Missed or Dismissed in NBA Draft
No. 33 overall, to the Charlotte Hornets: Sion James – Forward, Duke
No. 35, to the Philadelphia 76ers: Johni Broome – Forward/Center, Auburn
No. 38, to the Indiana Pacers: Kam Jones – Guard, Marquette
No. 40, to the New Orleans Pelicans: Micah Peavy – Guard, Georgetown
No. 41, to the Phoenix Suns: Koby Brea – Guard, Kentucky
No. 43, to the Washington Wizards: Jamir Watkins – Guard, Florida State
No. 53, to Utah: John Tonje – Forward, Wisconsin
Undrafted, signed a two-way contract with Philadelphia: Hunter Sallis – Guard, Wake Forest.
The Bucks also notably passed on Duke guard Tyrese Proctor, who had already fallen further than expected by the time Milwaukee hit the clock. Cleveland scooped him up two picks later.
While Markovic was in the eyes of many a rather disappointing choice, particularly given the likelihood that he isn’t a player who fits the team’s win-now window, perhaps GM Jon Horst deserves somewhat of a pass from those with a different name in mind.
Milwaukee Bucks, Koby Brea, NBA draft
Mar 4, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Koby Brea (4) fives fans as he exits the court after the game against the LSU Tigers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
Horst’s Questionable Selection Partly the Result of Limited Choices
Six of the above players didn’t even make it to the Bucks; it’s hard to blame them for not choosing a guy no longer available. There is, on the other hand, a justifiable argument that Horst could have traded up for a more desirable pick.
As for Tonje and Sallis, certainly they remained options, but given the fact that they fell at least several places further, perhaps taking either at no. 47 would have been a sub-value play. That said, it is interesting that Milwaukee still declined on Proctor, ranked 43rd on ESPN’s big board and an immediate NBA-rotation candidate. In his last season at Duke, Proctor shot 40.5% from deep on 5.8 attempts per game.
Mark Sears, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA Draft
Mar 29, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears (1) celebrates after a play during the second half against the Duke Blue Devils in the East Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Now, of course, none of those what-ifs matter. Markovic probably won’t help the roster next season, but the Bucks did add All-American Alabama guard Mark Sears as an undrafted free agent. He could provide some of the instant gratification many fans were hoping to see the team pursue in this year’s draft, either at no. 47 or by moving up.
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