The Milwaukee Bucks didn’t have a first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, but they still wound up with one of the class’s clearest success stories.
That’s the strange reality of a draft that has already started to look thin. The 2023 class has struggled to deliver much beyond the top of the board, and once you get past the early names, the list of real hits gets short in a hurry. Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson and the Thompson twins headline the group, but outside that cluster, only a handful of first-rounders have clearly given their teams meaningful value.
Among that small group is Jaime Jaquez Jr., who went 18th overall and has quietly built a strong early resume. He made the All-Rookie team, finished as a Sixth Man of the Year runner-up, and has averaged 12.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists over his career. That’s the kind of production that stands out in a class still searching for depth.
The Bucks benefit because Jaquez is now part of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, which gives Milwaukee ownership of a player who already looks like one of the draft’s better bets. In a year where many teams are still waiting for their picks to hit, the Bucks have landed someone who has already shown he can help.
And there may be more coming. Jaquez has spent all but 38 of his career regular-season games coming off the bench, but the setup now points toward a starting role at small forward for Milwaukee this season. That’s a major bump in responsibility, and it opens the door for another leap.
There’s also the contract clock. Jaquez will be due for a new deal next summer, and that gives him a built-in reason to push for the best season of his young career. If he delivers, he could position himself as a key part of the Bucks’ new-look roster and keep adding to the value of a draft pick Milwaukee never actually made.
He may never enter the Wembanyama tier, but Jaquez has a real chance to climb into the conversation as one of the best selections from a draft class that hasn’t offered much else.
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Bucks Rookie Brayden Burries Is Already Stirring A Dream Comparison
Brayden Burries is only getting started in Milwaukee, but the Bucks already have reasons to pay attention. The rookies defensive versatility, size and offensive potential have prompted some early comparisons to Jrue Holiday, the kind of player every contender would love to uncover again in a younger package. It is still early, of course, and Burries has a long climb ahead before anyone can seriously put him in that class.
Even so, the appeal is obvious from the Bucks point of view. If Burries develops along the trajectory those traits suggest, he could grow into a meaningful two-way piece over time and eventually fill a role that looks a lot like the one Holiday once played for Milwaukee. For now, the buzz is more about possibility than certainty, but it is the sort of possibility that can keep a franchise interested. [Read more 🡒]