NBA Draft: Evaluating Every Milwaukee Bucks 1st-Round Pick

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is still the greatest Milwaukee Buck ever.

Cream Of The Crop

These five players were stars in Milwaukee after being drafted in the first round by the Bucks, even if one of them didn’t hang around long or show up right away.

1973, No. 16 overall, Swen Nater, C, UCLA
How good was UCLA in the 1970s? Swen Nater backed up Bill Walton for two years at UCLA and was considered good enough to be picked in the first round by the Bucks. But the year before, he had been drafted by The Floridians in the ABA, with his rights transferring to the Virginia Squires after The Floridians folded.

Nater wound up signing with the Squires and played three years in the ABA with the Squires, San Antonio Spurs and New York Nets.

He came to the Bucks in 1976 after the ABA and NBA merger, as he had gone back to Virginia in the ABA’s final season and the Squires folded before the merger was finalized.

He played just one year for the Bucks, but was outstanding, averaging 13 points, 12 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 27.2 minutes per game, shooting 52.8 percent from the floor and 75.4 percent from the line.

In June 1977, the Bucks traded Nater and the No. 13 overall pick in the upcoming draft to the Buffalo Braves for the No. 3 overall pick, which turned out to be Marques Johnson.

Nater spent 11 years in U.S. pro basketball, also playing for the San Diego Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers and spent one year in Italy before retiring in 1985.

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/13/2014.

1996, No. 5 overall (taken by Minnesota): Ray Allen, G, Connecticut
Allen was a two-time All-American at Connecticut before coming out after his junior year and the Bucks were able to get him even after trading down from No. 4 to No. 5.

The Bucks had worked out a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves to trade the No. 5 pick along with a 1998 first-rounder in exchange for the No. 4 overall pick, which Minnesota used to take guard Stephon Marbury.

Allen went on to become a three-time All-Star as a Buck and made the All-NBA team in 2000-01. He led the NBA in 3-pointers made in 2001-02 and had the most offensive win shares in the NBA in 2000-01.

In parts of seven seasons in Milwaukee, Allen averaged 19.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 36.3 minutes a game, shooting .450/.406/.879.

Allen was traded at the February deadline in 2003 along with guards Ronald Murray and Kevin Ollie and a 2003 first-round pick to the Seattle SuperSonics for guard Gary Payton and swingman Desmond Mason.

Allen has also played with the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat in his 18 seasons and is scheduled to become a free agent this summer. He has gone on to become the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-point field goals and attempts.

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Generated 6/13/2014.

1979, No. 5 overall: Sidney Moncrief, G, Arkansas
Moncrief was an All-American as a junior and a senior for the Razorbacks and the Bucks grabbed him at No. 5 overall in 1979.

What they got was a five-time All-Star and a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Moncrief also was a five-time All-NBA selection and All-Defensive pick who led the NBA in offensive rating in 1980-81.

Moncrief spent 10 years in Milwaukee, averaging 16.7 points, five rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals in 31.7 minutes per game, shooting .503/.276/.832.

Moncrief retired after the 1988-89 season, but came back to play one additional season with the Atlanta Hawks in 1990-91.

He spent some time as an assistant coach for several teams, including the Bucks, and spent 2013-14 as an analyst and commentator for Fox Sports Wisconsin.

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/13/2014.

1977, No. 3 overall: Marques Johnson, F, UCLA
Johnson was the consensus player of the year in the nation as a senior for the Bruins and also held the distinction of being part of John Wooden’s final championship team at UCLA. The Bucks took Johnson No. 3 overall and couldn’t have been happier.

He was a four-time All-Star in Milwaukee and was an All-NBA choice three times.

In seven years for the Bucks, Johnson averaged 21 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 34.8 minutes a game, shooting .530/.145/.736.

In September 1984, Johnson was traded along with swingman Junior Bridgeman and big man Harvey Catching to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for forward Terry Cummings and guards Ricky Pierce and Craig Hodges.

Johnson missed two full seasons because of a neck injury, but did come back to play briefly for the Golden State Warriors before leaving the game for good in 1989 after playing 11 seasons.

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Generated 6/13/2014.

1969, No. 1 overall: Lew Alcindor, C, UCLA
A flip of a coin brought the two-time Player of the Year and three-time Final Four Most Outstanding Player to the Bucks.

Later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he was an All-Star in all six of his seasons with Milwaukee, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1969-70 and Most Valuable Player trophies in 1970-71, 1971-72 and 1973-74. Abdul-Jabbar was also the NBA Finals MVP in 1971 after leading the Bucks to their only championship.

He won two scoring titles in Milwaukee and led the league in blocks per game in 1974-75.

In six seasons, Abdul-Jabbar averaged 30.4 points, 15.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.4 blocks and 1.2 steals in 42.7 minutes a game, shooting 54.7 percent from the floor and 69.5 percent from the line.

The Bucks won the title in 1971 and made the Finals in 1974—the only two times in franchise history Milwaukee has reached those heights.

But it didn’t last.

Abdul-Jabbar pushed for and finally got a trade out of Milwaukee in June 1975, going to the Los Angeles Lakers with center Walt Wesley in exchange for center Elmore Smith, forward Dave Meyers, swingman Junior Bridgeman and guard Brian Winters.

Kareem spent 20 seasons in the NBA and is still the all-time leader with 38,387 points.

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/13/2014.