Brayden Burries is already looking like a steal at the 10th pick, and suddenly, the talk around Bucks GM Jon Horst’s drafting record is getting seriously complicated. For years, fans have been on Horst, and honestly, it’s been tough to defend. But this latest lottery selection might just be the pivot everyone’s been waiting for.
Horst’s History Has Been a Hard Sell
Let’s be real, Horst’s drafting hasn’t exactly been a highlight reel. We’re talking about first-round picks like DJ Wilson, MarJon Beauchamp, and AJ Johnson. Even if you completely ignore the second-round guys, that list alone tells you a story. It’s easy to pile on when your team isn’t bringing in consistent talent through the draft. But here’s the thing, most of Horst’s picks have been in the mid-20s. When you’re picking that late, you know there’s gonna be some volatility. You can point to plenty of other teams who’ve totally bombed in those spots, too. Still, finding stock-standard role players at those spots shouldn’t be a lottery win, it should be the bare minimum. Not doing that? Yeah, that’s an indictment.
The 2024 Draft? An Absolute Air Ball
If you want a prime example of the frustration, just look back at the 2024 draft. Horst picked AJ Johnson at 24 and Tyler Smith at 33. Three years later, both of those guys are basically out of the league. Ouch, right? What makes it sting even more is who else was available around those picks. Kyshawn George went 25th, TJ Shannon at 27th, Ryan Dunn 28th, Isaiah Collier 29th, Baylor Scheierman 30th, Kyle Filipowski 32nd, Johnny Furphy 34th, Ajay Mitchell 38th, Jaylen Wells 39th, and Oso Ighodaro 40th. Even Pelle Larsson went 44th! There were legit hits all over that part of the draft, and Horst managed to not only miss on both his picks, he threw air balls. Seriously.
A Lottery Pick Changes The Narrative?
Now, for the first time in a decade, Horst actually got to pick inside the lottery. The last time the Bucks had a lottery pick was 2016, and that was before Horst even took over from John Hammond, who drafted Thon Maker 10th. So, with that 10th pick, Horst went with Brayden Burries, and man, does he look like a steal! It’s super early, of course, but Burries looked *good* out in Vegas. He was billed as a guy who could come in and play right away, and that’s exactly what we saw. Nate Ament, who was also picked, is definitely more of a project, so it’s too early to call on him. But Burries? That’s different.
So, with Burries shining early, does it change how we look at Horst’s whole drafting history? Have we been too harsh? It’s a real question.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Brew Hoop.
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