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Last season, the Milwaukee Bucks entered the NBA Draft with a single pick, the final selection at No. 58 overall. With only one pick, the hype for Bucks fans leading up to the draft was limited.

A week before, we reported at The Athletic that the Bucks were trying to “move up into the late 20s and 30s due to the depth of prospects on the wing and potential NBA-ready, older rotation players” — something the Bucks eventually did when they grabbed the No. 36 pick from the Orlando Magic and drafted Connecticut wing Andre Jackson Jr. — but that was a limited amount of time. And since the trade happened on draft night, nobody had a chance to truly obsess over the prospects that might be available for the Bucks in that range.

That will not be the case this season. As of now, the Bucks have the rights to their first-round pick, which is currently the No. 26 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and the rights to the Portland Trail Blazers’ second-round pick, which is currently the No. 35 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. While the Bucks are still in the middle of a playoff push to wrap up the regular season, the men’s NCAA Tournament starts on Tuesday.

So, while it is not time to focus on the offseason yet, the NCAA Tournament gives you a great opportunity to get a head start on scouting the best of the best in college basketball. And, as a bonus, you can embark on this epic college scouting trip from your couch, as long as you have enough screens and attention span to watch multiple games at once.

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Allowing you, the reader, to study this draft class as a Bucks fan, I avoided listing any players that appear to be NBA lottery picks and instead tried to highlight the players who could show up between Nos. 15 and 45. Also, to make this trip as efficient and impactful for you as possible, I am going to list the prospects in order of their game times (CDT) over the first two days, so you can just keep this handy and watch along the way.

Also, you should read through Sam Vecenie’s most recent mock draft to get a better idea of the rest of the prospect picture as the full mock draft includes many of the players below, as well as players that participated in international leagues and players on teams that didn’t make the tournament.

Tuesday

8:10 p.m. — (10) Colorado St. vs. (10) Virginia

In Vecenie’s most recent mock draft, Virginia’s Ryan Dunn (who wears jersey No. 13) ended up being the Bucks’ first-round selection.

While he was not named a semifinalist for the 2024 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award, Dunn was one of the country’s most impactful defensive players this season. With strong side-to-side movement and a 6-foot-8 frame, Dunn may end up being able to guard one through four at the next level. There are serious questions about how Dunn will contribute on offense in the NBA though, which is why a 21-year-old wing who could make an impact defensively at the next level could fall out of the lottery.

Wednesday

8:10 p.m. — (10) Colorado vs. (10) Boise State

Colorado’s Cody Williams (No. 10) might end up being a top-10 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, so he will get drafted much too high for the Bucks to have a chance at him, but the Buffaloes have two other draft prospects who could end up being of interest for the Bucks.

Tristan da Silva (No. 23) is a 6-foot-9 forward that could slot into the late first round. He is not an explosive athlete and he will be 23 years old by draft time, but he does a little bit of everything on both sides of the floor. He could end up being an impactful role player in the NBA; da Silva can handle the ball, shoots it well from deep and can pass as well. Colorado’s junior point guard K.J. Simpson (No. 2) is probably lower on most draft boards than where the Bucks will be selecting, but he just made the Big 12 Conference All-Tournament Team.

Thursday

12:30 p.m. — (3) Creighton vs. (14) Akron

Creighton has been one of the best teams in the Big East over the last four seasons. The three top scorers on last year’s squad — Trey Alexander, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Baylor Scheierman — that helped lead the team to its first Elite Eight appearance in school history returned for another season and all have potential at the next level.

The best odds at the next level may belong to Alexander (No. 23), who may get some looks at the end of the first round in the 2024 NBA Draft. At 6-foot-4 with a 6-10 wingspan, the 21-year-old has the physical tools to be a solid point-of-attack defender at the next level. Alexander is more of an off-guard than a true point guard, but he has done well as a primary creator for Creighton this season.

Scheierman (No. 55), the 6-foot-7, 23-year-old wing, has knocked down 37.2 percent from deep on high volume (8.2 3-point attempts per game) and shown an ability to knock down 3s off movement, but there will be questions about his ability to guard NBA guards and wings. Kalkbrenner (No. 11) has put together an incredibly productive career at Creighton as a shot-blocking big man and post threat, but those types of players tend to fall on draft night.

1:00 p.m. — (2) Arizona vs. (15) Long Beach State

Despite being one of the best teams in the country, Arizona does not have a ton of high-level 2024 NBA draft prospects. Pelle Larsson (No. 3) and Keshad Johnson (No. 16), however, are two wings that could potentially hear their names called in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.

Larson, a 6-6 wing from Sweden, won Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year two seasons ago as a sophomore. He hit 43 percent from 3 this season on only 2.8 attempts per game and once again showed the ability to make plays on the ball (3.6 assists), but he will have to prove to evaluators during the draft process that he can compete athletically at the next level.

Johnson started all 39 games for San Diego State last season as they made a surprise run to the national championship game and played a major role in the team’s smothering defense before transferring to Arizona this season. The 6-7 forward, who will be 23 years old come draft time, has played a bigger role offensively at Arizona and tried to show off enough skill on that end of the floor to be considered a second-rounder.

1:45 p.m. — (1) North Carolina vs. (16) Howard/Wagner winner

Like Arizona, this year’s Tar Heels have managed to be one of college basketball’s best teams without a high-level NBA prospect. Their two most interesting prospects have tough decisions to make.

Freshman Elliot Cadeau (No. 2) has started 28 of North Carolina’s 34 games this season and averaged 7.6 points and 4.2 assists in 24.4 minutes per game. The 6-foot-1 point guard was seen by some as a potential one-and-done player coming into the season, but doesn’t find himself in the first round on many mock drafts.

Junior wing Harrison Ingram (No. 55) was the 2021-22 Pac 12 Rookie of the Year and played his first two years at Stanford before transferring to North Carolina for his junior season. This season, the 6-8 forward earned Third Team All-ACC honors by improving his 3-point shot, putting together a stronger season on the glass and showing off an ability to do a little bit of everything. Like Cadeau, he currently looks like a second-rounder or a priority two-way signing, if he chooses to declare for the 2024 NBA Draft.

3:30 p.m. — (7) Dayton vs. (10) Nevada

As a junior, DaRon Holmes II (No. 15) took home Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and looks to be in the conversation for an All-American nod after averaging 20.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game in 31 starts for Dayton this season.

While Holmes will likely not end up in the lottery like Obi Toppin, the Flyers’ last big-time NBA prospect, the 6-10 big man has legitimate NBA size and athleticism and could find his way into the end of this year’s first round. Holmes, 21, can score at all three levels and showed off an ability to be a versatile threat as a roll man on offense. Defensively, he averaged 2.1 blocks per game across his three seasons at Dayton, but may need to prove to NBA front offices that he can hold up defensively in the post at the next level.

5:50 p.m. — (7) Texas vs. (10) Virginia/Colorado St. winner

A couple of young prospects with potential, namely Bub (Carlton) Carrington of Pittsburgh and Collin Murray-Boyles of South Carolina, recently told reporters that they plan to return to college next year for another season at their respective schools. So, while Dillon Mitchell (No. 23) of Texas is far from a sure thing, the 6-7 forward’s explosive athleticism might convince teams to take a chance on him in the second round if he chooses to declare for the 2024 NBA Draft, even though he has shown little as a shooter.

6:10 p.m. — (3) Kentucky vs. (14) Oakland

No surprise here. John Calipari’s Kentucky squad once again has a bunch of NBA prospects, but all of the talent makes it difficult to get a full understanding of the value of those prospects.

Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham will likely both be off the board before the bottom of the first round, so Bucks fans should focus their attention to D.J. Wagner (No. 21) and Justin Edwards (No. 1).

Wagner, a 6-4 guard and the son of former NBA DaJuan Wagner, started 27 of the 28 games he played this season and averaged 10.3 points and 3.3 assists in 26.1 minutes per game. While the 18-year-old has shown the ability to create looks for himself, he is definitely more of a shooting guard than a point guard and he will need to improve dramatically on the defensive end to stick at the next level.

The improved play of Edwards in the final month of the season helped Kentucky close out the regular season strong and also turned Edwards into an interesting name to watch during the draft process. The 20-year-old lefty forward has the quickness and frame (6-7) to defend wings at the next level and the athleticism to make an impact offensively. He snuck into the first round for Vecenie at No. 30.

8:55 p.m. — (4) Kansas vs. (13) Samford

Johnny Furphy (No. 10), 6-9 freshman wing, is a difficult evaluation at Kansas. The 19-year-old Australian jumped all the way up into the lottery in some mock drafts in February, but struggled down the stretch of the season, especially as injuries ravaged the Jayhawks roster. With size and athleticism though, he’ll likely end up being gone by the time the Bucks select at the end of the first round.

Kansas also has Kevin McCullar Jr. (No. 15) though and he may be closer to the Bucks’ range. The 23-year-old wing is on the older end of the spectrum for NBA prospects, so that will likely keep him out of the lottery and potentially give the Bucks a chance to draft him. McCullar, a 6-7 senior, has been an above-average defender throughout his college career, but this season, his fifth college season, is the first year in which he has provided serious scoring and playmaking for his team. In his second season at Kansas, McCullar averaged 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game as the Jayhawks’ primary creator.

Friday

11:40 a.m. — (3) Baylor vs. (14) Colgate

Baylor has two freshmen that will almost certainly be first-round picks this season. The first, Ja’Kobe Walter, will likely end up being a lottery pick. Yves Missi (No. 21) might also end up going in the lottery by the end of the draft process, but for now, he is a prospect that may still be available when the Bucks make their first pick at No. 26.

Missi, 19, is a 7-foot tall big man with a 7-5 wingspan. He is a terrific athlete that can catch lobs on offense and block shots on defense. Defensively, he might even have enough quickness to stay in front of guards. In all likelihood, Missi will end up out of the Bucks’ range at the end of the first round, but still deserved a mention.

1:00 p.m. — (2) Marquette vs. (15) Western Kentucky

Native Milwaukeeans will know both of these prospects well. Both Tyler Kolek (No. 11) and Oso Ighodaro (No. 13) are not only legitimate NBA draft prospects, both of the local players currently fit squarely into the Bucks’ range in the draft.

Kolek, 22, won Big East Player of the Year last season as a junior and might have taken the award home again this season if not for a late season oblique injury. His quickness will be tested at the next level — Can he create enough space on offense? Can he stay in front of point guards on defense? — but his intelligence, craftiness and skill on the offensive end should give him the chance to stick as a backup point guard in the NBA.

While Kolek has a traditional archetype as a floor general point guard, Ighodaro is a bit more complicated. The 6-11 big man, who will turn 22 years old this July, is a creative passer that operates from the elbow, but doesn’t possess a jump shot, instead relying on floaters and hook shots in the lane. On the defensive end, Ighodaro has the quickness, size and speed to stay in front of smaller players. That intriguing package might convince a team to use a first-round pick on him, but he will likely be drafted right around the Bucks’ selections.

1:45 p.m. — (1) Connecticut vs. (16) Stetson

After winning a national championship last season, Connecticut has once again been one of the best teams in college basketball. Their freshman phenom Stephon Castle will likely end up getting drafted in the top 10 and their towering 7-foot-2 center Donovan Clingan probably gets selected in the top 20.

For Bucks fans though, there are still two potential prospects to watch.

Alex Karaban (No. 11), a 6-8 wing, is not typically seen as a high-upside prospect, but he has played a major role at UConn the last two years, starting 71 games and shooting 39.8 percent from deep on 4.8 3-point attempts per game across the last two seasons. Karaban’s size and quick release gives him the opportunity to get his shot off in many situations, but there will be questions about his athleticism on both ends at the next level. And those questions will likely keep him out of the first round.

At 6-4 and 24 years old by draft night, Cam Spencer (No. 12) is probably closer to a late second-round pick or a priority two-way player for teams around the league, but he has put together a 50-40-90 shooting efficiency season while also putting up 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

2:10 p.m. — (6) Clemson vs. (11) New Mexico

It is tough to predict exactly where P.J. Hall (No. 24) could be drafted in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, but the 22-year-old big man put together a special season at Clemson, averaging 18.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

Hall went to the 2023 NBA Draft Combine before coming back to Clemson for his senior season, where he put in real work to expand his game from that of a traditional big man. He nearly doubled his 3-point attempts from 2.5 to 4.8 per game, but that increase in volume resulted in his 3-point percentage dropping from 39.8 percent to 31.6 percent. On defense, Hall put up 1.8 blocks per game, so he should be able to contribute on both ends.

6:10 p.m. — (4) Duke vs. (13) Vermont

Duke sophomore 7-footer Kyle Filipowski played well enough in his sophomore season to put himself in the conversation to be a lottery pick, so he will likely be gone by the time the Bucks make their selection at the end of the first round. Teammate Jared McCain (No. 0), however, could end up being a player for the Bucks to consider.

As a freshman, McCain started all 32 games for the Blue Devils and averaged 13.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. His standout skill was his 3-point shooting. Not only did McCain hit 39.9 percent from behind the 3-point line, but he did so on high volume (5.6 attempts per game) and high difficulty with McCain showing the ability to knock down triples on the move and off the dribble. The 20-year-old is undersized though and he will need to find a way to compete defensively to find consistent success in the NBA.

6:25 p.m. — (1) Purdue vs. (16) Montana State/Grambling winner

Zach Edey (No. 15) is impossible to miss. The 7-foot-4, 285-pound center has dominated college basketball each of the last two seasons. He was the National Player of the Year last season and will be in the conversation for the award once again as he put up 24.4 points and 11.7 rebounds per game to lead the Boilermakers to a No. 1 seed.

While Edey overwhelmed college players, the size that made him special in NCAA competition may end up hindering him at the next level. Edey should be able to play drop pick-and-roll coverage at the next level, but there will be serious questions about his ability to stay on the floor defensively against much quicker and athletic players in the NBA. And that is why the best player in college basketball may still be around in the Bucks’ range at the end of the first round.

(Photo of P.J. Hall and Ryan Dunn: Lance King / Getty Images)