Milwaukee could see some big return on their investment if they draft one of these big fellas
The 2025 NBA draft is only a few days away. If you haven’t yet done your research on this year’s class, don’t worry—Brew Hoop is here to help you cram. For the last month, we’ve been covering every prospect the Bucks have worked out. Now, we’re breaking down players the team should be targeting with the 47th pick. While Milwaukee may try to move up in the draft or trade out of it entirely, history also says Jon Horst likes to have at least one second-rounder each year.
While uncovering a star in the depths of the draft is unlikely, there is still real value available. Ryan Rollins was the 44th pick in 2022. Jericho Sims was the 58th pick in 2021. Recent 47th picks include Antonio Reeves (2024), Vince Williams Jr. (2022), and Svi Mykhailiuk (2018). The goal of this series is to identify 47th pick targets for the Bucks who have a chance at becoming rotation-caliber players or at least sticking in the league for multiple seasons. We’ve already talked about guards and wings/forwards who fit that bill. Today, to wrap up the series, we’ll be breaking down some big men.
Why should the Bucks draft a big? Centers drafted outside of the lottery have been shockingly valuable in the last five years. The majority of them contribute positively in the short term and the long run, and they frequently return value that exceeds their original draft slot. You can read more about those trends in this article, but the bottom line is that Milwaukee would be wise to target a big man if they want the best chance at landing a rotation-caliber player. Plus, the team could use some insurance in the frontcourt. Brook Lopez and Jericho Sims are both free agents this summer, and Bobby Portis could join them if he declines his player option.
Here are six big man prospects the Bucks should be considering at 47:
Yanic Konan Niederhauser (dream target)
Taj Falconer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Height: 7’0”
School: Penn State
Year: Junior
ESPN big board rank: 34
Bucks workout participant? No
Yanic Konan Niederhauser has skyrocketed up draft boards in the past few weeks. He was considered a late second-rounder at best until combine week, where he earned a call-up from the G League Elite Camp to the varsity combine in Chicago, wowed with his measurements, and ultimately found himself nearly in consensus first-round territory. As a junior at Penn State, Niederhauser was one of the best defenders in the Big 10, leading the conference with 2.3 blocks per game while also averaging 12.9 PPG and 6.3 RPG on 61.1% from the field. With the way the Swiss shot-swatter’s profile has shaped up, the Bucks could have a major steal on their hands if they could land him at 47, making this a dream target.
Strengths
- Athleticism
- Positional size
- Interior defense/shot blocking
- Pick-and-roll finishing
- Lob catching and finishing
- Footwork
Weaknesses
- Defensive rebounding
- Passing
- Consistency in space defensively
- Shooting
Fit with Bucks: Jericho Sims proved to be an incredibly useful presence for Milwaukee with his standout bounce and defensive utility last season. Niederhauser regularly performs similar riveting athletic feats, and he’s taller and a better drop defender than Sims. He has all the makings of a fantastic backup, and if you’re not sold on that yet, check out his highlights from his game against Wisconsin this past winter (note that this video doesn’t include his five blocks from that game):
Rocco Zikarsky
Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images
Height: 7’4”
Pre-draft team: Brisbane Bullets (NBL)
Age: 19
ESPN big board rank: 41
Bucks workout participant? No
At 7’4” in shoes, Rocco Zikarsky is a massive human. That level of size alone gives him a good shot at being at least an impactful backup. However, he’s more of a theoretical prospect than an actualized one at this point. He played just 12.2 minutes per game in the NBL last season and averaged 4.7 points and 0.7 blocks on 50.0% shooting.
Strengths
- Positional size
- Offensive rebounding
- Interior defense/shot blocking
- Screening
- Dunker spot finishing
Weaknesses
- Foot speed
- Defensive versatility
- Passing
Fit with Bucks: Zikarsky would be Brook Lopez insurance defensively, as he’s primarily a drop guy who can shut down the paint using his gigantic frame. Offensively, he would need to share the floor with Giannis, Dame, Kevin Porter Jr., or another creator at all times in order for him to be effective. Giannis hasn’t spent much time playing with traditional bigs in recent years, but the Bucks could experiment with running him next to Zikarsky in order to maximize the Greek Freak’s helpside defensive abilities.
Vladislav Goldin
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Height: 7’1”
School: Michigan
Year: Graduate
ESPN big board rank: 50
Bucks workout participant? No
Goldin was one of the Big 10’s most formidable frontcourt forces last season. He averaged 16.6 points and 7.0 rebounds on his way to making an all-conference team and winning Big 10 Tournament MVP. In 2023, he helped lead Florida Atlantic to their first Final Four appearance ever.
Strengths
- Pick-and-roll finishing
- Post scoring
- Rebounding
- Interior defense
- Floor spacing upside
- Free throw shooting
- Positional size
Weaknesses
- Passing
- Defensive versatility
- Low-volume shooter
Fit with Bucks: If it’s Brook Lopez replacements Milwaukee is looking for, Goldin would be an even better option than Zikarsky. The Michigan monster is more polished on both ends, and he can shoot a little bit— he hit 33.3% of his threes on 0.9 attempts a game as a graduate. Additionally, Goldin ran some mind-blowingly effective pick-and-rolls with his 7’0” teammate Danny Wolf, and the idea of similar action between Giannis and Goldin is terrifyingly intriguing.
Eric Dixon
Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Height: 6’9”
School: Villanova
Year: Graduate
ESPN big board rank: 45
Bucks workout participant? No
Dixon is a skilled jumbo four man who led the entire nation in scoring last season at 23.3 points per game. He made three all-conference teams during his five years at Villanova and was named an All-American as a graduate.
Strengths
- Catch-and-shoot ability
- Off-the-dribble scoring
- Efficiency
- Physicality
- Offensive rebounding
Weaknesses
- Athleticism
- Interior defense
- Defensive rebounding
- Defensive playmaking
Fit with Bucks: In many ways, Dixon is like an accelerated version of Tyler Smith. His shooting is legit, and he could be a really fun piece next to Giannis offensively. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a defined defensive role. He’s definitely not a rim protector, but he’s absolutely not a wing stopper either, and he doesn’t move his feet well consistently enough to be a switch big. While that conundrum limits his ceiling, his scoring ability makes his path to early rotation minutes very clear.
Hansen Yang
Height: 7’2”
Pre-draft team: Qingdao Eagles (CBA)
Age: 20
ESPN big board rank: 35
Bucks workout participant? Yes
Yang is both an unusual and an enthralling prospect. His statistical dominance in China has had him on draft radars for a few years now, and his standout 2025 draft combine performance cemented his place in this year’s class. He stuffed the stat sheet last season in the CBA, averaging 16.2 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 2.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, and 2.7 BPG.
Strengths
- Passing/high-post playmaking
- Post scoring
- Pick-and-roll finishing
- Interior defense
- Rebounding
- Screening
- Floor spacing upside
Weaknesses
- Foot speed
- Turnovers
- Athleticism
- Fouling
- Shooting consistency
Fit with Bucks: Because Yang brings a rare skillset to the table, he doesn’t have a defined role that suits him best at this point. He most closely resembles Brook Lopez on defense, as he’s very slow-footed and is therefore limited to deep drop coverage in the pick-and-roll. Offensively, he’s not quite a good enough shooter (yet) to be a stretch five like Lopez, but he could add some interesting wrinkles to Milwaukee’s playbook with his ability to pass as a big man. This would be an upside bet for the Bucks, but one that has a decent chance at hitting the jackpot.
Izan Almansa
Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images
Height: 6’10”
Pre-draft team: Perth Wildcats (NBL)
Age: 20
ESPN big board rank: 69
Bucks workout participant? Yes
Almansa was once considered a lottery talent, but years of uncertainty and underperformance sank his stock. He was a member of the doomed G League Elite program in 2023–24, which definitely didn’t help his perception. However, he couldn’t rebuild his reputation in the NBL last season, as he averaged a relatively pedestrian 7.2 points in 16.1 minutes a night.
Strengths
- Pick-and-roll finishing
- Post scoring
- Rebounding
- Short-roll passing
- Foot speed
Weaknesses
- Interior defense
- Athleticism
- Physicality
- Free throw shooting
Fit with Bucks: Think of Almansa as Bobby Portis without the jumpshot. He’d be effective as an energy guy off the bench who crashes the glass and scores in the post, but he couldn’t be made too important to a team due to his defensive limitations. The Bucks clearly have interest in the Spaniard, as they worked him out, and they may view him as a potential Portis replacement should the fan favorite leave in pursuit of a big contract.
Which of these prospects would you draft at 47? Who was left off this list? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading this series!