Ex-Wildcat Brayden Burries embraces growth mindset with Milwaukee Bucks

Arizona's Burries was the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft two days earlier, and Ament was No.13, a pick the Bucks acquired through the trade of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Here are three takeaways:

Jenkins pushed growth mindset from the start

During the news conference, both Ament and Burries described a unique inclusion in their pre-draft meetings with new Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins.

When asked about his pre-draft process, Ament described how Jenkins pulled out a “lowlight reel” of his worst college plays. He said he was surprised but appreciated that Jenkins recognized that he had room to grow.

“As a player with room to grow it’s important to have a coach that sees that in you,” Ament said. Jenkins playfully put a hand on Ament’s shoulder and laughed as he spoke.

Burries added that Jenkins had played a similar video compilation for him during their pre-draft meeting.

“He was the only coach who did it,” Burries said. “That just shows how much he cares about you and wants to see you grow.”

Burries said that Jenkins reminded him of his college coach, Tommy Lloyd, describing him as a players' coach.

From these brief interactions, the initial chemistry between the newest Bucks and their coach seems clear.

Ament tried to get Burries to Tennessee

Burries and Ament have spent a lot of time together since the draft at the Barclays Center, so that has intensified the bonding experience between the duo.

“Been with him for a few days now,” Burries said. “He’s just such a great person, great human being.”

The pair has crossed paths before. Like all elite recruits — both were consensus five-star prospects — they played in the same all-star events.

But Ament let it slip that he was trying to get Burries to commit with him to Tennessee.

Burries clarified the story.

“I visited and I really liked Coach (Rick) Barnes, he’s a great coach,” Burries said. “Going to be a Hall of Famer coach.”

Burries, a California native, went back home and still thought he should go to Arizona.

“Nate and his people contacted us to see what we are thinking,” Burries said.

The recruiting pitch didn’t sway Burries, who went to Arizona and helped lead the Wildcats to the Final Four.

“Didn’t quite work out that way,” Ament said. “He’s a great player. He’s won at every level he’s been at, so I’m excited to not only learn from him but just his journey and continue to learn and grow as we step into this new league together.”

Now they are officially teammates.

“I’m really just excited to get to know him more,” Burries said. “Get to know everybody in the Bucks organization. Just get to work.”

'The intangibles that really matter'

Being selected just picks apart in the draft, Burries and Ament will be linked together for as long as their time with the Bucks lasts.

Their games work as a pair, with Burries an attacking guard and Ament a long, lean forward.

Jenkins is coming in and implementing his system, and he said he likes the fit of the rookies. The head coach noted the cheers in the team’s draft room when both were selected.

“It started with the individual first,” Jenkins said. “Obviously, as we’re mapping out our roster, we want positional versatility. We want versatility with offensive abilities.

“Both these guys talked about it. I know Nate’s talked about it publicly when he’s been interviewed, Brayden just said it, ‘I can be on the ball, I can be off the ball.’ The ball can be in his hands, he can play off the ball. Our ability to have play-making and a lot of different ways offensively, these guys fit that ball. Positional size definitely helps. But it’s sometimes the intangibles that really matter.

“So when we think about a combination as we went through the draft process, especially the last couple days, identifying Brayden and Nate was definitely in the forefront of our minds. (The) person but also the player. But also we think about the impact these guys can make over time defensively, that versatility, interchangeability, obviously guard-wing, we’re going to see where these guys develop over the course of their careers. That was definitely in the forefront of our minds when we knew this could actually materialize.”

Jon Horst, the general manager who made the call on the picks, said he likes the possibility of Burries and Ament growing together.

“How they are utilized on the basketball floor, how they grow and develop physically, their game, emotionally, mentally,” Horst said. “All those things. (It takes) all our efforts, our opportunities, and use the resources we have to do that, to maximize that. But they fit as people.

“I think you can see the synergy already. There’s a consistent theme in what we’ve targeted. The competitiveness. The character. The IQ of an athlete. Hopefully, great physical size, positional size. We’ve got a big guard, a big wing here. And I think great length, and I think great athleticism, and just mobility.

“There are some things that make sense, but it’s way more about the people and what we’re trying to really bring into the organization and continue to build with going forward.”