Two Wildcats in NBA Draft first round: Burries at 10 to Bucks, Peat at 30 to Suns

Phoenix acquired the 30th pick from Dallas and used it to pick up the Phoenix-area native, who helped the Wildcats reach the Final Four last season as a freshman after leading Gilbert Perry High School to four state championships.

“Koa does so many things on the court at such a high level, and impacts winning in so many ways, but he also knows how to make an impact off the court as well,” UA coach Tommy Lloyd said in a statement. “He is a special young man, and I know that the Suns are thrilled to have him join their organization because he treats everyone around him the right way."

While Peat will get a chance to keep playing in his home state, his decision to stay in the draft instead of returning to Arizona was heavily scrutinized. He likely would have earned at least as much if he returned to Arizona than as the No. 30 pick, where he is slotted to earn about $3 million next season under the NBA's rookie salary schedule.

A fall into the second round, where contracts do not have to be guaranteed, would have likely put Peat closer to the rookie salary minimum of about $1.3 million.

Doubts about Peat's short-term viability at the NBA level also surfaced after he did not shoot well at the NBA Combine, adding doubts about his ability to expand his efficient and explosive game inside mid-range.

"He's got to stretch out his range," ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said after Peat was drafted. "He scores all his points in the paint, but he is a big, strong, wide-bodied frontcourt player. ... Really strong and athletic, just a warrior that attacks the rim and attacks bodies."

Burries, meanwhile, became the second-highest UA draftee of the Lloyd era behind only Bennedict Mathurin, who went No. 6 to Indiana in 2022. The leading scorer of the Wildcats' Big 12 champion and Final Four team last season, Burries will wind up ushering in a new era in Milwaukee.

Earlier Tuesday, the Bucks agreed to trade star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami as part of a massive deal in which Milwaukee also received the No. 13 pick -- and used that to pick up Tennessee forward Nate Ament.

Asked about the new chapter, the typically soft-spoken Burries said he wouldn't deny there is pressure but kept the focus on his own standards.

"I'm just gonna go there, be me," Burries said. "I put all of my trust and faith in my Lord, Jesus Christ. He's put me in a position to be successful and I feel like he's give me the opportunity that I need. I'm gonna make the best out of it."

Burries' selection was celebrated by former Wildcat standout Richard Jefferson, who has been providing color commentary for ESPN's draft broadcast.

"This young man is outstanding," Jefferson said. "Arizona hadn't been to a Final Four in 25 years, since I was there. I know Duke and North Carolina are gonna talk a lot of trash about that but for this young man and that group, including Koa Peat, to do what they have done all season long, them and Michigan were the top two teams."

Jefferson went on to compare Burries to well-rounded Suns guard Devin Booker.

"He's got physicality," Jefferson said. "He can play through contact. You can see him finishing with the off hand. He can score at multiple levels. I love his ability to play-make, pass, finish. He does so many things."

Lloyd, who was on hand at the draft in Brooklyn, N.Y., said he was proud of the work Burries had put in that led to his selection. Burries became the 17th UA player taken in the NBA Draft with a Top 10 pick.

 “The Milwaukee Bucks are getting an excellent player and an incredible young man that has grown so much and I know his best basketball is ahead of him," Lloyd said in a statement. "Watching Brayden in practices, workouts and games over the past year makes me confident that his game will translate very well to the NBA from the start and we can’t wait to see him take those next steps.”

Burries was picked toward the end of a flurry of guards taken high in the draft, behind North Carolina's Caleb Wilson (No. 4), Illinois' Keaton Wagler (5), Louisville's Mikel Brown (6), Arkansas' Darius Acuff (7) and Houston's Kingston Flemings (8).

After he was picked, Burries joined an ESPN interview with his father, Bobby Burries, and mother, Hannah Low and shared the moment.

"He grew up playing basketball and so did my mom," Burries said. "I just want to make sure they know they can live through me and I just try to make them happy every single day."

Burries had been widely projected to go to Dallas at No. 9 but the Mavericks, who hired coach Dusty May away from Michigan on Monday, took Wolverines forward Morez Johnson instead.

Burries wound up being sandwiched by Wolverines: Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who began his college career at Arizona Western, followed Burries when the Golden State Warriors picked him at No. 11 and Oklahoma City then took Michigan center Aday Mara at No. 12.

The Bucks later paired Burries with Ament, whom Milwaukee took with the No. 13 pick they acquired from Miami.

A five-star freshman from San Bernardino, Calif., Burries struggled initially as a freshman for the Wildcats last season but emerged into the leading scorer of a team that reached the Final Four for the first time in 25 seasons.

Burries averaged 17.5 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 38.2% from 3-point range in Big 12 play, becoming a first-team all-conference pick. For the season, he averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and shot 39.1% from 3-point range despite his early struggles. 

“He impacts winning,” Bilas said on ESPN's draft show. "He's a smooth shooter, very skilled, fundamentally sound, and he's got really good speed. He makes really impressive plays at both ends of the floor. The scoring stands out, his open court ability, but he makes defensive plays. ... he's an instinctive defender, gets steals and he makes the play that's required."

Bilas said Burries also has "no memories," able to move on quickly from a play.

"Once he does something, it's in the rear-view mirror," Bilas said. "He doesn't think about it."

During the predraft process this spring, Burries did not play in NBA Combine five-on-five scrimmages, since he was a projected lottery pick with little to gain, but he did show off his shooting touch in drills: Burries hit 70% off the dribble, 68.0% in the 3-point “star drill,” and 56.0% of his spot-up shots.

“I feel like I could have done better,” Burries said. “But I did pretty good.”

With the Wildcats last season, Burries shot 56.2% from two-point range, 39.1% from 3-point range and 80.5% from the free throw line.

Arizona is projected to have two more picks in the draft's second round on Wednesday: Guard Jaden Bradley and forward Tobe Awaka. Wing Anthony Dell'Orso is also a candidate to receive a two-way contract between the NBA and G League.

Two former Wildcats are also second round draft prospects: Forward Henri Veesaar (who transferred to North Carolina in 2025) and guard Kylan Boswell (who went to Illinois in 2024).

Arizona last had four players taken in the NBA Draft in 2021: Jefferson (13), Gilbert Arenas (31), Michael Wright (39) and Loren Woods (46).