MILWAUKEE -- If the Bucks are going to land a top-three pick in the NBA draft, it will take a significant amount of luck in Wednesday night's lottery selection show.
With Milwaukee's 31-35 record being the 12th-worst in the NBA, the most likely scenario has the Bucks winding up with the No. 12 pick, as there is a 93.55 percent chance of that.
However, there is a 2.54 percent chance Milwaukee will defy the odds and move into one of the top three draft slots. That includes a 0.70 percent chance that the Bucks grab the top pick, which would ultimately be used to select Kentucky big man Anthony Davis.
Only twice in the 18 years of the current draft lottery system has the team with the best odds won the top overall pick, with Cleveland getting LeBron James in 2003 and Orlando receiving the pick in 2004 to select Dwight Howard. This year, it's the Charlotte Bobcats who have the best odds (25 percent) of getting the No. 1 pick.
The biggest jump to No. 1 overall in the current draft lottery system was the Chicago Bulls in 2008 when they went from the ninth-best odds all the way to the top to select Derrick Rose.
Milwaukee's odds of drafting at No. 2 overall are 0.83 percent, and the possibility of picking at No. 3 are 1.01 percent.
If the Bucks do land the second or third overall pick, they will have several intriguing prospects to choose from. With Davis certain to go No. 1, Milwaukee would have its choice between Kentucky wing man Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Florida shooting guard Bradley Beal, Kansas forward Thomas Robinson, Connecticut center Andre Drummond and North Carolina small forward Harrison Barnes.
If the draft lottery holds to form and the Bucks stay at No. 12, it's likely that Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger, Connecticut shooting guard Jeremy Lamb, Duke guard Austin Rivers and Kentucky wing man Terrence Jones would all be available.
Though Milwaukee has never wound up at No. 2 or No. 3 overall through the draft lottery, the Bucks have twice moved up to No. 1. It first happened in 1994 when Milwaukee opted for Glenn Robinson instead of Jason Kidd and Grant Hill. The Bucks again were up first overall in 2005 when they selected Andrew Bogut over Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
This will be current Bucks general manager John Hammond's fifth draft with the team. His first-round selections thus far have been Joe Alexander (8th overall, 2008), Brandon Jennings (10th overall, 2009), Larry Sanders (15th overall, 2010) and Tobias Harris (19th overall, 2011).
Hammond will be in New York for the draft lottery selection show to represent the Bucks.
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