Power Ranking Young Milwaukee Bucks Prospects by Star Potential

The days of the Milwaukee Bucks settling for mediocrity are quickly becoming a minuscule speck in the franchise's proverbial rearview mirror. Instead of trading picks and acquiring aging talent, they now seem focused on developing the prospects they have and building around them.

But how do those individual players compare in terms of future potential?

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker are the Bucks' most recent first-round draft picks and both have shown a level of promise a team would expect from players drafted in similar spots.

Amongst the obvious names are hidden gems like Khris Middleton, who wasn't highly touted coming out of college but has managed to make his presence known in a few short years.

Stockpiling a wealth of talent is a great way to build for the future, and it's something the Bucks have seemingly embraced.

Let's take a look at the five Bucks under the age of 25 with the greatest potential.

5. Khris Middleton

Aaron Gash/Associated Press

When the Bucks dealt Brandon Knight at the trade deadline, they were left with a gaping hole in scoring production.

Knight was averaging 17.8 points on 43.5 percent shooting and was, without question, the team's go-to scoring option, especially in crunch time. Upon his departure, it was uncertain who would step in and fill that vacant role on a consistent basis.

Enter 23-year-old Middleton.

Instantly, the third-year wing asserted himself and took over the scoring load.

Over the course of the 29 post-Knight regular season games, Middleton averaged 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three-point range.

He's long, he's quick, he's consistently good on offense and he's more than capable defensively.

And while he'll likely net himself a deal this offseason worth around $8 million per season, according to Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times, Middleton does not quite have the same ceiling that the next four players on the list do.

4. John Henson

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Averaging just 18.3 minutes during the regular season, 24-year-old John Henson has seemingly fallen out of favor with head coach Jason Kidd and the rest of the coaching staff.

Coming off a 2013-14 campaign which saw him average 11.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, many probably assumed Henson would play a big part in the rotation this year. That, however, wasn't the case.

With great length, excellent touch around the rim and elite shot-blocking capabilities, Henson seems like a player who possesses massive potential. Still, he hasn't quite tapped into it fully. Often times, he looks lost on defense, and he's not strong enough with the ball in the post on offense.

Obviously, they are things that can be corrected, but now is the time to do so. He hasn't been able to steal the starting center role from veteran Zaza Pachulia, and as valuable as Pachulia has been, Henson not being able to steal minutes from him is a little concerning.

First things first, Henson needs to play himself into more minutes and then showcase what he can do, especially on the offensive interior. If he can provide the Bucks with a consistent, low-post scoring option, his potential will continue to increase.

3. Michael Carter-Williams

Morry Gash/Associated Press

With the year Knight was putting together, trading for 23-year-old Michael Carter-Williams was a tough pill for plenty of fans to swallow.

However, strictly speaking from a potential standpoint, Carter-Williams not only has more upside than Knight but more than most players on the current roster.

Standing at 6'6", the physical advantage he has is the first thing that jumps out at you. Carter-Williams is one of the tallest point guards in the league and should possess the ability to pick on defenders on the offensive end. Defensively, his length allows him to play passing aggressively.

Appearing in 25 games as a member of the Bucks, Carter-Williams averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 assists and 4.0 rebounds on 42.9 percent shooting. His points, rebounds and assists were all down, but his shooting percentage increased, and he became smarter in terms of his shot selection.

He clearly has the physical attributes to succeed at his position, and many of the point guard skills are there. However, he needs to develop a consistent shot and cut down on mistakes.

If he can tap into his potential, he'll likely remain a member of the Bucks for the foreseeable future. If he doesn't? Well, then, he'll likely find himself attempting to prove his value somewhere else.

2. Jabari Parker

John Minchillo/Associated Press

Certainly, his rookie season wasn't what the 20-year-old Parker or fans had imagined. Nonetheless, the brief glimpse into his talents was enough to keep the excitement levels heightened.

Without question, the area in which Parker will be of most value as the Bucks move forward is his ability to score. Despite averaging just 12.3 points, Parker shot an impressive 49.0 percent and didn't seem fazed, scoring efficiently at the next level.

The biggest struggle for Parker throughout his NBA career will be on the defensive end. He looked a lot more engaged through his first 25 games than he did in college. Hopefully, that means he's willing to put in the work to become an adequate defender.

Parker's upside is somewhat limited simply because he isn't a tremendous defender or a freakish athlete. What he is, though, is a very good scorer who is going to grab his share of rebounds and put forth maximum effort.

If you need points, Parker will be the guy to get you them. And that is why he has valuable potential looking ahead.

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

Hands down, no questions asked: Antetokounmpo has the most potential on this team.

As talented as Parker is offensively, it's hard to envision him ever becoming the player Antetokounmpo is on defense.

At 6'11", with a lot of length, he is a nightmare on defense and can extend into passing lanes and block shots with relative ease. Offensively, the youngster is still rather raw. He hasn't developed the consistency needed with his jump shot and is often still too tentative.

Regardless, Antetokounmpo averaged 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 49.1 percent shooting from the floor. That's not the greatest stat line, but what's important is that he got better as the year went on, posting solid numbers in both February and March.

Still just 20 years old, the Greek Freak has plenty to learn and must continue to get better with each game.

There are very few players in the league who possess the unique combination of size, athleticism and skill set that he does.