ST. FRANCIS – The long, athletic Bucks got even longer and more athletic in the first round of the NBA Draft.

With the No. 17 overall pick on Thursday night, Milwaukee selected Michigan forward D.J. Wilson, a 21-year-old junior who was considered a late bloomer that turned heads late in the season, when the Wolverines went on a run to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. The 6-foot-10, 234-pound Wilson has an enormous 7-3 wingspan, adding more length to a frontcourt that already has Thon Maker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, John Henson and others.

Wilson was the first draft pick for new Bucks general manager Jon Horst, who has been on the job for less than a week after spending the previous nine seasons as director of basketball operations. Horst had earlier said that Milwaukee’s draft plans were "crystal clear" and he was targeting players that would be with the team long-term to help build a championship contender. In the second round, the Bucks selected SMU guard Sterling Brown with the 48th overall pick.

Horst said "positional versatility" was what separated Wilson from the other athletic big men still on the board at No. 17, especially given head coach Jason Kidd's switch-heavy defensive scheme.

"(Kidd) coaches in a way where guys are switch candidates," Horst said. "They play multiple positions, have multiple skills. When we looked at DJ, we saw a player that we felt could play the four; someday when he matures and gets stronger, maybe play the five, and also has the skill set to play the three."

Added Kidd: "Watching him on film, he fits the DNA of the Bucks. We know he’ll play multiple positions. We thought if he was there, that would be one of the guys that we had to have."

But that wasn't all that stood out to Horst and Kidd from seeing Wilson at the NBA scouting combine, on tape and at his agent-held pro day.

"Character, physical talent, length, basketball IQ," Horst said when asked about Wilson's defensive attributes. "He knows how to play, he understands the game; he’s 6-foot-10, got a 7-foot-3 wingspan. He’s got good feet, strong legs, and we think he’ll be able to defend in our system and at this level."

What's good Milwaukee!! https://t.co/PqQtlgCtAp

— D.J. Wilson (@Lanky_Smoove) June 23, 2017

Wilson finished the 2016-17 season with averages of 11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. He was the only player in the Big Ten to post at least 10 points per game, while making over 50 percent of his field goals (53.8) and over 80 percent of his free throw (81.7). Wilson turned it up in the postseason last year, averaging 15.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks over seven games during the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments combined. His breakout performance was a 26-point, eight-rebound game in an upset over Purdue.

After a slow start to his collegiate career – 2.3 points in 5.5 minutes over 31 games for his first two seasons – Wilson took a huge step forward as a junior, displaying fluid movement, explosive leaping ability, versatility and a nice shooting touch that made him suddenly appealing as an NBA prospect. Agile and athletic, Wilson is already a good shot-blocker, but he needs to become a better rebounder and play with more physicality to fulfill his two-way player upside.

Horst said he was "absolutely" impressed with the way Wilson elevated his game in big moments, but also indicated that, after extensive film study, the Bucks believed he played at more or less the same level all season long.

"I think you look at a player who had to redshirt early on in his career, got a little bit better the next year, got a little bit better at the start of this season and then really kind of exploded at the end," Horst said. "One of the things our analytics guys looked at this year (was) he played with the same effectiveness most of the year, which is really interesting to us. He just started using the ball a lot more as the season went on.

"So we know he can be efficient in any role – whether he’s using the ball a lot or using the ball a little bit, he actually has the ability to be efficient and effective."

Despite a quadriceps injury that limited him at the combine – and even though he didn’t work out for the Bucks, whom Horst had previously indicated would prefer players they’d had in – Wilson was too alluring to pass up for Milwaukee.

"D.J.’s been at the top of our list for a while now. Throughout the process, he’s been there steadily," Horst said, adding that Milwaukee's medical staff was comfortable with Wilson. 

With Jabari Parker expected to miss the first few months of the 2017-18 season as he recovers from knee surgery, Wilson’s mid- and long-range shooting ability (37.3 three-point percentage) could be a major asset. Already a good ball-handler for his size, if Wilson can improve his court vision and passing, he has the potential to become a playmaking forward who can space the floor on offense and guard multiple positions on defense.

"On the offensive side, he can shoot the ball, stretch the defense, he’s very comfortable with the ball, can put the ball on the floor," Kidd said. "So you look at someone like that who can rebound the ball and then start the break, that fits what we have here."

According to the Detroit Free Press, Wilson had a 3.8 grade-point average in high school and had an offer to go to Harvard before committing to Michigan. Reports of his personality and work ethic suggest he’ll fit well both in Milwaukee’s locker room and on the court with Antetokounmpo and Co.

"The things that he brings, you know, blocking shots, being 6-10 and using your length, that’s our DNA, and so hopefully he can do those things that we see," Kidd said. "He’s going to work extremely hard, but, again, when you talk about today’s NBA, there is no position. And so he fits what we’re trying to build here."

In the second round, with the No. 48 overall selection, Horst chose South Carolina guard Sindarius Thornwell, but sold the pick to the Los Angeles Clippers and acquired the rights to 22-year-old guard Sterling Brown from the Philadelphia 76ers. Brown, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound wing with a nearly 6-10 wingspan, averaged 13.4 points, 3.0 assists and 1.4 steals in 32.7 minutes per game last year for the Mustangs.

Brown adds more length and athleticism and is also an excellent shooter, posting a 46.5 field-goal percentage last season, including 44.9 percent on three-pointers. Because the league transaction was still pending, Horst said the Bucks weren't yet able to comment on Brown but would have more information in the coming days.

Horst was asked about his experience running Milwaukee's draft room for the first time as general manager.

"It felt like home," he said. "This is my 13th draft in this league. We had a great plan, we went step by step, we nailed our board. ... When you get to this point, you’ve prepared, you’ve discussed it so much, it becomes second nature and that’s the way it felt today."