With the eighth pick in the 2008 National Basketball Association draft, the Bucks selected West Virginia junior Joe Alexander.

Alexander, a 6-foot 8-inch, 230-pound small forward, averaged 16.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in 36 games with the Mountaineers last season. His draft stock rose significantly after averaging 23.9 points over his last nine game, leading West Virginia into the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 -- a run that included a second-round upset of second-seeded Duke.

His performance last season earned Alexander, 21, a spot on the All-Big East First Team and was an All-American Honorable Mention by the Associated Press.

"I'm going to bring toughness; someone who is committed to game wants to win and bring a lot more wins to the Bucks," Alexander told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith after being picked.

"I can't wait to get there."

In 81 career games (70 starts), Alexander averaged 12.1 points and 4.8 rebounds a game. He emerged as the team's leading rebounder last season thanks to what scouts consider above-average leaping ability.

The pick gives the Bucks three options at small forward, including Charlie Villanueva and Richard Jefferson, who was acquired earlier Thursday in a trade that sent Bobby Simmons and last year's first-round pick, Yi Jianlian, to New Jersey.

"One thing about him, he's still raw," Bucks general manager John Hammond said. "This past season, he kind of blew up. He's still a little bit raw, but that's one of the exciting things about him. I think he's a kid who has a chance to get better, improve. I think he has tremendous upside."

Alexander worked out for the Bucks on June 6 at the team's practice facility. Afterwards, he sat down for a Q&A with Bucks.com.

With their second-round pick (37th overall), the Bucks selected forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.

Mbah a Moute (6-8, 230) comes to Milwaukee following a three-year collegiate career at UCLA. He averaged 8.8 points and 6.0 rebounds (T-11th in the Pac-10) last season for the Bruins.

Mbah a Moute, 21, earned Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 and Honorable Mention All-Defensive Team honors following the 2007-08 campaign. His 775 career rebounds at UCLA rank 15th on the school's all-time list.

Mbah a Moute was born in Yaounde, Cameroon.