2025 NBA draft: Worth picks, dangerous strikes, ROY predictions

The 2025 NBA draft is a wrap, with Cooper Flagg (No. 1 to the Dallas Mavericks) and Dylan Harper (No. 2 to the San Antonio Spurs) the headliners of what turned out to be a primary spherical filled with twists.

Ace Bailey got here off the board at No. 5 to the Utah Jazz, a workforce that wasn’t certainly one of his deliberate locations, however could possibly be a superb touchdown spot. The New Orleans Pelicans made an aggressive play to pair Jeremiah Fears (No. 7) with Derik Queen (No. 13), transferring precious draft capital to make it occur. The Portland Path Blazers made probably the most stunning decide of the primary spherical by deciding on Yang Hansen (ranked No. 35 in our closing High 100 large board). And the Brooklyn Nets, who managed 5 first-round picks, drafted all 5 to jump-start a youth motion.

What was one of the best worth decide? Which workforce drafted one of the best class? And which gamers could possibly be named first-team All-Rookie? Now we have spent years finding out the prospects within the 2025 class, and listed here are the strikes we appreciated, the strikes that shocked us and we’ll share just a few long-term predictions.

Let’s dig into the fallout of this draft by answering 15 questions.

Leap to a subject:
Favourite decide | Ideally suited scenario | Greatest worth
Largest shock | Class decide | In-draft trades
Shock faller | ROY candidates | All-Rookie gamers
G-league hitter | Undrafted underdog
Predictions | Total takeaways

What was your favourite decide of the complete draft?

Givony: Kasparas Jakucionis to the Miami Warmth at No. 20. Not solely did the Warmth get the No. 10 participant on my large board, in addition they obtained a participant who fills a roster void and matches their tradition and elegance of play completely. Jakucionis (6-foot-6, 205 kilos) has the ballhandling and playmaking skill to supply much-needed shot creation within the backcourt, however he is also sufficiently big to function off the ball alongside All-Star combo guard Tyler Herro.

With Davion Mitchell (restricted free agent) coming off a powerful playoff displaying, the three may definitely play in the identical lineup at instances, because of Jakucionis’ dimension, energy and perimeter capturing prowess — positional versatility that’s supreme for the trendy NBA.

Of their draft room and after consuming perogies (an Japanese European staple) on Thursday, the Miami Warmth entrance workplace secured Russian heart Vlad Goldin, the No. 2-ranked undrafted free agent prospect on the ESPN High 100 large board (No. 49). He provides to the Warmth’s rising roster of worldwide performer lately, together with Lithuanian and Russian gamers. The Warmth even have Sweden’s Pelle Larsson and Serbia’s Nikola Jovic on their roster.

Woo: Khaman Maluach to the Phoenix Suns at No. 10. I am unable to inform you whether or not the Suns shall be any good subsequent season. However I can say they did a great job of addressing a few of final season’s issues, notably by drafting Maluach, who’s the precise sort of jumbo paint protector Phoenix was sorely lacking.

I do not assume it is an exaggeration to say the Suns had zero defensive identification final season, and Maluach (in tandem with new addition Mark Williams) ought to assist change that tone. He ought to be capable to thrive complementing the Suns’ ball dominant perimeter group.

Which participant landed within the supreme scenario to maximise his expertise?

Givony: Bailey to the Utah Jazz at No. 5. Regardless of the drama round Bailey’s most well-liked draft vacation spot (Washington?) and his agent’s alleged risk to a top-five workforce earlier than the draft to doubtlessly not report back to camp, it wasn’t stunning to see this example amicably resolved, doubtless in no small half as a result of Bailey’s lack of leverage due to the NBA’s collective bargaining settlement and the general public relations backlash this transfer generated.

When Bailey arrives in Utah on Saturday and sees how lucky he’s to land in a scenario with an ample alternative, an absence of star energy, an impressive teaching workers and a extremely passionate fan base, he ought to shortly notice he’s within the good place to succeed in All-Star potential.

Woo: Egor Demin to the Brooklyn Nets at No. 8. I am extra optimistic on Demin’s future than some appear to be — there’ll all the time be a premium positioned on prospects in his mildew as a jumbo playmaker, and I perceive why the Nets believed he was well worth the dive that early within the draft. Going to a workforce the place he’ll get an opportunity to play instantly with loads of on-ball reps, pair with the opposite proficient passers in Brooklyn’s draft class and in addition hone his capturing is right.

His rookie season could possibly be one thing of a crucible, however his unselfish type of play falls consistent with how the Nets clearly need their workforce to look. Touchdown in a clean slate scenario like this could possibly be enormous for Demin, versus having to combat for minutes on a deeper roster that may have restricted the chance to unfold his wings.

What was one of the best worth decide?

Givony: Liam McNeeley to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 29. I am nonetheless shocked McNeeley (ranked No. 17 on our prime 100 large board) fell to the tip of the primary spherical. Recognized for his capturing prowess for many of his profession, McNeeley hit solely 32% of his 3s at UConn this season. He had a number of exercises the place he struggled to shoot as successfully in non-public settings as NBA groups had hoped.

I’ve seen McNeeley shoot lights-out in many various settings and firmly imagine he’ll thrive with NBA spacing in a smaller offensive position than he was requested to shoulder at UConn. He additionally brings extra to the desk together with his dimension (6-foot-8 in sneakers), toughness, really feel for the sport and general talent stage. It is not straightforward to seek out such a participant, so I imagine the Hornets will find yourself getting a steal with this decide.

Woo: Jakucionis to the Warmth. Miami benefited from among the sudden choices forward of it by drafting a participant who some (me included) considered as a top-10 prospect — and one who additionally matches the Warmth’s want for a playmaking guard. He was finally slightly extra polarizing than we anticipated, however my guess is that this one will age higher for the Warmth than it can for the groups that handed on him.

Which decide most shocked you?

Givony: Demin to the Nets. Lots of people had a tough time understanding why we saved Demin in our prime 10 all yr, particularly as he was struggling badly in Large 12 play. Nonetheless, I used to be slightly shocked to see him chosen forward of Khaman Maluach and Jakucionis, who I had in entrance of him on our High 100 large board. We had heard the Nets wished to return out of this draft with a place to begin guard, they usually now have three candidates for that place: Demin, Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf (and perhaps Danny Wolf too).

I like the actual fact Demin shall be empowered to succeed in his full potential in an outsized position (just like BYU), the place he’ll be capable to play via errors, however will even have playmakers alongside him. Ideally, there could be slightly extra capturing to be discovered on this group, however that is one thing the Nets can work via long run, doubtlessly with one other excessive decide in subsequent yr’s loaded draft, the place A.J. Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer or Nate Ament all appear like excellent matches.

Woo: Yang Hansen to the Portland Path Blazers at No. 16. My response was nearer to fascination than shock. Yang has an intriguing talent set for a teenage large who was going to be value somebody rolling the cube on. I appreciated what I noticed from him on the mix, however there was no expectation that he would wind up inside the highest 20, and it is a large gamble on his offensive expertise finally translating from a low stage in China.

The one workforce that was extensively tied to Yang was the Nets, who held 4 picks behind the Path Blazers within the first spherical. I perceive why Portland took him the place it did, as a blanket assertion on draft technique. For those who love a man, simply take him, do not threat it. Buying and selling again was most likely a problem, however even with that rationale, the considered Yang going that top by no means crossed my thoughts in any state of affairs.

Which workforce has your favourite class as a complete?

Givony: Charlotte Hornets. I already wrote about McNeeley above, however I additionally just like the additions of Kon Knueppel (No. 4) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (No. 34) fairly a bit. Knueppel’s really feel for the sport, selfless type of play, energy and toughness ought to make him straightforward to play with, particularly alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, who he may complement fairly nicely. I used to be an enormous fan of Knueppel all season and was not shocked to see him go within the prime 5.

With Kalkbrenner, the Hornets obtained a plug-and-play large who seems to be able to play rotation minutes instantly on an inexpensive rookie-scale deal. Charlotte wanted somebody NBA-ready after buying and selling Mark Williams for the decide that obtained them McNeeley and a 2029 first-rounder, which I believed was an ideal transfer as nicely.

Woo: San Antonio Spurs. Lucking into Harper was one factor, however the Spurs had been proper to not lean into any temptation to commerce him and fast-track their aggressive window. I perceive the match issues, and it will be easier had been De’Aaron Fox not within the combine already, however the thought of letting Harper jell with Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Fortress makes a variety of sense.

Usually talking, we like to assign a way of fast title urgency to each workforce lucky sufficient to make use of superstar-caliber expertise however one has to recollect Wembanyama is 21 years previous. In my thoughts, there was by no means any want for San Antonio to do something however choose and see how these gamers develop collectively. Consider No. 14 decide Carter Bryant, who ought to complement his extra ball dominant teammates with capturing and perimeter protection over time, and the Spurs may have a superb factor going.

Which workforce has your least favourite class as a complete?

Givony: There is not one workforce that stands out, although I’d have beloved to have seen the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets bounce into the motion in both spherical, but it surely’s comprehensible why each groups are prioritizing their playoff home windows proper now.

Woo: New Orleans Pelicans. That is much less in regards to the expertise of gamers they drafted and extra about how the Pelicans invited threat and match issues with their string of current transactions. Fears is an actual expertise, however him maximizing it in what could possibly be a crowded backcourt with Jordan Poole now within the combine is a priority.

And I battle to see how Queen can share the ground with Zion Williamson in a successful context — neither can shoot from the perimeter or defend the paint at a excessive stage, they usually may finally get in one another’s means. I am involved in regards to the probabilities both lottery decide will get to make use of their abilities within the scenario.

After all, I perceive a brand new entrance workplace focusing on the fellows they like, placing their stamp on the workforce and determining different issues later. It could all be slightly extra palatable had the Pelicans not offered off their very own draft decide subsequent yr to make it work — a transfer that locations stress on their present group to take an enormous collective step ahead.

What was your favourite in-draft commerce?

Givony: The Atlanta Hawks buying and selling right down to finally draft Asa Newell at No. 23. Woo recapped the New Orleans facet of the Queen deal, however a shoutout to the brand new Hawks entrance workplace (led by Onsi Saleh) is so as. The Hawks secured what I undertaking to be the No. 8 decide within the 2026 NBA draft, only for transferring down 10 spots on this draft. I had Queen rated 23 spots forward of Newell on my private large board, so there is definitely room to quibble about worth.

But it surely’s honest to query the method New Orleans went via, clearly telegraphing its curiosity in Queen so strongly within the lead-up to the draft that it damage its negotiating leverage. It led to giving up a doubtlessly excessive draft decide in 2026, which ought to have netted New Orleans much more than what it did.

Woo: The Jazz buying and selling as much as draft Walter Clayton Jr. at No. 18 I admittedly was not an enormous Clayton proponent through the season, however the extra I evaluated him, the extra I began to purchase his shotmaking expertise as an intriguing wager in a draft class that was fairly mild on level guards. The Jazz did not need to pay a lot to do it, and whereas he may need to combat for minutes, there is a cheap likelihood Clayton turns into a precious contributor.

What was your least favourite in-draft commerce?

Givony: Memphis buying and selling up 5 spots with Portland from No. 16 to No. 11, giving up an unprotected first-round decide from the Orlando Magic in 2028 and two second-round picks (2027 by way of Atlanta and 2028 from Orlando). That looks like an awfully large haul to maneuver up simply 5 spots, even when there have been a variety of rumblings that the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (selecting No. 15) had been additionally making an attempt to maneuver up for Cedric Coward. I wasn’t particularly offered on Coward being picked that top, so we’ll need to see how this performs out.

I’d have appreciated to have seen Portland transfer down one other five-to-10 picks for Yang, and maybe decide up extra property within the course of, but it surely appears the commerce market softened fairly a bit outdoors the highest 15, with minimal motion within the second half of the primary spherical.

Woo: New Orleans mortgaging the longer term for Queen. Contemplating all of the circumstances, regardless of how badly you imagine within the Maryland heart (or regardless of who you assume ought to have been the thirteenth decide as an alternative), buying and selling away a 2026 first-round decide to maneuver up 10 spots on this draft was arduous for me to rationalize. It is much less in regards to the participant and extra in regards to the course of.

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The performs that Derik Queen is bringing to the Pelicans

Take a look at some prime highlights from Derik Queen because the Pelicans commerce as much as take him.

In 5 years, we’re all going to surprise why ____ fell within the draft?

Givony: Hugo Gonzalez to the Boston Celtics at No. 28. I had him rated because the No. 15 participant on my private large board, 13 spots forward of the place he was drafted. He began the method as a projected top-10 decide, but it surely’s not arduous to grasp why his inventory fell, as he struggled to get on the ground for a loaded Actual Madrid workforce. Had Gonzalez performed for Ratiopharm Ulm, went to BYU (which recruited him closely previous to signing Demin), or spent a season with the NBL Subsequent Stars program in Australia … he would have been a transparent lottery decide in my opinion.

He constructed an impeccable résumé as one of many prime prospects in worldwide basketball in FIBA youth competitions and junior membership competitors previous to this season.

I additionally love his slot in Boston, the place he is sure to emerge as a fan favourite as a result of frenetic depth stage he brings defensively. I used to be advised Boston was telling brokers it deliberate to signal whichever rookie it took with this decide for 80% of the rookie scale, however as a result of Gonzalez’s vital buyout with Actual Madrid ($1.4 million), that will not be viable, as Gonzalez will already must cowl a good portion of that out of his pocket.

Woo: Will Riley to the Washington Wizards at No. 21. I most likely noticed extra of him up shut than anybody, as I noticed Illinois reside many instances final season. I am a giant believer in Riley’s expertise and assume there’s an opportunity he rises to the highest on a Wizards workforce that’s going to offer a variety of alternatives to their younger expertise. He’ll need to work arduous at his bodily growth to make it occur — Riley is 6-foot-8, 180 kilos — however what number of wings with reliable dimension and offensive expertise have ever been too skinny to make it within the NBA?

Riley is not missing for precise sport, and I feel he’ll shock some individuals over time.

Name it now: Who will win NBA Rookie of the Yr?

Givony: Flagg. He’s one of the best participant on this class and shall be requested to play a major position for the Mavs instantly, as they’ve little or no shot creation on their roster at the moment and can want him to be a star from day one. They’re going to want him to basically hold them afloat within the brutal Western Convention as they await Kyrie Irving’s return from a knee harm.

Woo: Anybody aside from Flagg? Um, no. That is to not discredit any participant on this draft, however I do not assume it is a notably daring name. He is strolling into a superb alternative to face out instantly, and I think we’ll see him determine the NBA out on the fly, and relatively shortly.

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Cooper Flagg excited to be taught from Mavs veterans

Cooper Flagg lays out his expectations after being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks

Name it now: Which 5 gamers shall be named to the NBA All-Rookie first workforce?

Givony: Flagg, Harper, Bailey, Knueppel, Tre Johnson (Wizards).

Woo: Flagg, Harper, Johnson, Knueppel — and primarily so we do not decide the very same gamers, I will go together with the opposite Jazz rookie, Clayton Jr.

Which participant is most probably to mild up the G League in 2025-26?

Givony: Javon Small, No. 48 decide by Memphis. A primary-team all-conference participant within the loaded Large 12, Small carried an undermanned West Virginia workforce to the cusp of a NCAA match berth with regular shot creation and shotmaking whereas bringing main toughness on each ends of the ground, issues that usually translate nicely to the G League.

He’ll be a handful to take care of in transition and will thrive within the wide-open nature of that league, doubtless placing up factors in bunches whereas making successful performs on each ends of the ground. I’d not be shocked to see him emerge as one other Scotty Pippen Jr.-type gem for Memphis within the coming years.

Woo: Ryan Nembhard, undrafted. Nembhard will signal a two-way take care of the Mavericks, and the caveat right here is that I may see him getting fast-tracked to a roster spot and NBA utility purely as a result of Mavs’ lack of level guard depth. I like Nembhard’s really feel for playmaking and involving teammates and imagine he can transcend his dimension limitations (6-foot, 180 kilos). He’ll be among the many prime guards within the G League at any time when he is assigned there.

Which undrafted participant are you most to observe?

Givony: Eric Dixon with the Los Angeles Lakers. The previous Villanova guard was the No. 1 scorer in school basketball this season, averaging 23 factors and capturing 41% from 3. He isn’t only a spot-up shooter although, he can hit robust side-step and iso pull-ups, and assaults closeouts to attract fouls at a powerful charge. He stands 6-foot-8 with a robust 260-pound body, making him a real inside-out mismatch within the Guerschon Yabusele mildew. Dixon, 24, might want to show he can maintain his personal defensively, however he is obtained some actual toughness and physicality on prime of his skill to stretch the ground. I like this addition fairly a bit for the Lakers.

I heard Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka frolicked with Dixon after his predraft exercise with the workforce. Apparently, Pelinka advised Dixon the story of Kobe Bryant’s go to to the Sistine Chapel within the Vatican, which was cleared out for them. Pelinka mentioned the very first thing Bryant seen was the shortage of lighting and the way Michelangelo was pressured to do a lot of his work by candlelight, which demonstrated his consideration to element and the main focus required to grasp his craft underneath robust situations. Bryant associated this to his work on the basketball courtroom, imagining what Michelangelo’s mindset may need been like on the time, by way of perfecting his craft and making a world-renowned masterpiece, regardless of less-than-ideal circumstances.

Woo: John Poulakidas with the LA Clippers. The previous Yale guard was one of many deep sleepers I grew to love over the course of the season. Poulakidas (6-foot-6, 205 kilos) has sturdy proportions for a wing, he is an excellent shooter already, and if he can step up his defensive contributions, there is a path for him to make it onto a roster via the backdoor (he is reportedly signing an exhibit-10 with the Clippers). High quality 3-point marksmen with NBA dimension typically get to skip the road extra so than every other position archetype.

Make one prediction about this class for 5 years from now:

Givony: Joan Beringer (No. 17 to the Minnesota Timberwolves) shall be an All-Defensive workforce candidate in 5 years. He is getting a uncommon alternative to be taught from four-time NBA Defensive Participant of the Yr and fellow Frenchman Rudy Gobert in apply day-after-day. Beringer, who grew an inch and a half over the previous yr, had by no means touched a basketball till summer time 2021, as he was targeted on soccer till a late development spurt allowed him to outgrow the game.

He proved to be the highest shot blocker within the Adriatic League throughout his first season {of professional} basketball, demonstrating distinctive instincts and agility as a drop defender and rim protector, giving him enormous potential to develop into long run on that finish of the ground.

Woo: The Nets’ draft ages higher than anticipated. There is a clear imaginative and prescient for what Brooklyn was making an attempt to do: It purchased low on Nolan Traore (No. 19) and Drake Powell (No. 22) coming off of down seasons and it loaded up on high-IQ passers with above-average dimension with Demin, Ben Saraf (No. 26) and Wolf (No. 27). Clearly, the Nets wish to construct an unselfish workforce that shares the ball. I am not as involved about these guys getting in one another’s means developmentally as some individuals appear to be.

All of those gamers want to enhance their perimeter capturing — which is a good critique and main variable. Nonetheless, I fear much less about talent set overlap if you’re bringing collectively guys who like to cross. Letting all of them begin their careers collectively, construct chemistry and play a definite type ought to facilitate simpler seems to be throughout. The Nets seem to have minutes for everyone as they put together to spin the lottery wheel once more subsequent season — and I feel a minimum of just a few of those gamers will outkick expectations.

What’s your prime overarching takeaway from this draft?

Givony: School basketball is again and never going away anytime quickly. After the highest two picks in final yr’s draft got here from France (Zaccharie Risacher) and by way of Australia (Alex Sarr), there have been zero non-collegiate worldwide gamers chosen within the prime 10 this yr, and solely six chosen within the first spherical. These are traditionally low numbers, however they might lower even additional subsequent yr, as we at the moment solely undertaking 4 non-collegiate worldwide gamers to be picked within the first and second rounds, which is able to doubtless be the bottom we have seen in a while.

The attraction of huge NIL-related paydays in school has led many gamers to stay in class and has attracted extra worldwide gamers to the U.S., just like what we noticed with Demin and Jakucionis. Time will inform if revenue-sharing restrictions from the Home settlement reduces the excessive NIL salaries we’re seeing now, which could trigger some worldwide gamers to remain house and develop via the standard European basketball path.

Woo: Consensus is only a idea. Almost all of the first-round surprises we noticed had been by-products of groups merely trusting their boards and analysis course of above all else. Whether or not it was Memphis making certain it snagged Coward, New Orleans stepping into large for Queen, Portland taking Yang larger than anybody anticipated or the Nets seeing worth in making all 5 first-round picks, the draft is all the time within the eye of the beholder, and that is why mock drafts are inclined to go off the rails at a sure level.

This draft was an entertaining reminder of what number of groups are keen to pick out with conviction and forgo regardless of the public’s notion of worth is likely to be.