Spherical 1 of the 2025 NBA draft on Wednesday started with Cooper Flagg, the primary of three Duke gamers chosen, being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the No. 1 decide. And it ended with the LA Clippers drafting heart Yanic Konan Niederhauser with decide No. 30.
There have been winners and surprises, such because the Utah Jazz deciding on Rutgers guard Ace Bailey with the No. 5 decide and the Phoenix Suns touchdown the top-ranked heart in Duke’s Khaman Maluach at No. 10.
Which fan bases ought to be proud of what their favourite staff did on Day 1, such because the Miami Warmth touchdown a possible franchise level guard? Ought to Pelicans followers be questioning concerning the commerce New Orleans made to maneuver up and draft Derik Queen?
It is time to break down what occurred Wednesday evening in New York’s Barclays Middle. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Jeremy Woo and Kevin Pelton share their winners, surprises and largest questions after 30 picks went off the board in Spherical 1.
Spherical 2 begins Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Extra NBA draft protection:
Mavs take Flagg at No. 1
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Prime 100 rankings | Extra draft
Givony: Greatest winners of Spherical 1
The decide: Khaman Maluach (No. 10)
The Suns’ commerce for Kevin Durant appears to be like a lot completely different after the lucky fall of Khaman Maluach to No. 10, which helps them strengthen a vital place at heart whereas additionally including probably the most proficient long-term prospects within the draft.
Maluach will convey high-level depth, rim-protection timing, rebounding skill and switchable protection — qualities the staff lacked final season — injecting much-needed youth and power right into a roster overloaded on the backcourt.
Most significantly, he’s considered one of this draft’s youngest prospects, with important potential for progress each bodily and skill-wise. He’s extremely regarded by coaches and teammates for his distinctive off-court intangibles and ought to be a superb pick-and-roll accomplice for Devin Booker, due to his lob-catching skill.
The decide: Kasparas Jakucionis (No. 20)
It was shocking to see Jakucionis — the No. 11-ranked participant on our high 100 huge board — fall all the way in which to No. 20.
Any non permanent disappointment over the cash he misplaced was doubtless changed by the conclusion he landed in arguably probably the most fascinating state of affairs of any guard prospect on this draft — a staff determined for shot creation and playmaking. He’ll additionally slot in completely from a tradition and toughness perspective.
Jakucionis’ skill to play any of the backcourt positions provides the Warmth important lineup flexibility when working alongside Tyler Herro within the backcourt.
It would not be shocking to see him ultimately emerge because the franchise’s future level guard, due to the savvy he shows working pick-and-roll and his distinctive really feel for the sport.
Givony: Greatest surprises of Spherical 1
The decide: Yang Hansen, heart (No. 16)
Hansen, the No. 35 participant on the ESPN huge board, made the largest leap of any participant within the first spherical when Portland chosen him at No. 16.
The Path Blazers have been intrigued with Yang since scouting him with the Chinese language nationwide staff on the FIBA U19 World Cup in Hungary in 2023, later touring to look at him play in China, following him in scrimmages in Las Vegas final summer time as a member of the Chinese language senior nationwide staff and dealing him out privately this previous month in Portland.
Regardless of deciding on one other 7-footer in Donovan Clingan final yr, the Path Blazers view the draft by means of a best-player-available lens and say they’re very enthusiastic about his ability stage and off-court intangibles. They plan on bringing him to the NBA instantly to develop him.
The decide: Ace Bailey (No. 5)
Ace Bailey regarded stunned to see the Utah Jazz choose him at No. 5, after clearly making an attempt to maneuver his manner additional down the board to different locations in Washington or Brooklyn. Bailey instructed Andscape’s Marc Spears he had “no concept” the Jazz had been all for him after the draft.
Bailey declined a number of invite requests to go to and exercise privately with Utah all through the predraft course of, in addition to the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 3 and the Charlotte Hornets at No. 4, however the Jazz felt they knew sufficient about his recreation and profile to really feel snug drafting him regardless.
New president of basketball operations Austin Ainge interviewed Bailey on the NBA draft mix as a member of the Boston Celtics’ entrance workplace, and the remainder of the Jazz additionally interviewed him individually. Ainge scouted him a number of occasions all through the season at Rutgers.
Instantly after making the decide, Ainge instructed ESPN that: “We actually like him [Bailey] as a participant and a slot in our program.”
What was one of the best decide of the evening?
Pelton: Carter Bryant to the Spurs at No. 14. Having spent most of his lone season at Arizona coming off the bench, he won’t assist the Spurs instantly. Down the street, nonetheless, Bryant has the type of 3-and-D ability set that ought to ideally match alongside San Antonio’s core of Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, NBA Rookie of the 12 months Stephon Fortress and No. 2 decide Dylan Harper.
Woo: Assuming Cooper Flagg to the Mavericks at No. 1 is ineligible for this designation, I will go along with Khaman Maluach to the Suns at No. 10, a decide Givony defined above. It was a terrific end result for Phoenix, and he could be the precise kind of participant they should anchor regardless of the staff goes to appear to be transferring ahead.
To spotlight a distinct choice, I will go along with Thomas Sorber at No. 15, a match that makes a ton of sense for the Thunder. They had been tipped as a trade-up staff however had been in a position to merely look forward to him to fall to them. Oklahoma Metropolis made this choice with the long run in thoughts, contemplating beginning heart Isaiah Hartenstein could be difficult to retain when Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren transfer onto their second contracts subsequent yr.
The Thunder snagged a prospect with the ability set to supply an identical dimension and somebody who they are often affected person with over the following season or two. This decide unsurprisingly spoke to the extent of roster foresight with which the Thunder at all times method the draft
Pelton: Atlanta getting the higher of Milwaukee’s and New Orleans’ first-round picks in 2026 to maneuver again simply 10 spots from No. 13 to No. 23 is one thing that might loom giant this time a yr from now. The Pelicans are going to be hard-pressed to make the playoffs in a loaded Western Convention, whereas the Bucks have draw back danger with Damian Lillard sidelined by Achilles rehab.
The Hawks might find yourself with a greater decide subsequent yr than they gave up this yr. Merely getting a decide within the teenagers can be an unlimited win value-wise.
Woo: As Kevin defined, the Atlanta-New Orleans commerce was doubtless probably the most important of the evening from a price perspective, but it surely would not be my favourite, notably from the Pelicans’ aspect of issues.
We knew coming into the evening there was an actual likelihood the Pelicans had been after Derik Queen — and, presumably, the Hawks had been too, one thing they arguably exploited by extracting severe worth out of New Orleans with a 2026 first-round decide that was not solely unprotected, however is the higher of two completely different groups.
It is arduous to see a simple pathway for New Orleans as constituted to enter playoff territory, much more so if the staff is planning to play Jeremiah Fears and Queen main minutes, which they will each want to maximise their growth.
It was a complicated quantity of danger for the Pelicans to tackle, and if Atlanta lands a premium decide subsequent yr, it’s going to sting regardless of how effectively Queen adjusts to the NBA.
Which title contender helped itself probably the most?
Pelton: Do I get to depend the Mavericks? To be clear, it is unlikely any of the gamers drafted Wednesday will play an vital position within the final two rounds of subsequent season’s playoffs. I might give that a greater likelihood of occurring on Thursday.
Based mostly on that, the transfer that may have probably the most long-term influence on a 2026 title contender could be the Thunder pushing again the No. 24 decide by getting a 2026 first-round decide from the Kings.
Woo: I will preface this by noting that not all that most of the clear-cut contenders made draft picks — however I did like what the Magic did on this draft, together with their aggressive-yet-measured commerce for Desmond Bane (sending the sixteenth decide as a part of a bundle to Memphis) and permitting the board to fall to them at No. 25, nabbing Jase Richardson.
Richardson may be capable of pinch-hit for the Magic off the bench early in his profession, and he provides them a probably beneficial (and cheap) depth participant throughout a window wherein they’re dedicated to competing on the highest stage with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
Am I able to name the Magic a bonafide contender? With the East as large open as ever, they’d actually prefer to be. They’ve actually performed the offseason effectively up to now.
What’s your favourite prospect-team match exterior of the lottery?
Pelton: Kasparas Jakucionis to the Warmth at No. 20. Former Miami guard Goran Dragic has been my comparability for Jakucionis if issues go proper. They’re each bodily guards with capturing skill. Dragic improved his excessive turnover fee that restricted him as a younger participant, and Jakucionis must do the identical.
Jakucionis’ dimension at 6-foot-6 will enable him to play alongside both Tyler Herro or Davion Mitchell, presuming the Warmth retain Mitchell as a restricted free agent.
Woo: Joan Beringer to the Timberwolves at No. 18. I am excessive on Beringer’s long-term outlook — it is arduous to search out facilities together with his caliber of bodily traits who may run the ground and defend the rim. His age and relative inexperience leaves a ton of room for him to enhance.
Attending to develop behind one other Frenchman in Rudy Gobert, who may very well be a beneficial mentor as Beringer makes a serious leap to the NBA stage, may very well be a really perfect state of affairs to assist him faucet into his important skill.
This may occasionally take a while to repay, however as Minnesota continues to try to construct a winner with Anthony Edwards, touchdown a expertise of this caliber and likewise addressing a long-term want may very well be an actual coup.
True or false: Cooper Flagg will common 20 factors per recreation as a rookie.
Pelton: False. I do not suppose scoring will ever be the power of Flagg’s recreation. However on a contending staff with Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson, that may add a shot creator at level guard in Kyrie Irving’s absence? I do not suppose that is sensible.
Woo: False, however I do not view that as a priority — it relies upon extra on how a lot utilization the Mavs intend handy him straight away than anything — but it surely’s the well-roundedness of Flagg’s recreation that ought to shine by means of and make him the Rookie of the 12 months frontrunner.
Dallas ought to be captivated with his outlook with out giving him greater than he can deal with straight away.
Fill within the clean: New Orleans giving up its 2026 unprotected first-round decide is ___________.
Pelton: Leaping out of the airplane with no parachute. The Pelicans noticed this season what can go incorrect when accidents strike within the West. They entered the lottery with a 12.5% likelihood on the No. 1 decide. Think about the feelings in New Orleans if the Hawks are able to win the lottery with their decide.
Woo: A mistimed choice. It is one factor to commerce your decide a yr out with a transparent pathway to a playoff spot, or so as to add a participant that may assist get you there. It is one other to make use of it to gamble on a rookie — even one you’re keen on — with out giving your self any type of security web if issues break dangerous.
I additionally query the match of Queen alongside Zion Williamson long-term, two bigs who’re finest on the offensive finish however provide restricted rim safety and no floor-spacing part. I like a few of the gamers on the Pelicans’ roster, however I have been confused with precisely what the general plan is transferring ahead, and that was earlier than they determined to take an unlimited leap of religion.
The Nets got here into Spherical 1 with 5 picks and ended up utilizing all 5. How would you grade their evening?
Pelton: Most likely a C-plus. Brooklyn appeared to lean closely within the undertaking route, taking a pair of one-and-done prospects (Egor Demin at No. 8 and Drake Powell at No. 22) along with two teenage worldwide prospects (Nolan Traore at No. 19 and Ben Saraf at No. 26). Michigan heart Danny Wolf, the final participant taken out of the inexperienced room, was the one decide older than age 19.
I might have most popular to see somewhat extra confirmed manufacturing. Demin, who ranked eighth, was the one Nets decide to rank within the high 23 in my stats-based projections.
Woo: I might give them a B. While you make 5 picks, your draft board is unlikely to ever align with consensus, however I can see the imaginative and prescient they appear to have for the roster and I am fascinated by the way it may work out for them.
The Nets are clearly dedicated to how coach Jordi Fernandez needs to play and loaded up on gamers with positional dimension and passing skill (Demin, Traore, Saraf, Wolf) and likewise took a flier on Powell, who was seen as a possible lottery identify coming into the season and was arguably misused at North Carolina enjoying numerous time at energy ahead.
I do not know precisely how this works out for them, however I respect the way in which they approached it, and so they’ll have loads of time to judge all their guys subsequent season and chart a course ahead.
Who’re you most stunned to see nonetheless on the board heading into Spherical 2?
Pelton: Rasheer Fleming (Saint Joseph’s). At No. 27, Fleming was the very best participant within the closing mock draft by Givony and Woo to not go within the first spherical. Fleming was even greater in my stats-based projections (18th).
Will probably be fascinating to see whether or not groups spend Thursday jockeying to get into place to draft Fleming early in spherical 2.
Woo: Maxime Raynaud (Stanford). I assumed he’d accomplished sufficient to listen to his identify referred to as within the 20s, however with all the massive males that had been in the end chosen within the first spherical, together with Hansen Yang’s shock soar, he was one of many gamers who in the end slipped. I might guess there will probably be a couple of groups looking for a method to get him early within the 30s.
