Countless hours are spent by NBA groups and draft analysts to challenge each choose forward of the 2025 NBA draft.
However what do prospects consider their friends?
School basketball insider Jeff Borzello joined NBA draft analysts Jeremy Woo and Jonathan Givony, alongside NBA analyst Zach Kram, on the draft mix in Chicago earlier this month to ask gamers for his or her picks on probably the most underrated prospects on this class.
A small handful obtained a number of votes, some have been named by faculty teammates, just a few made the case for themselves and others insisted gamers featured in ESPN’s newest mock draft have been nonetheless underrated. Let’s run by the outcomes of the 21 gamers surveyed.
Notice: Nominations for gamers who’ve since withdrawn from the draft, equivalent to Mackenzie Mgbako and Milos Uzan, have been omitted.
Extra NBA draft protection:
New mock draft: 76ers’ projection at No. 3?
Mix: Risers, fallers | Lottery staff questions
Draft belongings | High 100 rankings | Pelton’s high 30
Hottest picks
1. Tahaad Pettiford, PG, Auburn: 4 votes
Pettiford began just one recreation as a freshman at Auburn, however Borzello described Pettiford as “the perfect participant on the ground” in his first scrimmage on the mix, ending with 23 factors and eight assists. The efficiency netted him an increase from solely No. 39 to No. 37 between ESPN’s pre-combine and post-combine mock drafts, however he was the most well-liked choose on this survey with 4 votes, together with from former teammate Johni Broome.
Johni Broome, Auburn: “He is an excellent guard, can carry quite a bit to an NBA staff for positive. He is very explosive, he makes the correct performs. He is younger, however he can undoubtedly develop into an excellent younger participant.”
Dink Pate, G League: “I like his recreation. I did not know he was that explosive. He can shoot. I rock with him.”
Drake Powell, North Carolina: “I feel he is a very good, good defender, and his capability to attain the rock is nice.”
Pettiford was amongst 4 gamers named by Wake Forest’s Hunter Sallis, together with Alex Toohey, Kam Jones and Karter Knox.
2. Carter Bryant, SF/PF, Arizona: 3 votes
The large man from Arizona has a first-round projection, predicted at No. 14 total to the San Antonio Spurs by ESPN following the mix. A former Wildcats teammate was among the many prospects to call Bryant, however he additionally obtained recognition from our third most-picked participant.
Caleb Love, Arizona: “I feel he is a sleeper. He is younger. His potential is thru the roof and he is a catch and shoot. He can knock down and catch and shoot. He is an athletic freak and he can defend just about 1 by 5.”
Asa Newell, Georgia: “Carter Bryant is tremendous underrated. I simply really feel like his recreation interprets to the NBA very well. He is bought the scale, he is bought the contact, he is bought the 3-point capability. And seeing him, he can undoubtedly be a flexible defender.”
Powell: “[His size], having the ability to guard 1 by 5, his strategy to the sport and his willingness to get higher units him aside.”
3. Powell, SG/SF, North Carolina: 2 votes
As the primary participant off the board within the second spherical of ESPN’s newest mock draft, Powell rounds out the brief record of prospects named by a couple of of their friends. Like Bryant, considered one of Powell’s votes got here from a school teammate and the opposite got here from one other standard choose on this survey.
RJ Davis, North Carolina: “He has the flexibility to defend 1 by 4 together with his size and athleticism, he is capable of make an influence. However I additionally suppose he has an offensive recreation that wasn’t actually proven this previous 12 months. [He is] capable of create his personal and get to his midrange. Drake shouldn’t be solely a superb athlete however a superb particular person and somebody it is best to need in your staff.”
Bryant: “Drake Powell is a reputation that must be going round NBA rooms extra. He is an awesome athlete, an awesome basketball participant, and he is a superb human being as effectively.”
1:22
Why this 12 months’s NBA draft will get fascinating on the No. 3 choose
Jonathan Givony joins “NBA Immediately” and particulars the choices Philadelphia has with the third choose within the NBA draft.
Teammate recognition
Seven gamers named their faculty teammates, together with every of the three most-picked gamers. The opposite 4 weren’t projected in ESPN’s newest mock.
Terrence Edwards Jr., G, Louisville: “He is a canine on each ends the ground and he helped us tremendously, particularly on the defensive facet, simply guarding the ball me and him switched off the perfect on-ball guards this previous 12 months. … He is undoubtedly one of many greatest sleepers I do know on this draft.” — Chucky Hepburn
Chaney Johnson, F, Auburn: “[He] is the toughest employee I’ve ever performed with, and I’ve performed with Jabari Smith, I’ve performed with Walker Kessler, and I’ve performed with Sharife Cooper. The work ethic that Chaney Johnson has is second to none, undoubtedly by far within the draft. If he have been right here and testing these numbers, he undoubtedly [would have] had the best vert. He jumps out of the fitness center. He is an insanely good child. By no means heard him pout, whine or slouch his shoulders. He is at all times on time. He is an awesome skilled and any staff that is severe about profitable ought to take a look at Chaney Johnson.” — Dylan Cardwell
Micah Peavy, G, Georgetown: “He is a canine, I do know he is outdated, however he ain’t that outdated. He is an awesome participant, he has a really feel for the sport, nice defender, I feel he is among the best defenders on this class.” — Thomas Sorber
Grant Nelson, F, Alabama: “When his shot’s on he can area the ground, he can guard a number of positions.” — Mark Sears
Lastly, whereas it wasn’t from a teammate, Sears did obtain a vote from Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner: “A man who’s not on loads of boards is Mark Sears, I performed him a pair instances — I do know he is small, however man, he is actually good.”
Votes of self-worth
Of the three prospects to select themselves, two weren’t projected in ESPN’s newest mock draft: Max Shulga (VCU) and RJ Luis Jr. (St. John’s), the latter of whom added: “It is at all times good to be the underdog.”
The third participant to call himself, Penn State large man Yanic Konan Niederhauser, is projected to be chosen within the second spherical (No. 36 to the Brooklyn Nets) — and obtained a second vote of confidence from a fellow prosect.
“Yanic for positive,” Gonzaga’s Ryan Nembhard stated. “He confirmed it the previous two days, he is a hell of a prospect — an athlete, 7 toes tall, dunks every thing, has the power to dam pictures and he is nonetheless fairly younger.”
1:52
Duke’s Khaman Maluach a participant to observe within the NBA draft
Duke large man Khaman Maluach, who got here up by the NBA Academy Africa, is a participant to observe within the NBA draft.
On boards, however nonetheless underrated
The ultimate group to earn votes options gamers who’re projected to be first- or second-round picks in ESPN’s newest mock however have been nonetheless thought-about underrated by their friends.
Khaman Maluach, C, Duke (No. 7 in newest mock): “He is gonna be a reasonably excessive choose, however he is undoubtedly underrated for my part. Nice participant, younger, willingness to get higher, nice angle.” — Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
Collin Murray-Boyles, PF/C, South Carolina (No. 9 in newest mock): “Folks aren’t speaking about [him] sufficient. He is a man that is perhaps underlooked a bit simply due to the 12 months South Carolina had, however Collin’s a man that I feel’s going to excel on the subsequent stage. An excellent passer, nice really feel, tremendous robust, that is a man that is going to go a great distance.” — Miles Byrd, San Diego State
Thomas Sorber, C, Georgetown (No. 19 in newest mock): “We performed Georgetown within the Crown Match, and Thomas, similar to me, was harm and wasn’t capable of play. However as we have been getting ready for Georgetown, I watched his movie and I used to be like, ‘Oh this child’s bought one thing, no marvel he entered the draft.'” — Cedric Coward, Washington State
Labaron Philon, G, Alabama (No. 33 in newest mock): “I’ve seen the work that he is placing in and I feel he will be a superb participant within the league.” — Jamir Watkins, Florida State
Miles Byrd, G, San Diego State (No. 43 in newest mock): “Very underrated athlete, he has a knack for making pictures, a knack defensively, getting in passing lanes, having the ability to make reads defensively.” — Carter Bryant, Arizona