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 stuffed with twists.

Ace Bailey got here off the board at No. 5 to the Utah Jazz, a group that wasn’t one among 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 invaluable draft capital to make it occur. The Portland Path Blazers made probably the most stunning choose of the primary spherical by deciding on Yang Hansen (ranked No. 35 in our closing Prime 100 huge 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 choose? Which group drafted one of the best class? And which gamers could possibly be named first-team All-Rookie? Now we have spent years learning the prospects within the 2025 class, and listed below are the strikes we favored, the strikes that shocked us and we’ll share a couple of long-term predictions.

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

Bounce to a subject:
Favourite choose | Superb scenario | Greatest worth
Greatest shock | Class choose | In-draft trades
Shock faller | ROY candidates | All-Rookie gamers
G-league hitter | Undrafted underdog
Predictions | General takeaways

What was your favourite choose of the whole draft?

Givony: Kasparas Jakucionis to the Miami Warmth at No. 20. Not solely did the Warmth get the No. 10 participant on my huge board, additionally 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 means to supply much-needed shot creation within the backcourt, however he is also large enough to function off the ball alongside All-Star combo guard Tyler Herro.

With Davion Mitchell (restricted free agent) coming off a robust playoff displaying, the three might definitely play in the identical lineup at instances, because of Jakucionis’ dimension, energy and perimeter capturing prowess — positional versatility that’s excellent 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 Prime 100 huge 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 can not let you know whether or not the Suns might 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 of thrive complementing the Suns’ ball dominant perimeter group.

Which participant landed within the excellent 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 menace to a top-five group earlier than the draft to doubtlessly not report back to camp, it wasn’t stunning to see this case amicably resolved, possible in no small half on account 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, a scarcity of star energy, an excellent teaching workers and a extremely passionate fan base, he ought to rapidly understand he’s within the good place to achieve 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 at all times be a premium positioned on prospects in his mould as a jumbo playmaker, and I perceive why the Nets believed he was definitely worth the dive that early within the draft. Going to a group the place he’ll get an opportunity to play straight away with loads of on-ball reps, pair with the opposite proficient passers in Brooklyn’s draft class and likewise hone his capturing is good.

His rookie season could possibly be one thing of a crucible, however his unselfish model of play falls in step with how the Nets clearly need their group to look. Touchdown in a clean slate scenario like this could possibly be large 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 choose?

Givony: Liam McNeeley to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 29. I am nonetheless shocked McNeeley (ranked No. 17 on our high 100 huge board) fell to the tip of the primary spherical. Identified 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 personal settings as NBA groups had hoped.

I’ve seen McNeeley shoot lights-out in many various settings and firmly consider 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 along with his dimension (6-foot-8 in sneakers), toughness, really feel for the sport and general talent stage. It is not simple to seek out the sort of participant, so I consider the Hornets will find yourself getting a steal with this choose.

Woo: Jakucionis to the Warmth. Miami benefited from a number of 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 in the end a little bit extra polarizing than we anticipated, however my guess is that this one will age higher for the Warmth than it should for the groups that handed on him.

Which choose most shocked you?

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

I really like the actual fact Demin might be empowered to achieve his full potential in an outsized position (much like BYU), the place he’ll be capable of play by means of errors, however will even have playmakers alongside him. Ideally, there can be a little bit extra capturing to be discovered on this group, however that is one thing the Nets can work by means of long run, doubtlessly with one other excessive choose in subsequent 12 months’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 huge who was going to be value somebody rolling the cube on. I favored 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 huge gamble on his offensive expertise in the end translating from a low stage in China.

The one group 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. Should you love a man, simply take him, do not threat it. Buying and selling again was in all probability 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 group 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 model of play, energy and toughness ought to make him simple to play with, particularly alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, who he might complement fairly properly. I used to be an enormous fan of Knueppel all season and was not shocked to see him go within the high 5.

With Kalkbrenner, the Hornets obtained a plug-and-play huge who appears able to play rotation minutes straight away on an inexpensive rookie-scale deal. Charlotte wanted somebody NBA-ready after buying and selling Mark Williams for the choose that obtained them McNeeley and a 2029 first-rounder, which I assumed was a fantastic transfer as properly.

Woo: San Antonio Spurs. Lucking into Harper was one factor, however the Spurs have been proper to not lean into any temptation to commerce him and fast-track their aggressive window. I perceive the match considerations, and it might be less complicated have been De’Aaron Fox not within the combine already, however the concept of letting Harper jell with Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Fort makes plenty of sense.

Usually talking, we like to assign a way of speedy title urgency to each group lucky sufficient to make use of superstar-caliber expertise however one has to recollect Wembanyama is 21 years outdated. 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 choose Carter Bryant, who ought to complement his extra ball dominant teammates with capturing and perimeter protection over time, and the Spurs might have a superb factor going.

Which group has your least favourite class as a complete?

Givony: There is not one group that stands out, although I’d have cherished 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 Hornets. That is much less in regards to the expertise of gamers they drafted and extra about how the Pelicans invited threat and match considerations 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 wrestle to see how Queen can share the ground with Zion Williamson in a profitable context — neither can shoot from the perimeter or shield the paint at a excessive stage, and so they would possibly in the end get in one another’s method. I am involved in regards to the possibilities both lottery choose will get to make use of their skills within the scenario.

In fact, I perceive a brand new entrance workplace focusing on the blokes they like, placing their stamp on the group and determining different issues later. It will all be a little bit extra palatable had the Pelicans not bought off their very own draft choose subsequent 12 months 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 all the way down to in the end 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 mission to be the No. 8 choose 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 huge board, so there is definitely room to quibble about worth.

Nevertheless it’s truthful to query the method New Orleans went by means of, clearly telegraphing its curiosity in Queen so strongly within the lead-up to the draft that it harm its negotiating leverage. It led to giving up a doubtlessly excessive draft choose 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 throughout 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 gentle on level guards. The Jazz did not need to pay a lot to do it, and whereas he might need to combat for minutes, there is a cheap likelihood Clayton turns into a invaluable 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 choose from the Orlando Magic in 2028 and two second-round picks (2027 through Atlanta and 2028 from Orlando). That looks like an awfully huge haul to maneuver up simply 5 spots, even when there have been plenty of rumblings that the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (selecting No. 15) have been additionally attempting to maneuver up for Cedric Coward. I wasn’t particularly bought on Coward being picked that top, so we’ll need to see how this performs out.

I’d have favored to have seen Portland transfer down one other five-to-10 picks for Yang, and maybe choose up extra belongings 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, irrespective of how badly you consider within the Maryland heart (or irrespective of who you assume ought to have been the thirteenth choose as a substitute), buying and selling away a 2026 first-round choose to maneuver up 10 spots on this draft was onerous 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

Try some high highlights from Derik Queen because the Pelicans commerce as much as take him.

In 5 years, we’re all going to marvel 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 huge board, 13 spots forward of the place he was drafted. He began the method as a projected top-10 choose, but it surely’s not onerous to grasp why his inventory fell, as he struggled to get on the ground for a loaded Actual Madrid group. 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 choose for my part.

He constructed an impeccable résumé as one of many high 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 instructed Boston was telling brokers it deliberate to signal whichever rookie it took with this choose for 80% of the rookie scale, however on account of Gonzalez’s important 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 in all probability noticed extra of him up shut than anybody, as I noticed Illinois dwell 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 group that’s going to offer plenty of alternatives to their younger expertise. He will need to work onerous at his bodily growth to make it occur — Riley is 6-foot-8, 180 kilos — however what number of wings with official dimension and offensive expertise have ever been too skinny to make it within the NBA?

Riley is not missing for precise sport, and I believe 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 might be requested to play a major position for the Mavs instantly, as they’ve little or no shot creation on their roster at present and can want him to be a star from day one. They will want him to basically preserve them afloat within the brutal Western Convention as they watch for Kyrie Irving’s return from a knee damage.

Woo: Anybody aside from Flagg? Um, no. That is to not discredit any participant on this draft, however I do not assume this can be a notably daring name. He is strolling into a superb alternative to face out straight away, and I believe we’ll see him determine the NBA out on the fly, and quite rapidly.

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

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

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

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

Givony: Javon Small, No. 48 choose by Memphis. A primary-team all-conference participant within the loaded Large 12, Small carried an undermanned West Virginia group 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 sometimes translate properly 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, possible placing up factors in bunches whereas making profitable 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 might see him getting fast-tracked to a roster spot and NBA utility purely as a result of Mavs’ lack of level guard depth. I really like Nembhard’s really feel for playmaking and involving teammates and consider he can transcend his dimension limitations (6-foot, 180 kilos). He’ll be among the many high guards within the G League each time he is assigned there.

Which undrafted participant are you most to comply with?

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

I heard Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka hung out with Dixon after his predraft exercise with the group. Apparently, Pelinka instructed 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 observed was the dearth 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 target required to grasp his craft beneath powerful situations. Bryant associated this to his work on the basketball courtroom, imagining what Michelangelo’s mindset might need been like on the time, when it comes to 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 by means of the backdoor (he is reportedly signing an exhibit-10 with the Clippers). High quality 3-point marksmen with NBA dimension usually 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) might be an All-Defensive group 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 by day. Beringer, who grew an inch and a half over the previous 12 months, 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 large 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 attempting 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 group that shares the ball. I am not as involved about these guys getting in one another’s method 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 move. Letting all of them begin their careers collectively, construct chemistry and play a definite model ought to facilitate simpler appears throughout. The Nets seem to have minutes for everyone as they put together to spin the lottery wheel once more subsequent season — and I believe a minimum of a couple of of those gamers will outkick expectations.

What’s your high overarching takeaway from this draft?

Givony: Faculty basketball is again and never going away anytime quickly. After the highest two picks in final 12 months’s draft got here from France (Zaccharie Risacher) and through Australia (Alex Sarr), there have been zero non-collegiate worldwide gamers chosen within the high 10 this 12 months, and solely six chosen within the first spherical. These are traditionally low numbers, however they may lower even additional subsequent 12 months, as we at present solely mission 4 non-collegiate worldwide gamers to be picked within the first and second rounds, which is able to possible be the bottom we have seen in a while.

The attraction of enormous NIL-related paydays in faculty has led many gamers to stay in class and has attracted extra worldwide gamers to the U.S., much 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 by means of the standard European basketball path.

Woo: Consensus is only a idea. Almost all of the first-round surprises we noticed have been by-products of groups merely trusting their boards and analysis course of above all else. Whether or not it was Memphis guaranteeing it snagged Coward, New Orleans getting in huge for Queen, Portland taking Yang greater than anybody anticipated or the Nets seeing worth in making all 5 first-round picks, the draft is at all times 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 prepared to pick out with conviction and forgo regardless of the public’s notion of worth is perhaps.