With the NBA pre-draft cycle heating up – almost half the league now eliminated from playoff contention and the NCAA Tournament wrapped up after Walter Clayton Jr. led the Florida Gators to their first championship since the Billy Donovan era – the …
With the NBA pre-draft cycle heating up – almost half the league now eliminated from playoff contention and the NCAA Tournament wrapped up after Walter Clayton Jr. led the Florida Gators to their first championship since the Billy Donovan era – the focus shifts to prospects looking to make their mark. Last week was the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, where HoopsHype was in attendance and older hopefuls began their push to impress scouts and earn a spot at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago.
For this mock draft, we talked to coaches, executives, and scouts to get their take on this year’s prospects. The draft class is deep with bigs and forwards, but unlike in past years, there aren’t as many pure guards or elite ball handlers. That could actually benefit player development, giving teams more flexibility to mold versatile talent.
“Flagg and Harper are the only sure things,” a pro scout told HoopsHype. “After that, it’s a crapshoot.”
NOTE: These rankings reflect the composite score of 10 mock drafts (ESPN, CBS Sports, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, Babcock Hoops, USA Today, NBAdraft.net, SB Nation and FTW) to get a feel for the overall consensus. It’s not our opinion.
Player statistics are as of April 18, 2025, for all prospects. International player statistics represent the cumulative averages across all competitions.
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HoopsHype has updated the list of the top prospects for the 2025 NBA Draft by compiling 10 mock drafts from ESPN, CBS Sports, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, Babcock Hoops, USA Today, NBAdraft.net, SB Nation and FTW. A couple of quick notes on our …
HoopsHype has updated the list of the top prospects for the 2025 NBA Draft by compiling 10 mock drafts from ESPN, CBS Sports, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, Babcock Hoops, USA Today, NBAdraft.net, SB Nation and FTW.
A couple of quick notes on our aggregate mock draft:
All statistics are as of January 20, 2025. We are in the midst of conference play for college basketball and the thick of the regular season for international prospects.
We also spoke with several executives, coaches and scouts for their insight on the prospects for the third edition of this year’s aggregate mock draft.
Here’s who USA TODAY sees going in the first round of this year’s NBA Draft.
Under Nate Oats, Alabama basketball has seen four players drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft since 2020.
Kira Lewis became the first player of the Oats era to go in the first round when the New Orleans Pelicans drafted him 13th overall in 2020. A year later, Josh Primo went to the San Antonio Spurs at No. 12 overall.
More recently, the Charlotte Hornets took franchise player Brandon Miller with the second overall pick in 2023 (behind France’s Victor Wembanyama), and the Brooklyn Nets added Noah Clowney with the 23rd pick. That’s not counting second-round picks J.D. Davison (Boston Celtics, 2022) and Herb Jones (Pelicans, 2021).
Oats figures to have more future NBA players on his current and future rosters, including two freshmen this season. According to USA TODAY Sports’ latest NBA mock draft from experts Jeff Zillgitt, Lorenzo Reyes and James H. Williams, Labaron Philon and Derrion Reid are two players that will go in the first round this summer.
The trio have Philon going No. 20 overall with Reid No. 27. Duke Blue Devils freshman sensation Cooper Flagg was projected as the No. 1 overall pick.
USA TODAY Sports said of the two:
“Philon excels in transition with his speed and ability to finish at the rim; is capable on catch-and-shoot 3s but needs work on that part of his game. He’s a heady defender who disrupts opponents with his ability to get steals.”
“(Reid is) a versatile forward who plays aggressively to get to his spots when looking to score. He can be a premier player in the class if he improves his skills as a wing player.”
Philon is averaging 12 points per game in 24.5 minutes for the Crimson Tide. He scored a season-high 21 points in Alabama’s 105-82 nonconference win over South Dakota State back on Dec. 29 and followed it up with 16 against Oklahoma in the SEC opener on Jan. 4.
Alabama takes on Ole Miss in Coleman Coliseum at 6 p.m. CT Tuesday. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
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The 7-foot-2 big man played for NBA Academy Africa and represented South Sudan during the 2024 Olympics. His most recent game against Notre Dame was arguably the best of his collegiate career, recording 19 points (6-of-7 FG) with 10 rebounds and one block.
Here is more from Jonathan Wasserman in his latest mock draft (via Bleacher Report):
“Khaman Maluach’s 19 points against Notre Dame highlighted his advantageous length and mobility for catching lobs, grabbing offensive rebounds and creating easy opportunities. He’s also now up to 77.3 percent from the free-throw line, showing touch we’ve see him use on jumpers before he arrived at Duke.
Workouts will give Maluach a better opportunity to sell teams on his offense and range.
Regardless, he has a clear archetype with the size, length and movement for the easy baskets and rim protection to be deemed easily translatable. The stats might not show a lot of blocks, but the tape shows a disruptive defensive presence who forces his man to have to make difficult finishes over his reach.”
This would be a tremendous pick by Oklahoma City as they add more depth to their frontcourt, even if he is not ready to contribute right away.
But there is plenty of reason for promise and excitement. As a lob threat, per CBB Analytics, he leads all freshmen in alley-oops (13) by quite a bit.
Cooper Flagg led four Duke basketball players in a new NBA mock draft from Bleacher Report, including three Blue Devils in the top 11.
The Duke men’s basketball program has churned out first-round NBA draft picks this century, and this year’s roster has no shortage of lottery candidates.
Freshman superstar [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] entered the 2024-25 season as the slam-dunk favorite to go first overall, and after his 42-point performance against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, that already seems like a done deal. He turned 18 just three weeks ago, but he’s still averaged 2.9 combined steals and blocks and made 66.7% of his shots (and 64.3% of his 3-pointers) over the last four contests.
Fellow first-year star [autotag]Khaman Maluach[/autotag], a 7-foot-2-inch center who already represented South Sudan at the Olympic Games, is coming on strong. He put together 19 points and 10 rebounds against the Irish, his second double-double of the season, and Duke’s increased offensive efficiency pretty directly overlaps with his increased presence as a lob threat and pick-and-roll piece.
[autotag]Kon Knueppel[/autotag], Duke’s third freshman starter, entered the lottery conversation over the summer, and despite some timid box scores in late November and early December, he’s done enough lately to keep himself there.
Here’s where the three of them (and one of their teammates) ended up in Jonathan Wasserman’s latest mock draft from Bleacher Report.
Cooper Flagg – No. 1 overall (Washington Wizards)
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Flagg, whom Wasserman compared to former Blue Devil Jalen Johnson (on the offensive end), has scored at least 19 points in seven of Duke’s last nine games. He’s already notched six double-doubles, and his team-leading 3.9 assists weren’t even part of the selling point out of high school. If his recent run of shooting efficiency is a newfound comfort rather than a simple hot streak, he’s going to rise into some rare tiers of prospects.
Khaman Maluach – No. 8 (Oklahoma City Thunder)
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How’s this for shooting efficiency? Maluach is 79.1% from the field this season and hasn’t missed multiple shots in a game since November 16. Most of his offensive production comes within a few feet of the basket, but if the Olympian gets his hands on the ball near the restricted area, it’s almost an automatic two points.
Maluach has flashed more than his height this season. He’s got impressive speed for his frame, helping him amass 1.1 blocks and open up more opportunities thanks to off-ball movement, and he’s unafraid to pull from 3-point range. He’s just one-for-five from behind the arc this year, but the shot looks good, so don’t be stunned if that percentage improves.
Kon Knueppel – No. 11 (Golden State Warriors)
Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images
If you told a Duke fan this offseason that Knueppel would average 15.0 points and shoot 40.5% from 3-point range through the first five games of the proper conference schedule, they wouldn’t have blinked. The Wisconsin five-star may not have the expected headlines from when he was seen as a legitimate threat to lead the Blue Devils in scoring, but he’s been every bit of the offensive creator that was promised. A 2.81 assist-to-turnover ratio is just a bonus.
Tyrese Proctor – No. 52 (Orlando Magic)
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With three freshmen in the starting five, the Blue Devils needed one of their upperclassmen to take a step forward in big moments, and Proctor met the challenge. The third-year guard is shooting 42.7% from the field and 41.9% from 3-point range, both career highs if they hold, and his 11.1 points and 3.6 rebounds are both personal bests as well. He’s come through in some titanic moments, including a pair of massive threes against the Auburn Tigers, and his efficiency and poise will be essential in the postseason.
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie has high hopes for Broome’s draft stock in his latest NBA mock draft.
Auburn forward [autotag]Johni Broome[/autotag] has had a phenomenal collegiate career and will be ready for the next step of his basketball journey next season.
In the latest NBA mock draft by The Athletic, Broome will head north to play for the Boston Celtics, who are projected to take Broome with the 28th overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie was impressed with Broome’s performance at the NBA draft combine and believes he could easily find a way to perform well in the NBA.
He’s dominant on the interior as a post-up big and has also made 33 percent of his 2.5 3s per game over the last two seasons. Positionally, he’s elite, and he knows how to carve out space using his frame. He’s undersized for the center position in the NBA, but it’s hard to look at what he’s done and not envision a backup NBA center.
Earlier this month, John Hollinger of The Athletic included Broome in his list of “underrated 2025 NBA Draft prospects worth watching.” Hollinger says that Broome’s variety as a playmaker and impressive rebound rate are worthy enough to put him on the radar of several NBA scouts.
The date for the 2025 NBA draft will be announced at a later date.
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The Philadelphia 76ers are struggling more than nearly any other team in the NBA, but that could lead to get them help in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Philadelphia only gets to keep their pick if it lands between No. 1 and No. 6 overall in the lottery. Otherwise, it is owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder on draft night.
However, as of right now if the season ended today, Philadelphia would indeed finish with one of the worst records in the league and would thus likely (81.0 percent chance) keep their pick.
If they earn the No. 4 overall pick, Edgecombe is a strong candidate.
Read more from Jonathan Wasserman on why this could make some sense to pair with 2024 draftee and potential NBA Rookie of the Year candidate Jared McCain (via Bleacher Report):
“Edgecombe may be the most dangerous freshman or draft prospect in space with some outrageous quickness, burst and bounce. That athleticism has also translated to wild defensive playmaking rates: 4.5 steal percentage and 7.5 block percentage.
And that athleticism should buy him time with scouts when it comes to skill development. Even without a pull-up game or advanced creation, he’s averaging 11.0 points and 3.0 assists just by capitalizing in transition, attacking in straight lines, hitting spot-up threes, making the extra passing and finding open shooters.”
He is currently the only high-major freshman with at least 8 dunks as well as 8 field goals made from beyond the arc, per Bart Torvik.
On the other side of the ball, he is the only high-major freshman with a block percentage and steal percentage both above 4.0 percent.
Edgecombe would also join Tari Eason and Matisse Thybulle as one of the only high-major players to reach his impressive block and steal percentage thresholds in over a decade.
This seems like a PERFECT fit for the Jazz if they don’t Cooper Flagg.
One of the most exciting names in college basketball is BYU freshman Egor Demin, who is off to an incredibly hot start this season.
After one of the strongest debuts of any first-year player, the 18-year-old freshman from Russia looks like one of the most promising prospects in all of college basketball. He is averaging 17.0 points and 7.5 assists per game at 6-foot-9, shooting 11-of-20 (.550) on 3-pointers as well.
Read more from Jonathan Wasserman on why this is such a good pick (via Bleacher Report):
“While the Cooper Flagg hype came built in after years of coverage and NBA accessibility, no player has generated more NBA buzz on his own so far than Egor Demin.
BYU coach Kevin Young has given the freshman an ideal role to showcase his on-ball upside, and the Russian has capitalized, looking like a legitimate 6’9″ initiator creating advantages and setting up teammates with his handle, size and passing IQ.
So far, he’s looked fluid and convincing enough for scouts to start feeling confident in his ability to continue playmaking at a high level in the NBA.
He also looks substantially further ahead as a shooter than previous jumbo playmakers like Josh Giddey, Anthony Black or even Scottie Barnes. Demin made 11 threes over his first four games. And even if the accuracy falls off, his early start and track record overseas point to clear shotmaking confidence and shooting becoming a regular part of his scoring attack.
Looking ahead, scouts will be eager to assess Demin against power-conference opponents, specifically his ability to create separation and finish inside the arc.”
Demin has not faced much competition so far this season. Among all teams ranked in the top 30, via KenPom, only five have had less difficult strength of schedule so far. But if he can keep this up, expect he will only continue this ascension on draft boards.
The Jazz could make a lot of sense for Demin to pair him with Keyonte George as their backcourt of the future. Jazz chairman Ryan Smith and CEO Danny Ainge both attended BYU and are reportedly very big donors to the university. They would likely find it thrilling to add the next great BYU star to their roster.
Another team with potential interest is the Spurs, who selected him in ESPN’s latest mock draft.
HoopsHype has updated where the top prospects stand for the 2025 NBA Draft by compiling six mock drafts from ESPN, Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, SB Nation, and USA TODAY. A couple of quick notes on our aggregate mock draft: * Some …
HoopsHype has updated where the top prospects stand for the 2025 NBA Draft by compiling six mock drafts from ESPN, Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, SB Nation, and USA TODAY.
A couple of quick notes on our aggregate mock draft:
* Some freshmen are missing because they weren’t listed on all the mocks we compiled, meaning scouts don’t see them as one-and-done prospects yet.
* Additionally, the ages shown for international prospects reflect their draft-day age. These are preliminary scouting reports and are subject to change as we progress through the pre-draft process.
While some see future all-stars in Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, and VJ Edgecombe, others have doubts. We tend to agree with scouts who don’t see this group as generational. As the season unfolds, they’ll have a chance to prove themselves, but expectations should remain grounded.
NOTE: These rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for the overall consensus, not our own opinion. For example, if a player was the first pick on a publication’s mock draft, he received 60 points. If a player was second, he received 59 points, and so on. We then tabulated the total number of points for each player’s consensus ranking.
The New York Knicks forfeited their 2025 second-round pick due to tampering.
In a new 2025 mock draft from Gary Parrish, three Blue Devils came off the board within the first 10 picks.
[autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag], who is considered the favorite to get taken first in 12 months time, went before anyone else to the Washington Wizards.
“He’s terrific,” Parrish wrote about Flagg, who finished atop every major recruiting ranking. “He’s been an undeniable star at the high school level (and on the grassroots circuit) for years, so much so that I really do believe all 30 NBA franchises would take the 6-foot-9 forward first overall if next year’s draft were held right now.”
Four picks later, 7-footer [autotag]Khaman Maluach[/autotag] went to the Toronto Raptors with the fifth overall pick. The South Sudanese star, whom Parrish said could be the best prospect in NBA Academy Africa history.
The third and final Blue Devil in the lottery came from the returning crop with sophomore guard [autotag]Caleb Foster[/autotag] going 10th to the Brooklyn Nets. A 6-foot-5 ball-handler who made 40% of his 3-pointers and averaged two assists per game last year, Foster brings an appealing set of skills to the NBA level.
Parrish’s projection only included the first 14 picks of the lottery, but other names like Tyrese Proctor and Kon Knueppel have been thrown around in 2025 mock drafts already. Check out Duke Wire’s predictions for who heads to the pros and who returns for 2025-26 here.
