Tag: NBA Mock Draft

76ers land V.J. Edgecombe in latest 2025 NBA mock draft from Bleacher Report

This would REALLY help Philadelphia.

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.”

Edgecombe is off to a strong start at Baylor, including this highlight dunk against Gonzaga.

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.

Here is our latest NBA mock draft at For The Win, where Edgecombe goes to the Toronto Raptors.

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The latest 2025 NBA mock draft from Bleacher Report has BYU star Egor Demin on the Jazz

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.

Here is our latest NBA mock draft at For The Win, where Demin goes to the lowly and injured New Orleans Pelicans.

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Aggregate 2025 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: International prospects rise

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.

Three Duke basketball players go within the top 10 in new 2025 mock draft

CBS Sports released an early 2025 mock draft on Saturday morning, and Gary Parrish had three Blue Devils within the first 10 picks.

The 2024-25 Duke basketball team remains a runaway hype train, and CBS Sports added another layer to the momentum on Saturday morning.

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.”

Flagg would be the first American picked No. 1 since fellow Duke star Paolo Banchero went to the Orlando Magic in 2022.

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 presumed lottery pick contains more than just shot-blocking potential, however, with highlights from his Basketball Africa League games including knockdown 3-pointers.

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.

Incoming Alabama freshman receives first-round projection in 2025 NBA mock draft

While it is still a year away, one Alabama basketball freshman is already earning first-round NBA draft grades.

Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball head coach Nate Oats has revived the program with sustained success on the court, on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal. After reaching the Final Four of March Madness for the first time in Crimson Tide history, Oats may be on the verge of sending another set of players to the NBA.

In 2024, Alabama managed to retain most of its talented roster, which helped guide the team to a deep NCAA Tournament run. As a result, the NBA draft did not feature any Crimson Tide standouts. However, that could change next year.

In a recent way-too-early 2025 NBA mock draft, Adam Finkelstein and Travis Branham projects incoming Alabama freshman small forward Derrion Reid to be selected No. 29 overall to the Orlando Magic.

“Reid is a versatile forward with size, length, athleticism and versatility on both ends of the court. He is at his best as a slasher, defender and rebounder but has also shown promising flashes as a playmaker and has grown as a shooter entering college.”

Reid committed to Alabama in December of 2023, and is one of the highest-rated recruits landed by Oats. He ranked No. 9 in the ESPN 100, and ranked No. 16 in the nation, according to 247Sports, which also tabbed Reid as a five-star prospect.

After committing to Alabama, Reid credited Oats for being a large part in the decision.

“I love their play style and the coaches,” Reid told ESPN. “Coach Oats gets his players better. I believe I can make an immediate impact and get better in all aspects of my game so I can get to the league. Coach Oats is a great person to be around and learn from.”

While the 2025 NBA draft isn’t for another year, it’s important for fans to get familiar with potential stars on the upcoming Crimson Tide roster as the team looks to not only return to the Final Four, but build upon this success as the program seeks a national championship.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama basketball news as the 2024 offseason progresses.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

Final NBA draft prediction for Duke basketball star Jared McCain

Check out Duke Wire’s final prediction for Jared McCain in Wednesday’s NBA draft here.

The day [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] has waited for all summer is finally here.

Months after his final game in a Duke uniform (appropriately, a 32-point game in the NCAA Tournament to cap off a star-making run), McCain will get drafted by an NBA team during Wednesday night’s first round. But where will he go?

Here at Duke Wire, we’ve laid out McCain’s five ideal destinations here and his five most likely landing spots here. Multiple mock drafts from multiple different outlets paired him with the Philadelphia 76ers, reports confirmed that he worked out with the Milwaukee Bucks, and fans clamored for him to get taken in the lottery after a steller 3-point shooting performance at the combine.

With the draft just hours away, however. we’re ready to lock in our final guess for the 41.4% 3-point shooter. By the end of Wednesday night, McCain will be a member of…

…the Miami Heat.

McCain’s draft odds, according to the DraftKings Sportsbook on Wednesday afternoon, tie him to multiple teams in the mid-to-late teens in the draft order, which reflects that analysts and scouts haven’t heard smoke tying him to any one team. The Heat, who own the 15th overall pick, sit as one of the earliest of those teams on the draft board, however, and Miami desperately needs offense, specifically on the perimeter.

One year removed from winning the Eastern Conference for the second time in four years, the Heat finished with the fifth-worst scoring offense in the NBA. Jimmy Butler will turn 35 years old in September, and the Heat need to take advantage of their window while its open. McCain not only changes the offensive math, he also lets Miami shop players like Tyler Herro in trade packages later this summer without surrendering their scoring.

The first round of the NBA draft gets underway at 8 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday night and Duke fans can watch McCain and Filipowski’s lives change on ABC and ESPN.

The Ringer’s final NBA mock draft pairs a Duke basketball star with Lakers coach JJ Redick

The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor released his final NBA mock draft on Wednesday and paired one Blue Devil with new Lakers coach JJ Redick.

Will JJ Redick, Duke’s all-time leading scorer and the newest head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, end up with a former Blue Devil as his first draft pick? One expert says so.

The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor released a new NBA mock draft on Wednesday morning, just hours before the first round, and he paired the Lakers with Duke prospect [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag].

O’Connor said McCain, who shot better than 41% from beyond the arc, reminded him of something “between Steph and Seth Curry,” invoking the best shooting family in basketball history. He also pointed out that the Lakers took fewer 3-pointers than almost any other team in the NBA last season.

“Redick wants to take pressure off LeBron James and start running more offense through Anthony Davis,” O’Connor wrote. “So it’d make sense for them to find a shotmaking guard like McCain, who could fly through AD handoffs or run a pick-and-roll with LeBron screening or spacing.”

O’Connor also had [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag], an All-American as a sophomore last season, to the New York Knicks with the 25th overall pick, one of the 7-footer’s most likely destinations.

The 2024 NBA draft gets underway with Wednesday’s first round broadcasted on ABC and ESPN.

Kyle Filipowski tumbles to the second round in Bleacher Report’s final NBA mock draft

With the sun up on the morning of the NBA draft, Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman thinks Filipowski might need to wait until Thursday.

The 2024 NBA draft is finally upon us, but one expert thinks Duke basketball star [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] might need to wait another night.

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman released a final mock draft on Wednesday morning ahead of the opening round, and he had the All-American 7-footer tumbled down to the second round. Wasserman slotted the forward to the Utah Jazz with the 32nd pick.

Filipowski had one of the best two-year runs in recent Duke memory, winning ACC Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman before being named to the All-ACC First Team last season while averaging 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.

Wasserman said that Filipowski’s measurables, with a wingspan smaller than his height, won’t push him up the board, but other traits would buoy his draft stock.

“His shooting range, post skill, improved finishing and passing and defensive mobility create versatility teams should covet,” Wasserman wrote.

The 2024 NBA draft gets underway on Wednesday evening with the first 30 selections broadcast on ABC and ESPN. Will Filipowski hear his name called?

The final 2024 NBA mock draft from ESPN has Zach Edey to the Lakers

The Purdue big man could be a good fit.

Happy NBA Draft Day, friends.

While we’re all wondering who will go No. 1 to the Atlanta Hawks or if the Los Angeles Lakers will draft Bronny James or not, there’s one of the better players in college hoops last season who is an intriguing sleeper: Zach Edey.

In the final NBA mock draft from our Bryan Kalbrosky, he’s got the Purdue center going to the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 14. And in the final ESPN mock before the real thing starts Wednesday night, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have him going to the aforementioned Lakers at No. 17.

Here’s their reasoning:

The Lakers likely will explore the trade market to see what type of veterans they can add to give LeBron James, Anthony Davis and new coach J.J. Redick the best chance of competing this season, with NBA players such as Dejounte Murray and Collin Sexton being batted around by rival teams as possible targets. Should the Lakers elect to stand pat, picking a plug-and-play center like Edey would make a lot of sense.

Davis is coming off his best season in years from a durability standpoint but will likely need to have his minutes managed, and he has always preferred to play alongside another big man. Enter Edey, who can bring the Lakers some of the physicality they’ve been lacking inside the paint at times, with L.A. finishing as the NBA’s worst offensive-rebounding team last season.

Interesting! Make sure to check out our final NBA mock draft, along with the first-round order ahead of Wednesday night.

Overtime announces NBA draft series starring Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski dropping in July

Overtime announced its NBA draft video series, Draft House, will release in July with both Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski set to star.

Duke fans will get an inside look at [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] throughout the draft process in July.

Overtime announced that the site would release Draft House, a video series chronicling the NBA draft saga for several prospects, on July 12. Filipowski and McCain will both feature in the series alongside Devin Carter from Providence.

“You get to come with us and see every step along the way,” McCain said in the trailer released through social media on Tuesday.

Even in the minute-long trailer, McCain opened up about wanting people to associate him with basketball as much as his social media presence (the one-year Duke star has millions of followers on TikTok).

Filipowski also said he felt he wasn’t taken seriously during his time with the Blue Devils.

“The perception of me, the tall, white, soft basketball player that plays for Duke, I just didn’t feel like I was getting respected enough,” he said. “And still not enough for what I bring to the table.”

The 2024 NBA draft begins on Wednesday, but Duke fans will need to wait a few weeks before the Overtime series gets released.