USA TODAY Sports 2025 NBA mock draft projects two Alabama players as first-round picks

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.”

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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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