Mock Draft 3.0 (Final edition)
Today is the day! I’m providing the latest intel to help inform on how the 2025 NBA Draft will unfold. I’m utilizing the most up to date draft layout, including after recent trades, while providing my analysis of who they will draft and why. Note: When planning my mocks, I always try to leave as much bias out and not use who I think are the best players available, instead using intel from what I am hearing on teams, the players, draft history, and reviewing current team structure to determine where prospects will go.
Let’s begin with the first round:
1- Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg - 6’9 Forward Duke
Flagg played phenomenally in the NCAA tournament and has all but solidified his spot at the top of the draft. At the point, he’s being compared more to past #1 draft picks than with his peers in this class. He’s in a tier of his own and is a no brainer selection.
2- San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper - 6’7 Guard Rutgers
While Flagg may locked at #1, Harper is almost equally locked at #2. He has already declared for the draft, and I can’t see any team choosing to draft anyone else at this spot, even a team that just drafted Stephon Castle and traded for De'Aaron Fox.
3- Philadelphia 76ers: Khaman Malauch - 7’2 Big Duke (South Sudan)
Assuming the 76ers do not trade the pick, Malauch could be a great addition with Embiid struggling with injury issues and being unable to play through a whole season. Investing in another high quality center to fill in when Embiid can’t play and to invest in after Embiid needs to be a priority.
4- Charlotte Hornets: VJ Edgecombe - 6’5 Guard Baylor (Bahamas)
It would be tough choosing between Edgecombe, Ace Bailey, and Tre Johnson for this spot, but Edgecombe has an incredibly high ceiling that could give the Hornets a chance to enter the postseason in what would be 10 seasons since their last appearance.
5- Utah Jazz: Tre Johnson - 6’6 Wing Texas
Johnson has proven he can take over a game with his shooting, but needs to show he can do more than just score. At the least, Johnson can make Jazz games more exciting with his scoring prowess and provide spacing to give more room to work for their other young prospects.
6- Washington Wizards: Kon Knueppel - 6’6 Wing Duke
Knueppel has a great basketball IQ and is a great shooter. He had excellent intangibles and can help lift the other young prospects on the team with the spacing he will provide.
7- New Orleans Pelicans: Derik Queen - 6’10 Pivot Maryland
The Pelicans are targeting Derik Queen, so long as he is still available at this point. He has a versatile offensive game to build around, but he will need to continue to develop his defensive game and add range on his jump shot.
8- Brooklyn Nets: Ace Bailey - 6’10 Big Rutgers
Bailey’s stock is sliding a bit with his unorthodox approach to the pre-draft process, including cancelling private workouts with teams. Bailey’s agent stated they are targeting a team on the East Coast and the Nets fit that bill. They could use a good floor-spacing forward to help the rest of their young core and Bailey has a super high ceiling.
9- Toronto Raptors: Asa Newell - 6’9 Big Georgia
Raptors could use more talent in their frontcourt and Newell provides that with his defense, spacing, and inside scoring prowess.
10- Phoenix Suns: Kasparas Jakucionis - 6’5 Guard Illinois (Lithuania)
The Suns just obtained their first round pick by trading Kevin Durant and could get their point guard of the future to pair with Devin Booker in the backcourt. In Jakucionis, The Suns could be getting the best passer in the draft.
11- Portland Trailblazers: Collin Murray-Boyles - 6’7 Forward South Carolina
Murray-Boyles already has great defensive tools and if he can get a better jump shot, he’d make a great 3 and D player with the ability to even create his own shot. He’d be a great young player to replace Jerami Grant.
12- Chicago Bulls: Jeremiah Fears - 6’4” Guard Oklahoma
The Bulls may rather have a center replacement for Nikola Vucevic that matches the timeline of the rest of their core, but with all three lottery-bound bigs already selected, the Bulls may just build their backcourt. Fears fits as either a starter or backup depending on how the Bulls build their core moving forward.
13- Atlanta Hawks (Kings): Egor Demin - 6’8 Wing BYU (Russia)
Demin’s length and play-making from the forward position can help relieve some of the load from Trae Young while allowing him to also play alongside him.
14- San Antonio Spurs (Hawks): Noa Essengue - 6’9 Forward Ratopharm Ulm (France)
Another team in total rebuild, Nets are in a good situation to take a big swing on an upside project. Essengue has a lot of great tools that could help him take a big leap as a prospect, but he also has a lower floor. Nets can take that gamble and give him the minutes to work on his skillset.
15- Miami Heat: Carter Bryant - 6’8 Forward Arizona
Bryant has some great 3 and D qualities and is a good passer for his position. Miami needs a new identity with the Butler era officially over and Bryant can help be the start of something new. His biggest area of growth will be to work on creating his own shot.
16- Memphis Grizzlies (Magic): Cedric Coward - 6’6” Wing Washington St
Coward has risen fast up draft boards due to how well he did in the combine and in private workouts. Coward would be a great depth piece for a Grizzlies team that is looking to retool after trading Desmond Bane.
17- Minnesota Timberwolves (Pistons): Liam McNeeley - 6’8 Forward UCONN
Timberwolves need to continue to surround Anthony Edwards with shooters. McNeeley offers that and experience being a winner at the collegiate level.
18- Miami Heat (Warriors): Nolan Traore - 6’5 Guard Saint-Quentin (France)
Traore has slipped considerably from where he started in the draft process to now. The tools are there, but he needs to improve his shot creation and outside shooting. The Heat could use a solid point guard to set up the rest of the roster, they just may need to be patient with his development.
19- Washington Wizards (Grizzlies): Will Riley - 6’8 Forward Illinois (Canada)
Riley impressed at the combine and has showcased great range with excellent length and the ability to create his own shot.
20- Brooklyn Nets (Bucks): Rasheer Fleming - 6’9” Forward Saint Joseph’s
The Nets will to try and hit a home run by selecting one of the best three and D players in the draft. His length and shooting gives him a very high ceiling.
21- Utah Jazz (Timberwolves): Thomas Sorber - 6’10” Big Georgetown
Clint Capela is an unrestricted free agent and Atlanta could replace him with Sorber. Sorber projects as a great defender and has good court vision.
22- Brooklyn Nets (Lakers): Joan Beringer - 6’11” Pivot Cedevita (France)
Continuing the trend of selecting high potential prospects, the Nets could target the best shot blocker in the draft and hope he develops into more as a player with ample playing time.
23- New Orleans Pelicans (Pacers): Nique Clifford - 6’6” Forward Colorado State
Clifford is an older prospect, but his Swiss-army knife skillset would help fill in a lot of gaps for the Pelicans. He could be an instant contributor on a team still struggling to find an identity.
24- Orlando Magic (Nuggets): Jase Richardson - 6’4” Guard Michigan State
Richardson could be a great spark off of the bench for the Magic. Richardson will also work on his court vision to develop more as a point guard than the undersized combo-guard he currently projects as.
25- Oklahoma City Thunder (Clippers): Hugo Gonzalez - 6’6 Wing Real Madrid (Spain)
Gonzalez has started to showcase more of why he was being looked at higher in the draft earlier this season, continuing to display explosive plays and defense while developing newer offensive skills. Coming off of a championship, Thunder can patiently develop him while continuing to compete.
26- Brooklyn Nets (Knicks): Danny Wolf - 7’0” Big Michigan
After selecting another center with their last pick, it might be odd to draft another in the first round, however Wolf brings a unique skillset with his court vision and range. He also has experience playing alongside another big and appears to be more game ready than Beringer currently is.
27- Brooklyn Nets (Rockets): Ben Saraf - 6’6 Ratopharm Ulm (Israel)
I can’t see the Nets keeping all of their picks, but if they do, Saraf seems like an interesting choice for their to select. Saraf has a very unique game that revolves around his passing ability and size, but he will need to continue to work on his shot and on the defensive end.
28- Boston Celtics: Maxime Raynaud - 7’1” Center Stanford (France)
The Celtics just traded Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford is 39 years old. Due to their current cap situation, they need to rebuild their talent pool cheaply. Raynaud can help provide depth at center and can help them continue to play 5 out on offense.
29- Phoenix Suns (Cavaliers): Noah Penda - 6’8” Forward Le Mans Sarthe Basket (France)
The Suns are loaded with guards and need some talented, larger players. Penda is a versatile player that can help in a number of ways.
30- Los Angeles Clippers (Thunder): Adou Thierro - 6’6 Wing Arkansas (Mali)
Thierro has showcased great defensive ability and last season at Arkansas showed great improvement on offense. If his three-point shot can develop, he’d be an amazing three and D player.
Second round:
31- Minnesota Timberwolves: Ryan Kalkbrenner - 7’1” Big Creighton
32- Boston Celtics: Walter Clayton Jr - 6’2” Guard Florida
33- Charlotte Hornets: Drake Powell- 6’6” Wing UNC
34- Charlotte Hornets: Rocco Zikarsky- 7’4” Pivot Brisbane (Australia)
35- Philadelphia 76ers: Jamir Watkins- 6’7” Forward Florida St
36- Brooklyn Nets: Alex Toohey- 6’9” Forward Sidney Kings (Australia)
37- Detroit Pistons: Tyrese Proctor- 6’5” Point Duke (Australia)
38- Indiana Pacers: Johni Broome- 6’10” Big Auburn
39- Toronto Raptors: Hensen Yang- 7’2” Pivot Qingdao (China)
40-New Orleans Pelicans: Chaz Lanier- 6’4” Guard Tennessee
41- Golden State Warriors: Yanic Konan Niederhauser- 7’0” Big Pen (Switzerland)
42-Sacramento Kings: Kam Jones- 6’4” Guard Marquette
43- Utah Jazz: Vladislav Golden-7’1” Pivot Michigan (Russia)
44- OKC Thunder: Dink Pate- 6’8” 210 Guard G-League Capitanes
45- Chicago Bulls: Bogoljub Markovic- 6’11” Big Mega (Serbia)
46- Orlando Magic: Koby Brea- 6’7” Forward Kentucky (Dominican Republic)
47- Milwaukee Bucks: John Tonje- 6’5” Wing Wisconsin
48- Memphis Grizzlies: Viktor Lakhin- 6’5” Wing Wisconsin
49- Cleveland Cavaliers: Eric Dixon- 6’8” Forward Villanova
50- New York Knicks: Sion James- 6’4” Wing Duke
51- Los Angeles Clippers: Hunter Sallis- 6’5” Guard Wake Forrest
52- Phoenix Suns: RJ Luis Jr- 6’7” Wing St Johns
53- Utah Jazz: Izan Almansa- 6’10” Big Perth Wildcats (Spain)
54- Indiana Pacers: Ryan Nembhard- 6’0” Point Gonzaga
55- Los Angeles Lakers: Alijah Martin- 6’2” Guard Florida
56- Memphis Grizzlies: Javon Small- 6’3” Point West Virginia
57- Orlando Magic: Amari Williams- 7’0” Big Kentucky (Britain)
58- Cleveland Cavaliers: Mark Sears- 5’11” Point Alabama
59- Houston Rockets: Grant Nelson- 6’10” 215 Big Alabama