2025 NBA Mock Draft: Projected First-Round Stars and In-Depth Player Analysis

The NBA Finals will be settled tonight as the Pacers and Thunder play Game 7. Then the league will quickly shift its focus to the 2025 NBA Draft as the first round is set to take place on Wednesday, June 25, and the second round on the following night.

Last month, my good friend Jamie Calendro
shared his predictions for the lottery picks
, but with the draft only days away, I am going to do a mock draft for the entire first round. Yes, I will be predicting all 30 first-round selections!

Let’s get into it already! This is a tough draft to project! If you think I am way off about a player, let me know on X.

1) Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, Duke

The Mavericks were quite lucky to draw the top pick with only about a 1% chance of winning the lottery. Flagg is the consensus top pick, and I doubt that Dallas is going to do anything here other than take him and hope that it helps fans quickly forget about the trade that sent
Luka Doncic
to the Lakers.

Flagg makes a lot of sense for this team, too, as he can fit in on the wing alongside
Kyrie Irving
and
Anthony Davis
. He won’t be relied on to score a lot, which is a perfect situation to step into, and expect Flagg to excel in this situation where he can do a little of everything from passing to rebounding to playing some very good defense.

2) San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, Rutgers

The other player who is almost certainly locked into their draft slot is Harper. While I don’t love the fit here with the Spurs already having
De’Aaron Fox
and
Stephon Castle
in the backcourt, reports out of San Antonio have been that the Spurs are most likely going to pick him anyway and then deal with their roster construction later.

Even if the Spurs were to trade down here, any team that is trading up to the second pick is doing so to snag Harper, who projects as the best lead guard in this draft class.

3) Philadelphia 76ers: Kon Knueppel, Duke

Here is where I will stray from the pack, as I see a lot of other sites and writers have Knueppel going anywhere from fourth to eighth. I love this kid’s game, and I think he’s one of the most NBA-ready prospects in this draft. Ace Bailey is sliding down draft boards and scaring teams off, but Knueppel is the complete opposite of Bailey, as he’s already a pretty polished player and more of a known quantity.

Knueppel has more athleticism than people are giving him credit for, and he is more than just a shooter, as he showed some solid passing skills last year at Duke, too. He’s a heady player who should have a short learning curve at the NBA level.

The Sixers have a huge hole at shooting guard. Kelly Oubre is more of a small forward, and
Jared McCain
is better with the ball in his hands and should probably be leading the second unit as their sixth man. Why not go with a safe pick here and slot Knueppel in at shooting guard alongside
Tyrese Maxey
?

4) Charlotte Hornets: VJ Edgecombe, Baylor

Do the Hornets need another shooting guard with
Brandon Miller
already locked in at the position? Well, Charlotte needs all the help they can get, and Miller has the size to slide over to small forward at some point if Charlotte wants to play small, which they already do fairly often with six-foot-seven
Miles Bridges
at power forward.

There simply aren’t any big men here to take this early, so Charlotte is likely to go with the best available, which is Edgecomb for me. He and Tre Johnson are both big, physical guards, but Edgecomb showed a better all-around skill set last year with over five boards and three assists per game.

He’s drawing comparisons to Victor Oladipo, which is some high praise. The Hornets need more athleticism and some edge (no pun intended). I think Edgecombe could thrive in their fast-paced system led by
LaMelo Ball
without demanding many shots in that offense.

5) Utah Jazz: Tre Johnson, Texas

Johnson led all freshmen with 19.9 points per game last year and is too good to pass up here for Utah, a team that could use more scoring in the backcourt. Say what you want about the other parts of his game, this kid can get buckets.

It feels like the Jazz want to build around
Isaiah Collier
(a true pass-first point guard) and
Keyonte George
, so don’t be surprised if veterans
Collin Sexton
and
Jordan Clarkson
find their way onto another roster in the offseason or through a trade next season.

6) Washington Wizards: Noa Essengue, France

The Wizards need help everywhere, but have multiple picks in the first round to continue to stock up on talent. I think they target a big man early and why not bring in another French player to develop alongside their first-round pick from last season, Alex Sarr?

Essengue is a raw prospect and still just 18 years old; however, he would give Washington another potential defensive impact player to team with
Bilal Coulibaly
and Sarr. The timeline on the Wizards reboot is still several years out, so there’s no reason not to invest in at least one “project” prospect who might be several years from being ready to contribute in the rotation.

7) New Orleans Pelicans: Derik Queen, Maryland

The Pelicans have
Zion Williamson
slotted in as their starting power forward, but last season started rookie
Yves Missi
for much of the season. Missi was a plus rebounder and solid rim protector, but lacked an offensive game.

Queen is the most-skilled big man in the draft in terms of already having a fairly polished offensive arsenal. If Zion struggles to stay healthy, they could consider playing Queen at power forward in some big lineups or use him in a platoon at center as the offensive player in a solid tandem with the defensive-minded Missi.

8) Brooklyn Nets: Ace Bailey, Rutgers

Yes, I think Bailey is the biggest faller in this draft, but I can’t see him falling past the Nets with the number eight pick. Bailey’s decision not to work out for teams is odd, and it’s throwing up some red flags for teams. He also measured just six-foot-seven at the combine, not six-foot-ten as he was listed at Rutgers.

But my biggest issue with Bailey is that he’s pretty one-dimensional. A lot of critics have pointed out his lack of defense on film, and the knock on him is that he might not be as serious a competitor as others. I remember some saying something similar about
Anthony Edwards
years ago, too, so that could end up being nothing. But Bailey certainly has a ceiling of someone like Edwards and has drawn comps to
Brandon Ingram
.

The Nets need playmakers and some star power, which Bailey could provide, and they have multiple picks later in the first round where they can go a little more conservative.

9) Toronto Raptors: Khaman Malauch, Duke

I think Toronto will target a big man in this range, and Malauch is one of the few true centers projected to go in the first half of round one. Last year, Toronto played guys like
Jonathan Mogbo
and
Chris Boucher
at center when
Jakob Poeltl
came out of the game or was injured, but both were out of position at center.

Malauch would give Toronto some much-needed rim protection and even more length to a team that already has a very tall, long starting lineup. He’s still just 18 years old and could develop into an elite shot blocker at the NBA level with his seven-foot-seven wingspan.

10) Houston Rockets (via Phoenix): Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois

Jakuciounas fits with what the Rockets have been building. He’s big for a point guard at six-foot-five and more of a passer than a scorer. Houston has a stacked roster with depth at nearly every position, but their oldest starter is point guard
Fred VanVleet
, who is also entering the final year of his contract.

Amen Thompson
is the only other guy on the roster I could see playing the point, as most of Houston’s young talent is on the wing with
Jalen Green
,
Tari Eason
,
Reed Sheppard
, and Jabari Smith. There’s no major need here, so going with the best available is likely what Houston will do.

11) Portland Trailblazers: Egor Demin, BYU

Here is my first big surprise (other than maybe Bailey falling all the way to number eight) as I think the Blazers (and other teams) are probably enamored with Demin as a prospect.

Demin is a big point guard at six-foot-eight who already has some experience in the Euroleague before playing at BYU last season. Portland has guards who can score with
Scoot Henderson
,
Shaedon Sharpe
, and
Anfernee Simons
, but they could stand to add some length and play-making. We saw
Deni Avdija
function as a point forward there last season, which allowed the Portland guards to function off the ball on offense more.

The rumor is that multiple teams are enamored with Demin and that his stock is on the rise. I think he could go even a few spots higher, but it makes a ton of sense for Portland to take him here at 11.

12) Chicago Bulls: Joan Beringer, France

The Bulls need a big man and have been reported to be targeting Queen, Beringer, and Essengue with the 12th pick. Beringer, like Essengue, is from France and is a young, raw prospect. He has only played organized basketball for four years, but is incredibly athletic for his size at nearly seven foot tall.

The Bulls also need to invest in defense, as they have been one of the worst defensive teams in the league now for several years. Beringer could be a few years away from making a big impact, but it would signify a change in direction for the franchise as they embrace a true rebuild.

13) Atlanta Hawks (via Sacramento): Carter Bryant, Arizona

The projections on Bryant vary widely, as some have him going as high as the 8-10 range, but I think it’s more likely he falls into the teens. Bryant didn’t play as much as other prospects last year, coming off the bench for Arizona, but has been wowing scouts at workouts with a very smooth all-around game.

With
Trae Young
and
Dyson Daniels
firmly installed in the backcourt, I would love to see Atlanta target another scoring wing. Pairing Bryant with last year’s top pick Zacharie Risacher would give them a solid 1-2 punch at the three.

14) San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta): Cedric Coward, Washington St.

Coward is rocketing up draft boards and could still go inside the top ten if a team is absolutely in love with his potential and work ethic. He’s not overly tall for a wing player at six-foot-five, but he has an incredibly long frame and elite athleticism. At 21 years old, he’s an older prospect than a lot of the teenagers in this group, and he’s had to work his way up from a smaller school to finally get his chance to play at WSU last year.

Coward reportedly nailed his interviews and has coaches drooling over his potential and NBA-readiness. We know the Spurs are big on character guys, and I can’t see him slide past San Antonio here, a franchise that has the luxury of just stacking talent in this draft and sorting it out later.

15) Oklahoma City Thunder (via Miami): Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma

Some experts have Fears as a possible option inside the top ten, but this class is loaded at the point guard position. OKC has the type of organizational depth where they can sit back and take the best available and see who falls to them here.

One thing they don’t have on the roster is a true point guard, as you could argue that
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
is a shoot-first lead guard.

16) Memphis Grizzlies (via Orlando): Nique Clifford, Colorado State

The Grizzlies just traded away
Desmond Bane
, so why not replace him with Clifford, who is a Bane clone?

Clifford is 23 years old and coming off an impressive career at CSU. He averaged over nine boards last season and has made a reputation as a very good defender. He could be ready to be in the rotation on day one, and again, he fits exactly what Memphis needs after the departure of Bane to Orlando.

17) Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit): Liam McNeeley, UConn

McNeeley is an interesting prospect because he’s not flashy, but could be one of the most ready to contribute out of the gate with his very balanced game. He’s got good great size for a three-man and showed impressive rebounding and passing skills in addition to plus outside shooting while at UCONN.

The Wolves are bringing back everyone from a team that made a deep run in the West last season and are known for being a tough defensive team with length at every position. I see McNeeley fitting in perfectly as a bench piece for the Wolves and as a guy who could be a regular contributor by the end of his rookie year.

18) Washington Wizards (via Memphis): Jase Richardson, Michigan State

Richardson came on strong at the end of his last season and turned some heads in the NCAA tournament with his scoring ability. He’s one of the smaller guards in this class at just six-foot-one, but he’s uber athletic and a crafty scorer from different spots on the floor.

Richardson has the NBA pedigree (his dad, Jason Richardson, played a long time in the league), and he drew strong praise from coach Tom Izzo in terms of being mature for his age and a leader in the locker room.

I have Washington taking a big man early in the first round, so coming back later with a guard who can fill it makes sense for them here.

19) Brooklyn Nets (via Milwaukee): Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina

The Nets have four first-round picks, so they can get pretty creative here, and that also makes them a little tougher to figure out since they have so much flexibility.

Murray-Boyles is a bit of a throwback as an undersized power forward at six-foot-six and 240 pounds. Some scouts are really high on him for his versatility, and others think that he is too small to play inside and too unskilled offensively to play on the wing.

He’s a dog, though, and someone who will battle for minutes and a spot in the rotation. There’s nothing wrong with bringing him into a clubhouse that has lost that competitive nature in Brooklyn and seeing if he can fight his way into the rotation.

20) Miami Heat (via Golden State): Danny Wolf, Michigan

Wolf is a very skilled big man who has the size to play center, but the offensive game and passing ability to move over and play the four, too. With
Bam Adebayo
and
Kel’el Ware
set to share the frontcourt again, Wolf would make for a nice backup to both.

Miami already has a skilled big man on the bench in
Nikola Jovic
, but he can even slide over and play the three if needed. Wolf already has three seasons of college ball under his belt and could be ready to contribute more quickly than some of the other teenagers available here.

21) Utah Jazz (via Minnesota): Rasheer Fleming, St. Joe’s

Fleming is a big, physical player standing at six feet eight inches and weighing 232 pounds. He was nearly impossible to stop on the pick-and-roll last season while playing with two really good guards in Derek Simpson and Xzayvier Brown.

I have Utah going after a guard with their first pick, so coming back with a big man here would make sense. They have
Walker Kessler
and
Kyle Filipowski
at the center position, but just
Taylor Hendricks
as the only true power forward backing
John Collins
.

22) Atlanta Hawks (via LA Lakers): Walter Clayton Jr., Florida

I am admittedly higher on Clayton Jr. than others, and as I mentioned before, this is a very deep draft class at the point guard position. Clayton Jr. is on the smaller side, but has proven to be a winner, leading Florida to a national championship last season.

He would make for a great understudy for Trae Young and provide the Hawks with another guard who can score and pass off the bench.

23) New Orleans Pelicans (via Indiana): Drake Powell, North Carolina

The Pelicans had one of the worst defenses in the league last year. Drake Powell has made his reputation on being a plus defender during his time at UNC and has an improving offensive skill set.

Powell has the potential to be the type of shutdown defender that has value at the NBA level. If New Orleans wants to shift it’s identity from being a poor defensive team, they can start by stacking up talent in this draft that will improve their team defense.

24) OKC Thunder (via LA Clippers): Asa Newell, Georgia

Again, OKC can sit back and see who falls to them here on their board. They already have a deep enough roster that they don’t need to draft anyone ready to step in day one, and therefore I think they might go after a big man here like Newell.

Newell fits the mold of what they want from
Chet Holmgren
– a big man who can stretch the floor and knock down threes. He’s six-foot-nine, but plays bigger with a seven-foot wingspan.

25) Orlando Magic (via Denver): Thomas Sorber, Georgetown

The Magic made a very compelling trade for Desmond Bane just last week, and now looks like a team that could contend in the East. They are going to be without a first-round pick now for the next four years, so they better make this one count!

I think they badly need to address the center position.
Wendell Carter Jr.
is an undersized guy there who is talented on offense, but doesn’t add much defense. Behind him is
Goga Bitadze
, who brings rim protection but has not shown that he can be a 30+ minute player yet, and is limited offensively.

Sorber would be another big body to add to the mix and potentially the center of the future for a team that has opened up a window to contend.

26) Brooklyn Nets (via New York): Nolan Traore, France

Who knows what the Nets do here as they have back-to-back picks at 26 and 27. I could easily see them go after some younger prospects with high ceilings and simply stockpile as much talent as possible.

Traore grades out really well as a passer, and the Nets don’t have a pass-first guard on the roster (don’t tell me that
D’Angelo Russell
is either). Depending on who departs in free agency, this team could overhaul most of its roster, so stay tuned.

27) Brooklyn Nets (via Houston): Maxime Reynaud, Stanford

I like Reynaud’s upside quite a bit, and taking a senior with their last pick could make sense if they take some chances of younger prospects with their other picks.

The big man from Stanford can stretch the floor (something that
Nicolas Claxton
doesn’t do), and give the Nets the ability to play a different style of basketball. Reynaud has been praised for his rebounding, too, an area the Nets have struggled in recent years.

28) Boston Celtics: Noah Penda, France

The Celtics are a really interesting team to watch. We don’t know whether they plan to rebuild with
Jayson Tatum
out, or just reload and keep their core intact until he returns.

But we do know that they love guys who can play defense. Penda has some weaknesses on offense, but scouts love his toughness and maturity for a 20-year-old. He just sounds like a guy that the Celtics would love to put alongside their veterans.

29) Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland): Hugo Gonzalez, Spain

The Suns are one of the more compelling teams to watch in the offseason. Will they trade Durant? And if they do, will they get NBA rotation players in return or stock up on draft picks for the future?

One thing is for sure –
Devin Booker
and
Bradley Beal
need help. The Suns have eight players who are unrestricted free agents, and this roster could look very different next year. Gonzalez is a very raw prospect at 19 years old, but has been playing professionally in Europe with Real Madrid. He is a big-bodied wing who could bring some physicality and plus shooting.

30) LA Clippers (via OKC): Ben Saraf, Israel

Our final pick in the first round is yet another point guard. Saraf is coming over from Europe and has flashed some impressive play-making ability at only 19 years old.

Continuing the trend we are seeing with big, European guards, Saraf is very long and athletic, standing six feet six. He’s a crafty lefty, and perhaps he will back up another lefty (
James Harden
) for the Clippers this season.