2025 Mock Draft (First Round)
Dallas Mavericks - Cooper Flagg
It’s a no-brainer here, Cooper Flagg is the number one pick. Unless Dallas is offered a solidified superstar, they’re not moving the pick. Flagg is one of the best prospects in years with his versatile skill set that virtually all NBA teams dream of. Flagg has all the tools to become one of the best players in the league, and at his very worst he will be a regular on all-defense teams.
San Antonio Spurs - Dylan Harper
Dylan Harper is a very highly skilled combo guard. His creativity combined with his pure scoring ability make him the second best prospect in this class. Harper still has a ton of room to grow and learning from a fellow lefty in De’Aaron Fox could elevate his game. His role next to Fox and Stephon Castle may be clunky, but talented players like these tend to figure it out at some point.
Philadelphia 76ers - VJ Edgecombe
Edgecombe is an explosive wing and one of the best talents in this class. He has the potential to be one of the best two-way wings in the league with his defensive potential and growing offensive skill set. With NBA spacing around him, he may be able to showcase athletic abilities even more than he was able to at Baylor.
Charlotte Hornets - Ace Bailey (Trade to Wizards) - Trade Down to 6
Even though Ace Bailey should probably go number 3, the 76ers or any team for that matter would not want a player that doesn’t want to play for them. But, talent is talent and Bailey would be taken off the board. In this scenario, Bailey and his representation get what they want and Washington trades up to 4 to guarantee the selection of the promising, difficult shotmaking wing.
Utah Jazz - Kon Knueppel
Kon Knueppel is one of the most prolific shooters in this draft class. He plays the right way, and is only going to improve. He has the fundamentals of a prototypical high impact guard, and he will only continue to build on it.
Washington Wizards - Tre Johnson (Trade to Charlotte) - Trade up to 4
Tre Johnson is a versatile scorer out of Texas. He makes tough shots and can provide scoring bursts if needed. Charlotte needs to stack all the talent they can and take the best player available at number 6.
New Orleans Pelicans - Jeremiah Fears
With no one safe on the Pelicans, Jeremiah Fears is the best available pick. With a new backcourt of Dejounte Murray and Jordan Poole, Fears may begin his NBA career coming off the bench and work his way into a bigger role.
Brooklyn Nets - Khaman Maluach
Nicolas Claxton is a name to watch on the trade market. He has already drawn interest from the Lakers, and could be on the move very soon. The Nets will try to draft his replacement with a 7’1, long, rim-protecting, and high potential center.
Toronto Raptors - Kasparas Jakucionis
With Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett on the block, bringing in young guard talent may be the answer. Now that they are out of the Durant sweepstakes, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Raptors lean further into the youth movement for an extra year. Even if Quickley stays, having Jakucionis learn from him and Scottie Barnes may be beneficial for long term success.
Houston Rockets - Carter Bryant
Bryant has the potential to be a good two-way wing in the league. He showed flashes at Arizona and may be able to help out on a newly contending Rockets team. He will be behind Durant, Smith Jr, and maybe Cam Whitmore to begin the season barring any changes. His first year will most likely be a learning experience if he lands with the Rockets. Especially with Udoka’s reluctance to play younger guys such as Reed Sheppard as shown last season and during his run with the Celtics.
Portland Trailblazers - Noa Essengue
Essengue is one of the most intriguing prospects in this draft. Coming out of France, his shooting ability is slightly shaky, but his athleticism, length, and finishing ability should allow him to make an impact in the league. He has high defensive upside, but it remains to be seen whether his youth will show in his first NBA season.
Chicago Bulls - Derik Queen
With Vucevic available, he may be on the move soon. Derik Queen can limitedly stretch the floor and is a very skilled offensive player. Standing at only 6’9, Queen may slide between the 4 and the 5, but his offensive skill set may pose problems for opposing 7 foot centers.
Atlanta Hawks - Joan Beringer
Another prospect from France that is very intriguing. While he isn’t the most skilled and polished offensive player, he has certainly made an impact in his games with his rim protection. His defensive ability is a draw for many teams, and the Hawks could use all the help they can get on the defensive end. With Capela possibly leaving in free agency, Joan Beringer can be put in prime position to play right away behind Onyeka Okongwu.
San Antonio Spurs - Colin Murray Boyles
With the Spurs possibly looking for upgrades next to Wemby and Fox, Sochan and co. may be on the move. Colin Murray Boyles can bring toughness and grit to a young Spurs team. His physicality in the frontcourt next to Victor Wembanyama can exponentially help a young Spurs team that may be looking to compete in the near future.
Oklahoma City Thunder - Thomas Sorber
Out of Georgetown, Thomas Sorber may not be the biggest height wise, but his 7’6 wingspan makes up for it. Sorber’s defensive potential and athleticism is highly coveted in the NBA. His offensive skill set is highly limited, but those skills can always develop. Sorber’s passing as a big has been a positive and can fill a role behind Hartenstein. His intangibles and length are unteachable and are hard to pass up on.
Memphis Grizzlies - Danny Wolf
Wolf is one of the most interesting prospects to me in this draft class. Although he may not be the most athletic or defensively capable player, his offensive skill set is enough for me to believe he will be a good player at the NBA level. With the size of a center, Wolf has amazing guard skills. Some of his moves will have you wondering how he can move like that. His ball-handling and ability to stretch the floor is intriguing to teams, and with the potential departure of Santi Aldama, Memphis needs to add some offensive talent. Even though he had high turnovers and wasn’t the most efficient, his feel for the game will help him play alongside Ja and the Grizzlies.
Minnesota Timberwolves - Rasheer Fleming
Rasheer Fleming has the tools that scouts and teams look for. His long wingspan and his defensive ability has many teams intrigued. His basketball IQ may not be the best, but nurturing him is a worthy project as he can space the floor and be extremely versatile on the defensive end. Fleming and Jaden McDaniels would pose a threat on the defensive end to any team.
Washington Wizards - Asa Newell
From Georgia, Asa Newell has the potential to be a very good player. Standing tall at 6’11 and playing the 4, Newell is an interesting fit next to Alex Sarr. He has many question marks around his offensive capabilities and defensive awareness, but he has the size, motor, and aggressiveness around the rim to impact winning. Newell has moments where he looks like a bigger Kenneth Faried and sometimes this is enough.
Brooklyn Nets - Jase Richardson
Jase Richardson became a standout player at Michigan State. He’s a low turnover, and mistake-free basketball player. Coaches love these types of players and I could see him going much earlier. His efficient shooting from three and overall play allows him to be a role player, and he bought into that in his lone collegiate season. He can definitely impact winning at the highest level. He is a bit small to be a two-guard, so he will have to improve his shot creation and playmaking at the NBA level.
Miami Heat - Walter Clayton Jr.
I don’t think Miami will keep the pick, but in the case that they do, I think Walter Clayton Jr. is the pick. He has already cancelled workouts with other teams and it has been hinted that they would take him. Besides these signs, Clayton Jr. is an extremely good shooter. He had a great run in this past NCAA tournament showcasing his tough shot-making while leading the Gators to a national championship. He brings offensive talent and shot-making to a limited Miami offense with Terry Rozier taking a step back this past season.
Utah Jazz - Egor Demin
Even though Utah has Isaiah Collier, Demin brings a dynamic that many teams dream of. He has the size of a Josh Giddey, and he is a pretty good playmaker. He is young, so as he learns his turnovers will decrease. He has yet to scratch the surface of his full potential, and a situation like Utah will allow him to grow and reach that potential.
Atlanta Hawks - Noah Penda
France has put out a plethora of first round potential this year. Noah Penda isn’t the best shooter or offensive player from the country, but his size and defensive ability make him an interesting prospect. Atlanta can always use all the help they can get on that side of the floor, and backing up Jalen Johnson in his rookie year can only help him grow as a player. He can impact the game in many ways, and if he develops his shot, he may be one of the better value picks in this draft when looking back on it in a couple of years.
New Orleans Pelicans - Maxime Raynaud
From Stanford, Maxime Raynaud brings a coveted skill set. Big man floor spacing. Although he may not be the best interior presence, his rebounding and interior defense has improved over his four years. Quinten Post of the Warriors was able to find a role with his shooting capabilities, and I can see him fitting into a similar role with the Pelicans now that Kelly Olynyk is heading to Washington.
Oklahoma City Thunder - Nique Clifford
Nique Clifford had an amazing year for Colorado State. His rebounding, drive, and shot making stood out as his best qualities. His playmaking improved as the season progressed, and he seems to know where to be. His abilities will be able to help the Thunder right away if someone were to go down.
Orlando Magic - Cedric Coward
Although he didn’t play much due to injury this past year, Coward brings shooting capability and good wing size to a poor shooting team. Even with the acquisition of Desmond Bane, they still need all the shooting they can get. If Coward can become a serviceable defender and play within their system, he’ll be playing right away. Jett Howard is yet to make a leap, and Cedric Coward may already pass him.
Brooklyn Nets - Will Riley
A big guard from Illinois, Will Riley is one of the better all-around players in this class. His mix of playmaking and shot making make him very intriguing as a prospect. The reason he isn’t a top 10 pick this year, is his efficiency, athletic ability, and limit on the defensive end. He’ll have to improve on the defensive end to really make himself into a high impact, winning player. He will have room to grow in Brooklyn should he take full advantage of the situation.
Brooklyn Nets - Ben Saraf
From Israel, Ben Saraf stands 6’6 and he has a great feel for the game. He seems to know the right play and where to be a lot of the time. He’s shown potent scoring ability but is still inconsistent and many question his ceiling and ability to handle NBA defenses. On the defensive side of the ball, he can be described as lacking and not much potential of a complete two-way player.
Boston Celtics - Hugo Gonzalez
With the departure of Jrue Holiday, Gonzalez may be an interesting prospect for the Celtics. Although he may not play immediately, he has shown flashes in his very limited playing time at Real Madrid. He has the ability to be a versatile defender and knows how to play a role. He has a lot of work to do, but with the Celtics and possibly learning from Derrick White and Jaylen Brown, he could make significant improvements. Even if they were to be traded, Mazzulla is a coach that can get the most out of a player. Aaron Nesmith has said that Mazzulla supported him the most, and he ended up becoming an integral part of a Finals level team.
Phoenix Suns - Nolan Traore
Phoenix needs playmaking badly. Another prospect from France, Traore has great vision for being so young. He played an important role for his team this year, and looked comfortable in the pick and roll. Phoenix should take a chance on Traore due to their need of true point play next to Devin Booker and Traore’s flashes of three level scoring.
Los Angeles Clippers - Drake Powell
Another prototypical NBA wing in the prospect out of UNC. Powell didn’t have the largest role with the Tar Heels, but his efficient three point shooting makes him a prime candidate to become a 3 and D player. The Clippers could nurture Powell and he would play for one of the best coaches in Tyronn Lue.
