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If the folks who devise mock drafts and the data and algorithms that fuel artificial intelligence are correct, the first two picks of the 2025 NBA draft are a near certainty at this point, despite still being a week away.
Cooper Flagg is going to be the No. 1 selection by the Dallas Mavericks and the Rutgers guard Dylan Harper will go No. 2 to the San Antonio Spurs when the NBA convenes in Brooklyn beginning Wednesday, June 25 for the draft. Almost every mock draft, including the most recent one produced by USA TODAY’s NBA experts, has them being chosen in that order. But so does almost every major AI platform.
USA TODAY Sports asked five AI programs ‒ Microsoft Copilot AI, Meta AI, Grok AI, Google Gemini AI, ChatGPT AI ‒ to produce simulations of every pick during the 2025 NBA draft first round. Each one had Flagg as the No. 1 pick and Harper as the No. 2 choice. After that, however, there wasn’t much consensus between the humans and AI.
Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe, Rutgers wing Ace Bailey, Duke‘s Kon Knueppel and Texas guard Tre Johnson were the only other consensus top-10 picks, according to the AI projections. There were 45 players chosen overall among the various AI projections for the 30 spots in the first round and a wide range of outcomes, particularly outside the lottery selections.
Here’s a breakdown of each AI simulation for the first round of the 2025 NBA draft, as well as how they compare to the latest USA TODAY Sports mock draft:
NBA draft 2025: AI predictions for every first round pick
Note: Microsoft Copilot AI simulation conducted prior to the NBA early entry deadline and includes two prospects (Yaxel Landeborg and Alex Karaban) who later chose to return to college.
1. Dallas Mavericks2. San Antonio Spurs3. Philadelphia 76ers4. Charlotte Hornets5. Utah Jazz6. Washington Wizards7. New Orleans Pelicans8. Brooklyn Nets9. Toronto Raptors10. Houston Rockets11. Portland Trail Blazers12. Chicago Bulls13. Atlanta Hawks14. San Antonio Spurs15. Oklahoma City Thunder16. Memphis Grizzlies
Note: AI simulations and USA TODAY Sports mock draft were conducted prior to the Desmond Bane trade on June 15 in which the Memphis Grizzlies acquired this pick from the Orlando Magic.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves18. Washington Wizards19. Brooklyn Nets20. Miami Heat21. Utah Jazz22. Atlanta Hawks23. New Orleans Pelicans
Note: AI simulations and USA TODAY Sports mock draft were conducted prior to the Pelicans acquiring this pick from the Indiana Pacers in a June 17 trade.
24. Oklahoma City Thunder25. Orlando Magic25. Brooklyn Nets27. Brooklyn Nets28. Boston Celtics29. Phoenix Suns30. Los Angeles Clippers
When is 2025 NBA draft?
The 2025 NBA draft is scheduled to take place over two days, with the first round scheduled for Wednesday, June 25 beginning at 8 p.m. ET, and the second round slated to happen on Thursday, June 26 starting at 8 p.m. ET. Thursday’s first round will be televised by ABC and ESPN. Friday’s second round will be broadcast nationally by ESPN.
You can also stream both days of the 2025 NBA draft with Fubo.