With the 2025 NBA draft lottery in the books, here is our mid-May roundup of who various draft experts are projecting to Houston at No. 10 overall.
With the 2025 NBA draft lottery in the books, the Houston Rockets are slated to pick at No. 10 overall in the first round.
It’s the second consecutive year in which the Rockets have had a top-10 selection despite finishing the previous season with a .500 or better record. That’s because, of course, each of those picks resulted from a trade that brought in that asset from another team.
In 2024, the Rockets (41-41) landed the No. 3 overall selection via a pick obtained from the Brooklyn Nets. They ultimately selected Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard.
In 2025, the Rockets (52-30) didn’t have the same lottery luck and landed at No. 10 in the first round via a selection obtained from the Phoenix Suns.
So, who will they draft this year, assuming they keep the pick? As of Saturday, May 17, here is a look at the latest wave of mock drafts and players that are being projected to the Rockets.
Scouting reports and additional information are available at each corresponding link. Should Rockets general manager Rafael Stone keep this pick and opt against trades, the depth of the team’s young core at the NBA level could lead to a 2025-26 rookie spending developmental time with the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, Houston’s G League affiliate.
Kasparas Jakučionis, 6-foot-6 guard, Illinois
Yahoo! Sports, ESPN, Tankathon, CBS Sports, Rookie Wire
Collin Murray-Boyles, 6-foot-7 forward, South Carolina
The Athletic, Sports Illustrated
Carter Bryant, 6-foot-8 forward, Arizona
The Ringer, Fox Sports, For The Win
Thomas Sorber, 6-foot-10 center, Georgetown