The Houston Rockets will pick tenth overall and are expected to land a guard compared to one of the best already in the NBA.
The Houston Rockets, barring a blockbuster trade this offseason, will add to their already-elite young core with the tenth overall pick.
Owed to them from the Phoenix Suns, the Rockets are poised to build a long-term winner. Looking ahead into their future, center Alperen Sengun, wing Amen Thompson, and shooting guard Jalen Green could all be long-term pieces, although the aging Fred VanVleet might need to be replaced sooner rather than later.
Reed Sheppard showed some lead guard skills at Kentucky, and Green has run the show before, although both of them have had their best moments with a true point guard on the court next to them.
In the 2025 NBA Draft, the Rockets will be able to pick a premier point guard. Dylan Harper will certainly be off the board, but the Rockets should have their pick of Jeremiah Fears, Nolan Traore, Egor Demin, or Illinois standout Kasparas Jakucionis.
Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty ImagesRockets predicted to select Kasparas Jakucionis
In a recent mock draft published by ESPN, Houston takes Jakucionis tenth overall. In his lone college season with the Illinois Fighting Illini, he averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 0.9 steals, and 3.7 turnovers, while shooting 44.0% from the floor and 31.8% from deep.
While he is not a perfect prospect like Cooper Flagg, he gives additional effort that makes up for his lack of natural athleticism. There is belief that his shot will continue to improve, and he and Demin are the two best passers in the draft.
He is not the best defender, and he takes plenty of risks, which could be both a pro and a con. However, with Thompson, Dillon Brooks, and Jabari Smith Jr. on the roster, Houston has the means to cover up any mistakes he makes, as well as enough depth for him to develop at his own pace.
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty ImagesJakucionis was compared to an NBA All-Star
If you’re looking for a pure passer, it’s hard to find one in this draft better than Jakucionis. If all goes to plan, the All-Big Ten point guard could be a key player on a championship team.
While his lack of defensive prowess and questions around his shot hold him back from being a superstar, we compared him to a slightly larger Kyle Lowry; not a great athlete, but an overall winning player.
More recently, he was compared to one of the best players left in the NBA playoffs, Tyrese Haliburton.
“I think he’s got potential, he’s got some scoring ability, actually, he reminded me a bit of Tyrese Haliburton,” an NBA scout told HoopsHype.
“That said, I don’t fully trust his shot creation the way I trusted Haliburton’s, though their college numbers are surprisingly similar.”
Just looking at college stats does little to move draft stock. The NCAA’s leading scorer, Eric Dixon, is expected to be a second-round pick, so Jakucionis’ statline can be taken with a grain of salt, although it hasn’t been totally dismissed.
“Jakucionis’s freshman stats are almost identical to Haliburton’s sophomore year, which says a lot,” the scout continued. “They’re in a similar mold: long, tall point guards. What stood out most to me is his hard-nosed style. He plays with this fearless attitude, just barreling into traffic without a care. That kind of grit will appeal to teams.”
Only recently has Haliburton embraced the more physical side of his game, and he is less physical than teammates Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, and Aaron Nesmith, although he has been leaning into it more. If Jakucionis enters the league as that complete of a player, he could leapfrog Sheppard in Houston’s depth chart.