Coach proud as Harper and Bailey prepare for NBA draft
Coach Steve Pikiell shares pride as Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey head to the NBA after standout seasons.
What a week it’s been in the NBA.
Just three days after the Oklahoma City Thunder won Game 7 of the NBA Finals to win its first championship, it’s time for the start of the 2025-2026 season.
And that begins with the draft.
Tonight, the best young players not in the NBA will find out where they’ll play next year when the NBA holds its draft.
The top of the draft looks predictable. The top pick belongs to the Dallas Mavericks and that looks like they’ll go with Duke forward Cooper Flagg.
The San Antonio Spurs have the No. 2 pick, and it’ likely they’ll go with Rutgers guard Dylan Harper.
After that, things get murky. Another Rutgers star Ace Bailey is widely considered the third-best player in the draft, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll end up in Philly. The Sixers own the No. 3 pick, so that’s where things could get interesting.
We will take you from the first pick though the final pick tonight and we’ll give you our grade.
Let’s get going with the 2025 NBA Draft!
This wasn’t a shocker. He was the best player, he was the obvious choice and he’ll be the new face of the franchise. Grade: A
The second pick was also a no-brainer with the Spurs taking Dylan Harper. The consensus second best player in the draft is headed to San Antonio. Grade: A
The Sixers take an athletic guard to go along with their big three of Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey. Edgecombe should help the process along. Grade: B
The Hornets could have gone a lot of different directions, but they settled with the second Duke player drafted in the top four. Knueppel, a small forward, is a great shooter, but has question marks. Grade: B-
This could be the best pick of the draft. Bailey had top three upside, but his attitude heading into the draft reportedly turned off some teams. He’s a good player, but will he be a problem? In the first two picks, college basketball powers Duke and Rutgers each had two players drafted. Grade: C
It was widely reported the Wizards wanted Bailey. They lucked out. Tre Johnson is going to pile up the points in a hurry. This will end up being a very good pick. Grade: A-
Another good pick. The guard is very athletic and can do a lot of good things. One thing he can’t do right now is shoot. That will have to come. Grade: B
The Nets have plenty of picks. They used their first one to take a point guard out of Moscow. Might be a little early, but he’s a decent player. Grade: B-
The Raptors get an power forward who will be a force on the defensive end. He’s not a great shooter, but he’s a good player who can help you in a variety of ways. Grade: B
This pick will head to Phoenix as part of the Kevin Durant trade. The Suns are adding a center who can play defense. His offensive game still needs a lot of work, but he’ll be a force at the other end. Grade: B
The Trail Blazers sent this pick to the Memphis Grizzlies. Coward is a talented player, but this is earlier than many expected him to go. The Grizzlies got an athlete who can play multiple positions. Grade: C
The youngster who played basketball in Germany last year shot up the draft board. He’s the second youngest player in the draft after Flagg. He can do a lot, but he won’t be great right away. Grade: C
The Hawks traded the pick to New Orleans and the Pelicans use it to take a center with a lot of upside. A great passer, he might take a few years to contribute, but this was a good add. Grade: A-
Another good pick for the Spurs. A wing, Bryant is a 3 and D guy who can light it up and play defense. He didn’t have a breakout season at Arizona, but he should develop into a good player. Grade: B
This is a great pick by the Thunder. The champions pick up a center who is raw, but has great talent. He can shoot, and is a high-character guy. He’s also a New Jersey kid. The Trenton native went to Trenton Catholic as a freshman before transferring to Archbishop Ryan as a sophomore. Grade: A
The big man averaged a double double last year playing in China. But this is a reach. He might turn OK, but this was early. Grade: D+
He’s tall and only getting better. Beringer, a center, is a rim protector who has only been playing basketball for four years. He’s good and should only get better once he gets more experience. Grade: B+Â
The Wizards traded the pick to the Jazz, who use it to select a floor general. He can score and run the floor. He’s also a winner, helping the Gators win the NCAA Tournament. Grade: B+
The Nets take a point guard as the third player from France comes off the board. He slid down draft boards after being a lottery pick during early mock drafts. He could end up being a good lead guard. Grade: B+
He’s a bit turnover prone, but the Heat found themselves a guy who can be the quarterback on the floor. He will help the Heat, but might deal with some growing pains making the jump to the NBA. Grade: B
The Jazz are sending this pick to the Washington Wizards, and they use it to select the second straight player from Illinois. They also added a wing who will score in bunches. Grade: C+
The Hawks are sending this pick to the Brooklyn Nets. They added a small forward who will supply shooting and defense. Standing 6-foot-6, he has the size to be a good defender at the next level. Grade: C
The Pelicans are trading this pick to the Atlanta Hawks, and they use to take the big man from Georgia. He will bring rebounding and toughness to the Hawks. Grade: B
The Thunder traded the pick to the Sacramento Kings, who used it to take a 23-year-old small forward. He can do a little bit of everything and should be ready to go since he had five years in college. Grade: B
The Magic get a quality combo guard who is a little undersized to play off the ball, but will give the Magic some scoring punch. Grade: B-
The fans sure seemed to like the pick, as the Nets pick up a big playmaking guard who can run the offense and play defense. This could be a steal. Grade: A
This was predicted to happen much earlier, but the Nets finally call it with their final pick. Wolf is a big guy at 6-foot-11, but he’s also a ballhandler and can run the offense. He’s going to be a problem once he gets comfortable. Grade: B+
The Celtics are in trouble with injuries and cap woes, so they might rely on their first-round pick more than you would think. They take a rim protector who can score. A good athlete, this was a steal. Grade: A-
The Suns are trading this pick to the Charlotte Hornets, and they take another guy who was slated to go earlier. McNeally was a potential Lottery pick, he will bring toughness and shooting to the Hornets. Grade: B+
Night one of the NBA Draft ends with the Clippers taking a big man from Penn State. The Clippers add size and strength with the selection. Grade: B
What time does the NBA Draft start tonight?
The NBA Draft begins at 8 p.m.
What channel is the NBA Draft on?
The NBA Draft is on ESPN and ABC.
In the first round, teams get five minutes to make a selection. The time shrinks to four minutes between picks in the first round.
Dallas MavericksSan Antonio SpursPhiladelphia 76ersCharlotte HornetsUtah JazzWashington WizardsNew Orleans PelicansBrooklyn NetsToronto RaptorsPhoenix SunsPortland Trail BlazersChicago BullsAtlanta HawksSan Antonio SpursOklahoma City ThunderMemphis GrizzliesMinnesota TimberwolvesWashington WizardsBrooklyn NetsMiami HeatUtah JazzBrooklyn NetsNew Orleans PelicansOklahoma City ThunderOrlando MagicBrooklyn NetsBrooklyn NetsBoston CelticsPhoenix SunsLos Angeles Clippers