2025 NBA Mock Draft: C’s prioritize defense with their two picks originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The NBA Draft typically ushers in the start of offseason movement, and we suspect the biggest drama at this year’s pick-a-palooza might ultimately be the maneuvering that teams engage in around the selections.

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Will the Boston Celtics utilize their picks at Nos. 28 and 32? And who are the best players that might still be available when they go on the clock?

We’re admittedly no draft expert, so we cobbled together a crack team full of NBC Sports Boston’s top college hoops junkies and asked them to help steer us through our first mock draft. With their guidance, we charted a path to Boston’s pair of picks.

1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, Duke2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, Rutgers

No drama at the top. Fresh off the Luka Doncic debacle, Nico Harrison couldn’t possibly fumble the Flagg. The Spurs take Harper, either as another young prospect to nurture alongside Victor Wembanyama, or to deliver to whatever team sends them a more established star in a win-now pursuit.

3. Philadelphia 76ers: Ace Bailey, Rutgers

If the Sixers truly engaged the Spurs about shimmying up to No. 2, then it suggests they are not sold on the other guard that might be sitting there for them (VJ Edgecombe). Rebuffed, we suspect they zag and take Bailey.

4. Charlotte Hornets: VJ Edgecombe, Baylor5. Utah Jazz: Kon Knueppel, Duke

Keep an eye on Utah. The last time an Ainge was at the helm of a draft where his team maddeningly slipped to the fifth pick, there were fireworks that ultimately led to two big-swing trades (and, eventually, Banner 17). Maybe Austin Ainge makes a move and shows he wasn’t kidding when he said the Jazz were focused now on winning games.

6. Washington Wizards: Tre Johnson, Texas7. New Orleans Pelicans: Khaman Maluach, Duke

Pelicans add another defensive weapon, and maybe they finally decide to move on from the other Duke guy who can’t seemingly stay on the court.

8. Brooklyn Nets: Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma9. Toronto Raptors: Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois10. Houston Rockets: Carter Bryant, Arizona11. Portland Trail Blazers: Derik Queen, Maryland

Another big man in Portland!? Guess that would make Robert Williams III expendable. Say to a team that might just have a hefty disabled player exception available after its offseason tinkering.

12. Chicago Bulls: Egor Demin, BYU13. Atlanta Hawks: Noa Essengue, France14. San Antonio Spurs: Nique Clifford, Colorado St.

Gregg Popovich knows all about plucking an unheralded talent out of the state of Colorado and molding them into NBA talent

15. Oklahoma City Thunder: Asa Newell, Georgia

It doesn’t seem fair that the Thunder have a pick just outside the lottery. And it will seem doubly unfair when they land an intriguing, high-upside player like Newell

16. Orlando Magic: Hugo Gonzalez, Spain17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina18. Washington Wizards: Cedric Coward, Washington State19. Brooklyn Nets: Thomas Sorber, Georgetown20. Miami Heat: Danny Wolf, Michigan21. Utah Jazz: Jase Richardson, Michigan State22. Atlanta Hawks: Nolan Traore, France23. Indiana Pacers: Joan Beringer, France24. Oklahoma City Thunder: Noah Penda, France

So, basically, whoever wins the NBA Finals is drafting a French guy.

25. Orlando Magic: Liam McNeeley, UConn26. Brooklyn Nets: Walter Clayton Jr., Florida27. Brooklyn Nets: Will Riley, Illinois28. Boston Celtics: Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton

Our panel really wanted us to make Maxime Raynaud the pick here, but given the choice between two available big men, we’re taking the guy with an elite defensive skillset.

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The 7-foot-1 Kalkbrenner packs pure size and might be the best rim protector in the draft. If you’re not certain that Luke Kornet will be back, Kalkbrenner can fill some of Luke’s void (even if no one can fill his entertainment value).

Kalkbrenner’s age (he’ll turn 24 as a rookie) isn’t ideal, but we think it gives him a Payton Pritchard-like chance to contribute from the start of his pro career. That he was teammates with Baylor Scheierman at Creighton is a fun storyline, too.

29. Phoenix Suns: Maxime Raynaud, Stanford30. Los Angeles Clippers: Drake Powell, North Carolina31. Minnesota Timberwolves: Ben Saraf, Israel32. Boston Celtics: Adou Thiero, Arkansas

We’re slightly worried about some overlap with another Arkansas pick the Celtics made recently (Jordan Walsh), but the Celtics need wing depth, especially with Jayson Tatum sidelined, and Thiero has an NBA-ready frame (6-foot-6, 7-foot wingspan).

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We like the all-gas, no-brakes scouting report. It feels like he can carve out a role as an energy guy while figuring out where his offensive contributions can come from at the NBA level. His 3-point percentage (25.6) during his lone season at Arkansas is troubling, but the athleticism is obvious with many eye-popping dunks in his highlight reel.

If Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez is still on the board here, he might also be an option as a raw teenager with a similarly intriguing motor.