{"id":42459,"date":"2025-05-19T04:57:18","date_gmt":"2025-05-19T04:57:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/42459\/"},"modified":"2025-05-19T04:57:18","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T04:57:18","slug":"first-round-predictions-post-lottery-with-cooper-flagg-at-no-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/42459\/","title":{"rendered":"First-round predictions post-lottery, with Cooper Flagg at No. 1"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;right:0;bottom:0;width:100%;height:100%;z-index:2\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1747368134_836_83589785007-usatsi-26160919.jpg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"vidplayicon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/icon-play-alt-white.svg.svg+xml\" alt=\"play\" style=\"height:40px;margin:auto 18px auto 27px;width:40px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>2025 NBA draft lottery: Mavericks, Spurs and 76ers big winners<\/p>\n<p>The Mavericks secure the top pick in the 2025 NBA draft lottery despite a 1.8% chance<\/p>\n<p>We officially know the order of the 2025 NBA Draft now that the lottery is concluded, but there is still plenty to learn from the NBA Draft Combine.<\/p>\n<p>Now we know exactly where each team will pick on draft night in Brooklyn on June 25. But there is plenty more information that will become available for everyone during the pre-draft process, especially after the NBA Draft Combine concludes in Chicago.<\/p>\n<p>While more players participating in the five-on-five scrimmages would help with evaluation, there is still plenty to learn from athletic testing and measurements. Players will likely improve their draft stock, just as many did during the NCAA men&#8217;s basketball tournament.<\/p>\n<p>Those who are testing the waters will have until May 28 to withdraw from the draft if they wish to play in the NCAA next season. Expect these results to change based on who decides to stay in this class versus who wants to return to college.<\/p>\n<p>The best takes and the sharpest bets on all the hoops storylines you need to know.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/profile.usatoday.com\/newsletters\/USAT-NWSLTRMNGMNT-SM\/layup-lines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter<\/a>,\u00a0hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.<\/p>\n<p class=\"related-link\">More: <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nba\/2025\/04\/29\/nba-draft-early-entry-list-ncaa-nil-transfer-portal-college-basketball\/83345542007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Why a shockingly small number of NCAA basketball players declared for the 2025 NBA Draft<\/a><\/p>\n<p>TEAM: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/basketball\/ncaab\/teams\/duke-blue-devils\/1388\/\" data-autotag=\"d9e0b712-2f57-4d7c-998e-25a7ac4fbc0d\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Duke<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Wing\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-9\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 18.5<\/p>\n<p>The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery was effectively a launching ground for Duke sensation Cooper Flagg to find out what <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nba\/2025\/05\/07\/when-is-the-nba-draft-lottery-2025-odds-number-one-pick\/83492931007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">team he will play for next season and beyond<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Flagg was long considered the favorite at No. 1 overall (<a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nba\/2022\/07\/19\/nba-draft-cooper-flagg-montverde-maine-usa-fiba-peach-jam-eybl\/81303000007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">we wrote about it when he was 15 years old<\/a>) and he made that even more clear when he <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/2024\/07\/09\/cooper-flagg-team-usa-basketball-olympics-highlights\/74337198007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">dominated against Team USA<\/a> during a friendly scrimmage before they won <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/olympics\/2024\/08\/10\/13-photos-mens-usa-basketball-team-celebrating-gold-paris-olympics\/74753919007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">gold at the Olympics<\/a>. He then <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/03\/21\/cooper-flagg-duke-5-things-to-know\/82593002007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">exceeded all expectations<\/a> while he was in college, accomplishing just about everything <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/04\/06\/duke-houston-final-four-highlights-collapse-choke\/82962339007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">except winning a national championship<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Expect him to enter the NBA as one of the most impactful defenders and the ability to easily fit into his pro offense.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Rutgers\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Guard\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-6\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.3<\/p>\n<p>Even though we have long known Flagg would go No. 1 overall, Rutgers freshman Dylan Harper began to separate himself as the <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2024\/11\/27\/dylan-harper-nba-draft-rutgers-stats-players-era-festival\/76622719007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">second-best prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>When <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/03\/18\/dylan-harper-interview-nba-draft-rutgers-ace-bailey\/82513348007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">we spoke to Harper earlier this year<\/a>, he described how he developed his fantastic ability to become such a dynamic scorer at the rim. Harper should bring that skill set with him to the pros after earning Big Ten All-Freshman honors.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If his jumper continues to develop, Harper is the type of player you can build your offense around. Even if it doesn\u2019t, he still offers good size as a big guard who has <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DraftExpress\/status\/1922019281270686156\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">cut some weight<\/a> since last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"related-link\">More: <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/03\/18\/dylan-harper-interview-nba-draft-rutgers-ace-bailey\/82513348007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Q&amp;A: Meet Dylan Harper, the best NBA Draft prospect who did not make March Madness tourney<\/a><\/p>\n<p>3.\u00a0Philadelphia 76ers: V.J. Edgecombe\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Baylor<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Wing<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-5<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.9<\/p>\n<p>After a <a href=\"https:\/\/therookiewire.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nba\/rookie\/2024\/07\/02\/bahamas-vj-edgecombe-olympic-qualifier-finland\/77593760007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">strong performance for the Bahamas<\/a> during the Olympic qualifiers last year, V.J. Edgecombe became a name to watch for scouts and evaluators.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>At the start of the NCAA season, he showed a lot of promise as a defensive player, though that slowed down a bit as his freshman campaign progressed.However, while at Baylor, he <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2024\/12\/05\/nba-draft-vj-edgecombe-baylor-bears-philly-sixers\/76803589007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">also showed promise as a scorer<\/a>. The Big 12 Freshman of the Year joined Flagg as the only first-year collegiate players with at least 30 dunks and 3-pointers recorded, <a href=\"https:\/\/barttorvik.com\/playerstat.php?link=y&amp;sIndex=42&amp;minthreepm=30&amp;mindunkmade=30&amp;yvalue=Fr&amp;year=2025&amp;start=20241101&amp;end=20250501\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">per Bart Torvik<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For a team to draft Edgecombe this high, they will hope that his jumper eventually becomes more consistent once he has found his groove in the NBA.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>4. Charlotte Hornets: Ace Bailey\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Rutgers<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Forward<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-10<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 18.9<\/p>\n<p>It is easy to imagine why a front office may <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nba\/2025\/03\/13\/nba-mock-draft-ace-bailey-rutgers-college-basketball-ncaa\/82366290007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">fall in love with Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey<\/a>, who hits difficult shots.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/barttorvik.com\/playerstat.php?link=y&amp;year=2025&amp;kw=ace%20bailey&amp;start=20241101&amp;end=20250501\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">his box plus-minus<\/a> was lower than one would typically see from a top-5 pick and he is perhaps <a href=\"https:\/\/barttorvik.com\/playerstat.php?link=y&amp;sIndex=53&amp;minGP=20&amp;sortToggle=1&amp;minpick=5&amp;year=career&amp;start=-11101&amp;end=career0501&amp;pickSelect=-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">overly reliant on the midrange shot<\/a>, the upside of his development is a worthy gamble to land the Big Ten All-Freshman forward. While his <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DraftExpress\/status\/1922019889587355965\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">height was lower than some expected<\/a> at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine, his 7-foot wingspan is compelling.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"related-link\">More: <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nba\/2025\/05\/12\/ace-bailey-height-wingspan-nba-draft-combine-measurements-rutgers-basketball\/83586836007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">How tall is Ace Bailey? Here are his measurements from the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>5. Utah Jazz: Jeremiah Fears\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Guard<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-4<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 18.7<\/p>\n<p>Oklahoma\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nba\/2025\/05\/06\/nba-mock-draft-jeremiah-fears-tre-johnson-ace-bailey-cooper-flagg-dylan-harper-lottery\/83475390007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Jeremiah Fears is reportedly gaining momentum<\/a> as a potential top-3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.<\/p>\n<p>Fears gave fans some <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2024\/12\/19\/jeremiah-fears-oklahoma-4-point-play-michigan\/77085299007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">amazing highlights<\/a> as he <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/01\/02\/jeremiah-fears-nba-mock-draft-hornets-oklahoma-sooners-stats\/77406973007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">climbed up draft boards<\/a> this season. He deservedly received SEC All-Freshman honors, can score at multiple levels from the floor, and he is a fantastic playmaker on both offense and defense as well. He is the second-youngest NCAA prospect we have projected in the first round behind only Flagg and was one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/barttorvik.com\/playerstat.php?link=y&amp;sIndex=53&amp;minGP=1&amp;cvalue=NCAA&amp;year=2025&amp;start=20250317&amp;end=20250501\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">best overall performers<\/a> in March Madness.<\/p>\n<p class=\"related-link\">More: <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nba\/2025\/05\/06\/nba-mock-draft-jeremiah-fears-tre-johnson-ace-bailey-cooper-flagg-dylan-harper-lottery\/83475390007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jeremiah Fears and Tre Johnson could go as high as No. 3 in 2025 NBA Draft, per ESPN<\/a><\/p>\n<p>6. Washington Wizards: Tre Johnson\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Texas<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Wing<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-6<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.3<\/p>\n<p>Texas wing Tre Johnson is another player who is <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nba\/2025\/05\/06\/nba-mock-draft-jeremiah-fears-tre-johnson-ace-bailey-cooper-flagg-dylan-harper-lottery\/83475390007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">reportedly gaining some momentum<\/a> in the pre-draft process so far.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Johnson was named SEC Freshman of the Year because he is such a natural scorer whose passing is better than his assist stats might suggest. He is very difficult to stop in the open-court and led all freshmen in 3-pointers made in transition (21) and above the break (65) this season, <a href=\"https:\/\/cbbanalytics.com\/stats\/38409\/division\/d1\/player-pbp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">per CBB Analytics<\/a>. He measured with a nearly plus-six (<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DraftExpress\/status\/1922021654940565866\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">6-foot-10)<\/a> wingspan at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine, which should help him considerably once in the pros.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>7. New Orleans Pelicans: Kon Knueppel<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Duke<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Wing<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-7<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.9<\/p>\n<p>Duke\u2019s Kon Knueppel earned ACC All-Freshman honors and won ACC tournament MVP.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He can make plays on spot-up possessions and when using off-ball screens and led all freshmen in corner 3-pointers made. He plays winning basketball as the Blue Devils have outscored opponents by 625 points when Knueppel is on the court this season, <a href=\"https:\/\/cbbanalytics.com\/stats\/38409\/division\/d1\/player-box\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">per CBB Analytics<\/a>, which was the highest plus-minus among all men\u2019s college basketball players.<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Duke<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Big<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 7-2<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 18.8<\/p>\n<p>South Sudan\u2019s Khaman Maluach enjoyed an excellent, efficient campaign and earned ACC All-Freshman honors for Duke.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As a lob threat, <a href=\"https:\/\/cbbanalytics.com\/stats\/38409\/division\/d1\/player-pbp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">per CBB Analytics<\/a>, he had the second-most alley-oops completed (38) among all players in college basketball. He is raw on both ends of the court but has a strong defensive presence thanks to his nearly <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DraftExpress\/status\/1922022925097459826\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">7-foot-7 wingspan and 9-foot-6 standing reach<\/a> measured at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>9. Toronto Raptors: Derik Queen<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Maryland<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Big<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-10<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 20.5<\/p>\n<p>After recording perhaps the <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/03\/23\/derik-queen-im-from-baltimore-maryland-colorado-state-march-madness\/82630303007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">biggest moment of the NCAA men\u2019s basketball tournament<\/a>, as noted by my colleague Mike Sykes, Maryland freshman <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/03\/24\/derik-queen-maryland-nba-draft-projections\/82633878007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Derik Queen skyrocketed his draft status<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He trailed only Flagg in Wins Above Replacement Player (WARP) among freshmen this season, <a href=\"https:\/\/cbbanalytics.com\/stats\/38409\/division\/d1\/player-box\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">per CBB Analytics<\/a>. Queen was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and proved his versatility and unique skill set as a big man who is incredibly fun to watch. But he plays at his own speed and may have trouble fitting into certain schemes and systems.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"related-link\">More: <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/03\/24\/derik-queen-maryland-nba-draft-projections\/82633878007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Derik Queen&#8217;s game-winner just cemented his NBA Draft status<\/a><\/p>\n<p>10.\u00a0Houston Rockets (via PHX): Carter Bryant<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Arizona\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Forward\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-8\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.6<\/p>\n<p>Arizona freshman Carter Bryant is a former McDonald\u2019s All-American forward who had a strong collegiate debut despite a relatively limited role and is currently \u201ctesting the waters\u201d of the 2025 NBA Draft.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He was the only freshman aside from Flagg with at least three dunks and 3-pointers during the NCAA men\u2019s basketball tournament, <a href=\"https:\/\/barttorvik.com\/playerstat.php?link=y&amp;sIndex=42&amp;minGP=1&amp;minthreepm=3&amp;mindunkmade=3&amp;yvalue=Fr&amp;cvalue=NCAA&amp;year=2025&amp;start=20250317&amp;end=20250501\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">per Bart Torvik<\/a>. Bryant is unselfish, he works hard on defense, and he measured with a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DraftExpress\/status\/1922027268177567986\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">wingspan just short of 7-foot<\/a>. He plays with a high IQ, and could potentially become one of the biggest risers depending on how he performs during the pre-draft process.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>11. Portland Trail Blazers: Nolan Traor\u00e9<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Saint-Quentin (France)<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Guard<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-3<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.1<\/p>\n<p>After a slow start to his season in France, based on his priors before this season, it was only a matter of time before Nolan Traor\u00e9 eventually started to heat up.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He is averaging 16.6 points and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 48.1 percent on 3-pointers over the course of his last five games, <a href=\"https:\/\/basketball.realgm.com\/player\/Nolan-Traore\/International\/188668\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">per RealGM<\/a>. Traor\u00e9 was named <a href=\"https:\/\/basketnews.com\/news-224308-nolan-traore-named-2024-25-bcl-best-young-player.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">2025 Best Young Player of the Basketball Champions League<\/a> and is inarguably one of the best playmakers in the 2025 NBA Draft. If he is more consistent at the next level, he could become something special.<\/p>\n<p>12. Chicago Bulls: Kasparas Jaku\u010dionis<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Illinois<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Guard<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-6<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.1<\/p>\n<p>Lithuania\u2019s Kasparas Jaku\u010dionis was briefly <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/01\/09\/nba-mock-draft-fighting-illini-basketball-illinois-roster\/77575956007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">one of the hottest names in draft circles<\/a> and he eventually earned Big Ten All-Freshman honors.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He has an effective pull-up jumper and led all high-major freshmen in unassisted 3-pointers made (34), <a href=\"https:\/\/cbbanalytics.com\/stats\/38409\/division\/d1\/player-pbp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">per CBB Analytics<\/a>. As a distributor, in the same group, he also had the most assists finished at the rim (76) this season. Jaku\u010dionis needs his jump shot to look more like it did in the first two months of the season than it did in the final three for this pick to work out.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>13. Atlanta Hawks (via SAC): Collin Murray-Boyles<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: South Carolina<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Big<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-8<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 20.1<\/p>\n<p>South Carolina sophomore Collin Murray-Boyles is perhaps the most enticing collegiate player who was not a one-and-done prospect.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He is a versatile forward who averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, as well as 1.3 blocks per game this season. He is ready to contribute in many ways at the next level. Murray-Boyles is a bit undersized for someone who is virtually a non-threat from beyond the arc but he can offer enough versatility as a defender to potentially make up for it.<\/p>\n<p>14. San Antonio Spurs (via ATL): Noa Essengue<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: ratiopharm ulm (Germany)<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Wing<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-8<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 18.5<\/p>\n<p>France\u2019s Noa Essengue is the second-youngest player in the draft but has still managed impressive productivity in one of the more competitive basketball leagues.<\/p>\n<p>He ranks fifth-best among all players in Defensive Statistical Impact (DSI) among those with at least seven games played in the Eurocup, <a href=\"https:\/\/app.cerebrosports.com\/portal\/events\/2024-25%20EuroCup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">per Cerebro Sports<\/a>. He ranks twelfth in Player Efficiency Rating (22.8) among qualified players in the Eurocup, <a href=\"https:\/\/basketball.realgm.com\/international\/league\/2\/Eurocup\/stats\/2025\/Advanced_Stats\/Qualified\/All\/points\/All\/desc\/1\/Regular_Season\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">via RealGM<\/a>. Essengue is an interesting prospect who a variety of teams should have on their radar.<\/p>\n<p>15. Oklahoma City Thunder (via MIA): Egor Demin\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: BYU<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Guard<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-9<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.3<\/p>\n<p>Russia\u2019s Egor Demin was initially having <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2024\/11\/20\/nba-mock-draft-egor-demin-jazz-byu-bleacher-report\/76449862007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">one of the strongest freshman campaigns<\/a> of anyone in the nation for BYU.<\/p>\n<p>But his relatively poor overall performance and shooting with an unreliable jump shot against top-100 competition caused some room for concern. However, he measured at 6-foot-8 barefoot at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine and his <a href=\"https:\/\/barttorvik.com\/playerstat.php?link=y&amp;minGP=1&amp;year=2025&amp;top=100&amp;kw=egor%20demin&amp;start=20241101&amp;end=20250501\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">playmaking still makes him beyond intriguing<\/a>. The Thunder could develop him in the G League, where he would not need him to make an impact right away.<\/p>\n<p>16. Orlando Magic: Thomas Sorber\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Georgetown<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Big<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-10<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.5<\/p>\n<p>Georgetown freshman big Thomas Sorber, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DraftExpress\/status\/1922029025590944090\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">who has a 7-foot-6 wingspan<\/a>, is one of the most interesting prospects who is currently \u201ctesting the waters\u201d of the 2025 NBA Draft.<\/p>\n<p>He was an analytics darling before he suffered a season-ending foot injury. If he decides to stay in this class, he could provide an exciting young piece to a developing young core and defensive presence for a team that could use a spark on that end of the floor like Atlanta.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET): Nique Clifford\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Colorado St.<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Forward<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-6<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 23.4<\/p>\n<p>In our <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nba\/2025\/04\/04\/nba-mock-draft-cooper-flagg-johni-broome-kon-knueppel-first-round\/82799164007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">last mock draft<\/a>, we had Colorado State senior Nique Clifford projected to the Timberwolves and we are sticking with that instinct. Clifford is the oldest player we have projected in the first round but he looks ready to contribute to an NBA rotation. He led an <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/03\/18\/march-madness-upsets-nique-clifford-donocant-dent-bennett-stirtz\/82522693007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">upset over Memphis<\/a> in the first round of the NCAA tournament and averaged a productive 18.9 points. 9.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game during his final collegiate campaign.<\/p>\n<p>18. Washington Wizards (via MEM): Asa Newell<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Georgia<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Big<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-11<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.7<\/p>\n<p>Georgia\u2019s Asa Newell, who was named SEC All-Freshman, is a classic rim-running big man who does not make the game too complicated for himself. He had the second-most layups and dunks combined this season among freshmen, <a href=\"https:\/\/cbbanalytics.com\/stats\/38409\/division\/d1\/player-pbp\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">per CBB Analytics<\/a>. He trailed only Flagg among all freshmen in Player Efficiency Rating (PER) as well. Some teams could have interest in the big man a bit higher than this range, too.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>19. Brooklyn Nets (via MIL): Will Riley<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Illinois\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Wing\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-8\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.3<\/p>\n<p>Canada\u2019s Will Riley had multiple big performances during his freshman campaign for Illinois, including a debut in which he had 31 points while shooting 5-of-6 on 3-pointers. He also had 21 points with 7 rebounds and 5 assists during a win over Iowa in the Big Ten tournament and had another great game against Xavier shooting 3-of-4 on 3-pointers during March Madness. Riley was named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. Any team drafting Riley is betting on his continued development.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>20. Miami Heat (via GSW): Jase Richardson<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Michigan St.<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Guard<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-3<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.7<\/p>\n<p>Michigan State guard <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/03\/21\/march-madness-michigan-state-jase-richardson-dad-jason-ncaa-tournament\/82504209007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Jase Richardson earned Big Ten All-Freshman honors<\/a> after a solid collegiate campaign. He averaged 16.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 42.0 percent on 3-pointers after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cbb\/players\/jase-richardson-1\/splits\/2025?&amp;per_game=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">moving into the starting lineup for Michigan State<\/a>. However, he <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DraftExpress\/status\/1922025922397454789\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">measured small for a traditional two-guard<\/a> and may not have the playmaking skills as a floor general to run point.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"related-link\">More: <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/03\/21\/march-madness-michigan-state-jase-richardson-dad-jason-ncaa-tournament\/82504209007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">5 things to know about Michigan State star Jase Richardson<\/a><\/p>\n<p>21. Utah Jazz (via MIN): Liam McNeeley<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Connecticut<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Wing<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-7<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.7<\/p>\n<p>UConn freshman Liam McNeeley won Big East Freshman of the Year and showed flashes during his freshman campaign, like when he had 38 points with 10 rebounds while making five 3-pointers against Creighton on Feb. 11. He also had a solid performance against the eventual national champions during the NCAA men\u2019s basketball tournament, recording 22 points while adding 2 rebounds as well as 3 assists and 2 steals. McNeeley is solid value at this point in the draft but should get consideration even higher.<\/p>\n<p>22. Atlanta Hawks (via LAL): Yaxel Lendeborg<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: UAB\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Big\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-9\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 22.8<\/p>\n<p>One more fascinating player who is currently \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/05\/05\/2025-nba-draft-college-basketball-transfer-portal-ncaa-combine-g-league-elite-yaxel-lendeborg\/83459394007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">testing the waters<\/a>\u201d of the 2025 NBA Draft despite <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/03\/24\/college-basketball-transfer-portal-best-players-available-rankings\/82641540007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">committing to Michigan<\/a> (where he could receive a massive NIL deal) in the transfer portal is Yaxel Lendeborg. Despite coming to the game later in life, the AAC tournament MVP and two-time AAC Defensive Player of the Year had one of the most impactful campaigns in college basketball last season. Lendeborg, who has a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JonChep\/status\/1922064495175696525\" rel=\"nofollow\">7-foot-4 wingspan and 9-foot standing reach<\/a>, is arguably the best overall player who opted to participate in five-on-five scrimmages at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>23. Indiana Pacers: Cedric Coward\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Washington St.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Forward\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-6\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 21.8<\/p>\n<p>Another fascinating player who is currently <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/05\/05\/2025-nba-draft-college-basketball-transfer-portal-ncaa-combine-g-league-elite-yaxel-lendeborg\/83459394007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">testing the waters<\/a> of the 2025 NBA Draft is Cedric Coward, who also <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/03\/24\/college-basketball-transfer-portal-best-players-available-rankings\/82641540007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">committed to Duke<\/a> in the transfer portal. Coward shot 40.0 percent on his 3-pointers while averaging 17.7 points per game before getting hurt last season. He is one of the hottest names in draft circles right now after measuring with a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DraftExpress\/status\/1922031615640740141\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">7-foot-2 wingspan<\/a> at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>24. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LAC): Rasheer Fleming<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Saint Joseph&#8217;s<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Forward<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-9<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 21.0<\/p>\n<p>One of the most pleasantly surprising prospects in this class is Saint Joseph\u2019s Rasheer Fleming, who has great positional size and shooting feel. He was the only player in college basketball to record at least 40 dunks and 50 shots from beyond the arc, <a href=\"https:\/\/barttorvik.com\/playerstat.php?link=y&amp;sIndex=42&amp;minthreepm=50&amp;mindunkmade=40&amp;year=2025&amp;start=20241101&amp;end=20250501\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">per Bart Torvik<\/a>. He measured with a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DraftExpress\/status\/1922030326785638479\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">wingspan above 7-foot-5 and a standing reach above 9-foot-1<\/a> at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>25. Orlando Magic (via DEN): Danny Wolf\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Michigan\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Big\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 7-0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 21.2<\/p>\n<p>Michigan\u2019s Danny Wolf is a do-it-all big man who has averaged 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game this season. Wolf had the most assists (132) of any college player who is 6-foot-10 or taller, <a href=\"https:\/\/cbbanalytics.com\/stats\/38409\/division\/d1\/player-box\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">per CBB Analytics<\/a>. The big man is an incredibly gifted and skilled playmaker considering his height but there are questions about how it may translate in the NBA.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>26. Brooklyn Nets (via NYK): Walter Clayton Jr.<\/p>\n<p>During the NCAA men\u2019s basketball tournament, we wrote about whether or not Florida star Walter Clayton Jr. had done enough to earn first-round consideration. <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/04\/07\/walter-clayton-nba-mock-draft-florida-gators-ncaa-championship\/82981451007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">As we wrote then<\/a>: The archetype of undersized players who are a bit older relative to the other players in their draft class are typically not early draft picks. Clayton, however, could provide a legitimate exception to this rule after winning NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"related-link\">More: <a href=\"https:\/\/ftw.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/2025\/04\/07\/walter-clayton-nba-mock-draft-florida-gators-ncaa-championship\/82981451007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Is Walter Clayton Jr. an NBA Draft first-round pick after his incredible March Madness?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>27. Brooklyn Nets (via HOU): Alex Toohey\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Sydney (Australia)<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Forward<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-7<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 21.2<\/p>\n<p>Australia\u2019s Alex Toohey is a fascinating prospect who contributes well on both sides of the floor. He is a legitimately strong wing defender whose Defensive Statistical Impact (DSI) ranks as the best among those who have played more than one game in Australia\u2019s NBL this season, <a href=\"https:\/\/app.cerebrosports.com\/portal\/events\/2024-25%20Australian%20NBL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">per Cerebro Sports<\/a>. He will participate in five-on-five scrimmages at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>28. Boston Celtics: Maxime Raynaud<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Stanford\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Big\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 7-1\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 22.2<\/p>\n<p>France\u2019s Maxime Raynaud, who <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DraftExpress\/status\/1922032364668035087\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">measured with a wingspan above 7-foot-1<\/a> and a standing reach above 9-foot-2, averaged 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. But is even better when also considering he made nearly two 3-pointers per game. Raynaud is also one of the most intriguing players who is actually <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/krystenpeek\/status\/1921964086167793920\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">participating in the five-on-five scrimmages<\/a>, where he can boost his draft stock even higher than this.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>29. Phoenix Suns (via CLE): Labaron Philon<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Alabama<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Guard<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-4<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 19.6<\/p>\n<p>Alabama freshman Labaron Philon was named SEC All-Freshman and he is an excellent decision-maker with one of the most effective floaters in college basketball. As a playmaker, Philon distributed shots to his teammates beyond the arc fairly frequently. His jump shot could still use some work, though it did improve a bit as the season progressed. Philon unfortunately opted to not participate in five-on-five scrimmages at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>30. L.A. Clippers (via OKC): Adou Thiero<\/p>\n<p>TEAM: Arkansas\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>POSITION: Wing\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>HEIGHT: 6-6\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>DRAFT AGE: 21.1<\/p>\n<p>After transferring from Kentucky last season, Arkansas junior Adou Thiero had a well-rounded season in which he averaged 15.1 points and 5.8 rebounds with 1.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game. While his 3-pointer was inefficient at just 25.6 percent, he missed time due to a knee injury in February and that factored into why he stopped getting as much buzz as the season progressed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"2025 NBA draft lottery: Mavericks, Spurs and 76ers big winners The Mavericks secure the top pick in the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":42460,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[7,657,243,670,247,319,325,777,686,149,667,98,666,692,266,166,318,70,85,6,12,231,2504,671,67,61,134,132,425,429,66,83,2499],"class_list":{"0":"post-42459","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba-draft","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-big","10":"tag-blue","11":"tag-brooklyn","12":"tag-brooklyn-nets","13":"tag-college","14":"tag-college-sports","15":"tag-conference","16":"tag-dallas","17":"tag-dallas-mavericks","18":"tag-devils","19":"tag-draft","20":"tag-duke","21":"tag-duke-blue-devils-mens-basketball","22":"tag-listicle","23":"tag-mavericks","24":"tag-mens","25":"tag-national","26":"tag-national-sports","27":"tag-nba","28":"tag-nba-draft","29":"tag-ncaa","30":"tag-ncaa-big-ten-conference","31":"tag-nets","32":"tag-news","33":"tag-overall","34":"tag-overall-positive","35":"tag-positive","36":"tag-smg","37":"tag-smg-listicle","38":"tag-sports","39":"tag-sports-news","40":"tag-ten"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/114532728510939171","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42459","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42459"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42459\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42459"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}