Final 2025 NBA Mock Draft
With the NBA season in the books and NBA Draft Day looming, I'm coming at you this week with a final mock and big board! Below is my finalized version of how I see Wednesday night playing out.
Note: Players’ height is measured without shoes at the NBA Draft Combine. Since they play in shoes, I’ve worked that into my listed heights, adding roughly an inch to an inch and a half to the measured heights without shoes at the Combine.
Also: Stay tuned for my finalized 2025 NBA Draft Big Board later this week!
1. Dallas Mavericks — Cooper Flagg, Duke
Forward | 6’9” | 220 lbs | 7’0” wingspan | age: 18.5
After the league-altering trade of Luka Dončić in February, Mavs fans have spent three long months in a state of basketball misery, holding funerals for the Luka era outside of American Airlines Center, and shouting “Fire Nico [Harrison]!” at the top of their lungs from their seats inside of it as the Mavericks narrowly missed the postseason. Just when things seemed like they were taking a bleak turn, these fervent Dallas fans were thrown a life preserver in the form of the #1 pick in a draft lottery in which they had a 1.8% chance to win. Enter Duke’s Cooper Flagg, and all of a sudden we’re cooking some bold Texas barbecue. Saddle up, Dallas.
Somewhat lost in all the drama and storylines is the actual basketball conversation around Flagg to the Mavericks, which I find to be a fascinating fit. Flagg’s front court partner will be Anthony Davis, who Nico Harrison executed the Doncic trade for. Davis hasn't been the model of durability over the years, and he also has been vocal about not wanting to play center which could lead to funky lineups, but when he and Flagg are on the court together the defensive impact will be immense. Kyrie Irving is set to miss a chunk of time next season while recovering from a torn ACL, but looking ahead pairing Cooper with two All-Star level veteran players will be intriguing. I see his complimentary play-style as a good fit with these two.
With Irving missing time, there should be ample opportunity for on-ball creation and playmaking early on for Cooper Flagg, which are areas scouts want to see him grow. Another interesting wrinkle is that the addition of Flagg crowds the front court a bit in Dallas, and Harrison’s favorite trade partner Rob Pelinka needs some help in the front court for his Los Angeles Lakers. Could Luka team up with a former teammate? These factors remain to be seen, but one thing is for certain: the Mavericks have turned into one of the most interesting stories in pro sports over the last few months.
2. San Antonio Spurs — Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Guard | 6’6” | 215 lbs | 6’10.5” wingspan | age: 19.2
The last time we had a lottery for a draft class that featured a potential franchise-altering talent (2023,) the Spurs won it. And they came damn close to doing it again this time around. Had the Spurs landed #1, the rest of the league would be in serious trouble. But having landed #2, the front office needs to get a bit more creative.
Dylan Harper is by most accounts the clear-cut second best prospect in this class. His size and defensive capabilities as well as his ability to score inside at will and create for others reminds me a bit of our reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Harper has all the tools to become an All-NBA level guard, and playing with Wembanyama should make his life easier. The Spurs are definitely guard heavy - last offseason drafting rookie of the year Stephon Castle and signing Chris Paul in the twilight of his career, then trading for De’Aaron Fox at the deadline, and now drafting Harper in this scenario. But I don’t think that should stop the organization from drafting the player they view as the best available. Plus, with the size and creation you get with Castle and Harper, it’s not out of the question that they could work in a 3-guard lineup alongside Fox.
3. Philadelphia 76ers — Ace Bailey, Rutgers
Forward | 6’9” | 200 lbs | 7’0.5” wingspan | age: 18.8
The Sixers might not have won the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, but they were at risk of losing their pick to the Thunder if it landed outside the top 6, so retaining their pick is a win in of itself for Philadelphia. Selecting here as a consolation for the nightmare season the 76ers just endured gives them an opportunity to continue building around the current iteration of their roster. And if they’re successful in doing so, this is the last time for a while they’ll be selecting this high. However, with the declining health of both Joel Embiid and Paul George, it’s unclear how long they will be the main pieces to build around in Philly. So this is an important pick, because screwing it up could lead them down a dark path
Ace Bailey is an intriguing shot maker to pair with their promising and offensively gifted backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain. Bailey may be raw, but he’s the most talented player on the board and has the highest upside, bringing size and offensive versatility as well as help defense IQ. When watching Rutgers, you could see Ace Bailey improving in real time in terms of his feel for the game and knowing where to be on defense. This shows me that he heard the criticisms and worked to improve them. There are reports that Bailey has been avoiding workouts with teams in his draft range, seeking an organization that will hand him the keys so to speak. He even reportedly cancelled his workout with the Philly. The possibility of the Sixers trading out of this pick is on the table, and I believe a team moving up would be doing it for Bailey. But if they stay, Daryl Morey won’t be afraid to take who he sees as the best player on the board, cancelled workout or not.
4. Charlotte Hornets — V.J. Edgecombe, Baylor
Guard/Wing | 6’5” | 193 lbs | 6’7.5” wingspan | age: 19.9
The Charlotte Hornets were one of three teams with the best odds at winning the lottery, and they were one of thirteen teams disappointed by the results. Selecting at #4, V.J. Edgecombe to Charlotte is likely going to be an extremely popular pick among mock drafts. Edgecombe is a tantalizing talent as an athlete and defensive playmaker. Although I still think his size is less than ideal, measuring at 6’4” without shoes at the NBA Draft Combine isn’t as bad as I maybe would’ve expected. He’s a decent shooter as well, shooting 34% from deep in his freshman season and 36% on catch-and-shoot jumpers. When he gets ahead of steam in transition, he’s. a highlight reel waiting to happen. Although I have V.J. ranked towards the bottom of the top-10 on my personal board, I think he could thrive in a tertiary role next to Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball. I like this fit even if I don’t love the value.
5. Utah Jazz — Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma
Guard | 6’4” | 180 lbs | 6’5” wingspan | age: 18.7
Jeremiah Fears reclassified into the class of 2024, entering college a year early. He was an absolute flamethrower for Oklahoma this season, which was a pleasant surprise. It’s not common to see a re-class freshman make such an impact at such a young age, especially in the best conference in college basketball. His handle and scoring touch helped him to consistently get to his spots and find ways to put the ball in the basket, despite rough efficiency from deep. His playmaking upside also makes him a bit more two-dimensional than a traditional scoring guard.
If you paid attention to the Utah Jazz in the past couple seasons this fit may seem peculiar as Fears is a bit redundant with 2023 lottery pick Keyonte George, and they just drafted another smaller sized guard in 2024 in Isaiah Collier. But according to reports Fears and the Jazz could be a match. They supposedly have held him for two workouts, the second in which he really went off. Despite using recent draft capital on guards, the Jazz still lack a playmaking presence which Jeremiah Fears could bring. It isn’t necessarily the pick I would make if I was selecting for the Jazz, but if I’m following the buzz, the buzz is leading me to Fears in the top 5.
6. Washington Wizards — Tre Johnson, Texas
Guard | 6’6” | 190 lbs | 6’10” wingspan | age: 19.2
The Wizards round out this group from 4-6 that had the best odds yet plummeted out of the top-3. As sad as may be is for these teams, they can still get some high upside prospects in this range, including Tre Johnson out of Texas. Johnson is as dynamic of a scorer and as versatile of a shooter as anyone else in this class. He has good size as well, measuring at just under 6’5” at the combine with a long wingspan. Johnson’s spot-up shooting and his size give him lineup flexibility and allow him to play on the wing next to talented ball handlers and playmakers. He’s also an underrated playmaker in his own right; I think he could’ve averaged more than 2.7 assists if Texas had some more competent scorers to pair with him. What I don’t think that number reflects well enough is Johnson’s ability read defenses and take advantage of the gravity he draws, which is something that I think gets lost in the dialogue about him as a prospect, partly because it doesn’t show up in the box score and also because he’s such a scoring presence.
The Wizards need as much help in the form of young talent as they can get, and the road to success will be a long one. But getting a guy that can put the ball in the basket like Tre Johnson can is a step in the right direction.
7. New Orleans Pelicans — Kon Knueppel, Duke
Wing | 6’6” | 220 lbs | 6’6” wingspan | age: 19.9
Kon Knueppel has been rumored to go as high as #3 to the Sixers, which I think is a realistic outcome if Philly stays there. However, I’m expecting Ace Bailey to go 3rd, whether that’s to the Sixers or a trade-up team; perhaps even the Pelicans, who own the #7 pick and just acquired the #23 pick in the draft from Indiana. I smell a possible trade between these two teams. Whether it’s New Orleans or Philly or some other team selecting at #7, I expect this to be where Kon Knueppel ultimately hears his name called.
Knueppel is one of the premier shooters in the class, and he showed throughout his entire freshman season that he’s much more than a specialist. Although he’s not a guy that’s gonna consistently break down defenders off the dribble, he’s capable of putting the ball on the floor and using his strength to attack the basket, and he has enough playmaking ability to take advantage of collapsing defenses. His defense is solid, although his limited athleticism might hamper him a bit on that end at the next level.
8. Brooklyn Nets — Kasparas Jakučionis, Illinois
Guard | 6’6” | 205 lbs | 6’8” wingspan | age: 19.1
Kasparas Jakučionis’s stock may not be as high as it was earlier in the season after his hot shooting tailed off in BIG-10 play, but he still holds a top-5 spot on my board and I’m still anticipating his name being called high on draft night. At a certain point in the lottery, teams will be hard pressed to find another guy with as many tools and as intriguing upside as Jakučionis. He has great size and passing vision along with solid athleticism. Although he couldn’t keep up his efficiency from deep as the season went on, he showed enough in non-conference play, hitting a wide variety of shots with solid shooting mechanics, for me to feel comfortable betting on his shot-making ability.
Brooklyn will be an interesting team to keep track of on draft night as they own four picks inside the first round (8, 19, 26, and 27.) Perhaps they could be a trade-up candidate into the top few picks. Not to keep bringing up Ace Bailey, but Brooklyn has been rumored as a team he could be angling towards amidst these interesting reports surrounding him and his camp. Should the Nets stay at #8, I could see a rebuilding team taking advantage of the opportunity for a high IQ guard that can orchestrate their offense.
9. Tornonto Raptors — Khaman Maluach, Duke
Big | 7’2” | 250 lbs | 7’7” wingspan | age: 18.7
Toronto has been a popular destination for Khaman Maluach in mock drafts, considering the type of prospect we normally see their front office go for. They’re known for favoring long and athletic prospects with raw upside, and Maluach definitely fits the description as a 7-footer with a 7’7” wingspan and an unreal catch radius.
Growing up in South Sudan, Maluach only began playing basketball in 2019, and he’s made strides in his development so far with even more on the horizon. Maluach is rare in that he has a fairly safe floor as a guy that can block shots, catch lobs and clean up the glass, but his ceiling is also super high as he has room to grow as a more consistent rebounder and defender, and possibly even a floor spacer as he’s shown some flashes of being able to do.
10. Phoenix Suns — Carter Bryant, Arizona
Wing | 6’8” | 215 lbs | 7’0” wingspan | age: 19.6
Phoenix have officially acquired their pick back from Houston after dealing Kevin Durant in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, five second round picks and the right to draft in the spot that their poor performance yielded. There are rumors that the Suns could be looking to re-route Jalen Green, but going off of the current roster, Green, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are not an ideal trio in terms of perimeter defense.
Carter Bryant is one of the hottest names on the rise right now. Once a projected late first rounder, it now wouldn’t surprise me to see Bryant selected even higher than #10. Bryant was a consensus top 20-30 player as a high school senior at Centennial, where he carried the load offensively. On an Arizona team with lots of mouths to feed, Bryant’s best way to earn his role was by buying in defensively — and he bought the hell in.
Fast forward to present day, and Carter Bryant enters the 2025 Draft with the reputation of arguably the best perimeter defender in the class. Of course almost every player drafted in the top 10 probably had their offense run through them in high school, but if Bryant can tap back into the offensive versatility that he showed in high school while keeping up his defensive production, Phoenix would have a scary player on their hands. However, I’m not sure they’ll be going for a project type when they want to continue to build around a 28 year old Devin Booker. That remains to be seen.
11. Portland Trailblazers — Egor Demin, BYU
Guard | 6’9” | 200 lbs | 6’10” wingspan | age: 19.2
Egor Demin is probably the most polarizing prospect in the 2025 Draft. Some are enamored with how well Demin sees the court and can pass teammates open at 6’9”, while some are underwhelmed by his struggles to create offense for himself, get by defenders one-on-one using his dribble, and defend at a consistent level. Demin’s range on big boards legitimately ranges from right outside the top-5 to almost in the second round. I don’t see him falling out of the lottery however. The tools are far too intriguing for him to fall too far down the board. In Portland, he would bring size to their smaller backcourt and would be a nice set-up man for Donovan Clingan and Toumani Camara.
12. Chicago Bulls — Derik Queen, Maryland
Big | 6’10” | 245 lbs | 7’0” wingspan | age: 20.5
13. Atlanta Hawks (via SAC) — Noa Essengue, France
Forward | 6’9” | 195 lbs | 6’11” wingspan | age: 18.5 | ratiopharm Ulm
14. San Antonio Spurs (via ATL) — Asa Newell, Georgia
Forward/Big | 6’10” | 225 lbs | 6’11” wingspan | age: 19.7
15. Oklahoma City Thunder (via MIA) — Cedric Coward, Washington State
Wing | 6’6” | 213 lbs | 7’2” wingspan | age: 21.7
Often times in the NBA Draft, players that weren’t featured on mock drafts throughout the season experience a fast and, in some cases meteoric rise through a strong draft combine. This is the case for Cedric Coward, who’s garnering some lottery buzz. After a strong sophomore season at Eastern Washington, Coward balled out in only 6 games at Washington State in 2024-25, averaging 17, 7 and 4. After missing most of the season with a shoulder injury, Coward entered the transfer portal and committed to Duke before ultimately opting to remain in the draft process. You’s have to think Coward received some damn good feedback from teams if he was willing to bypass the opportunity to play for one of the most historic college basketball programs.
OKC has the luxury of drafting right outside of the lottery after a championship season, and adding Cedric Coward would be an immaculate move. As one of the top 3&D wings in the class, he’d fit the mold of what the Thunder want their perimeter players to look like and would add to the championship DNA.
16. Memphis Grizzlies (via ORL) — Nique Clifford, Colorado State
Guard/Wing | 6’6” | 200 lbs | 6’8” wingspan | age: 23.3
After projecting as a later first rounder in last year’s draft, Nique Clifford opted to stay at Colorado State for a fifth year of college ball, a decision that looks like it’s going to pay dividends. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Clifford go even closer to the lottery. He has a nice combination of handle and size with an efficient 3-point jumper. His scoring average skyrocketed this season on higher volume and a 7% increase in usage. His rebounding and playmaking numbers also saw an increase. Clifford will also provide solid on-ball and help defense.
The Grizzlies gave up a knockdown shooter in Desmond Bane via trade, so they could use a spacer on the wing (especially if Kentavious Caldwell-Pope continues to shoot the way he did in Orlando.) After two straight seasons of efficient 3PT shooting in a high-usage role, I think Nique Clifford can provide the spacing they need while playing off of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr, who will draw the tough defensive assignments. Clifford is such a consistent and versatile player, and he’s a lottery level prospect in my eyes.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET) — Thomas Sorber, Georgetown
Big | 6’10” | 250 lbs | 7’6” wingspan | age: 19.5
18. Wizards (via MEM) — Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina
Forward | 6’7” | 240 lbs | 7’1” wingspan | age: 20
19. Nets (via MIL) — Joan Beringer, France
Big | 7’0” | 235 lbs | 7’4” wingspan | age: 18.6 | Olimpija
Joan Beringer is a young, raw, athletic rim runner that’s really buzzing right now and seems likely to be picked in the top-20 at this point. Beringer is a really hot name right now, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he flew up the board and was even much higher than this, and higher than anyone really expects as of now. The Nets are bound to make a big upside swing at some point in the draft considering how much capital they own, and their second pick is a perfect spot to swing for the fences at Beringer.
20. Miami Heat — Liam McNeeley, UConn
Wing | 6’8” | 215 lbs | 6’8.5” wingspan | age: 19.7
"He will likely be asked to play a different role in the NBA, leaning more heavily into his ability as a dynamic perimeter shooter, which was more evident in other settings before college. McNeeley has some momentum behind him now, following some positive workouts, helping to remind teams of what made him so highly regarded entering the season."
- Jonathan Givony, Bleacher Report NBA Draft Analyst
21. Jazz (via MIN) — Ben Saraf, Israel
Guard | 6’6” | 200 lbs | 6’7.5” wingspan | age: 19.2 | ratiopharm Ulm
22. Atlanta Hawks (via LAL) — Jase Richardson, Michigan State
Guard | 6’1” | 180 lbs | 6’6” wingspan | age: 19.7
23. Pelicans (via IND) — Danny Wolf, Michigan
Big | 7’0” | 252 lbs | 7’2” wingspan | age: 21.1
24. Thunder (via LAC) — Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph’s
Forward | 6’9” | 230 lbs | 7’5” wingspan | age: 20.9
The NBA Champions adding Rasheer Fleming right after taking Cedric Coward would be a statement as to how they want to approach roster building now that they’ve reached the top of the mountain. These two players can space the floor and defend at a high level. The young core of the Thunder are gonna eventually come up on paydays, and having instant impact guys could be helpful, especially if they have to make tough roster decisions down the pike. I wouldn’t put it past them, however, to use one of these picks on a complete upside swing, because after all it is still the Thunder and Sam Presti probably can’t help himself when it comes to guys like that.
25. Magic (via DEN) — Nolan Traoré, France
Guard | 6’3” | 175 lbs | 6’8” wingspan | age: 19.1 | Saint-Quentin
26. Nets (via NYK) — Hugo González, Spain
Wing | 6’7” | 223 lbs | 6’11” wingspan | age: 19.3 | Real Madrid
27. Nets (via HOU) — Drake Powell, North Carolina
Wing | 6’6” | 200 lbs | 7'0” wingspan | age: 19.7
All in all, the Nets first round haul in this mock draft has resulted in Kasparas Jakučionis (8), Joan Beringer (19), Hugo González (26) and Drake Powell (27). That’s a pretty interesting blend of talent to bring in for a team in the midst of an all-out rebuild. Beringer, González and Powell are more of upside swings while Jakučionis, at least in my eyes, is a ready-made contributor.
González is a confident scorer with good athleticism and an ability to handle the ball in the pick-and-roll. Powell is also intriguing as a wing athlete with good burst, solid shooting and suffocating point of attack defense. Both of these wing prospects look to show more at the next level than the contexts they were playing in allowed them to show.
28. Boston Celtics — Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Big | 7’2” | 257 lbs | 7’6” wingspan | age: 23.4
29. Phoenix Suns (via CLE) — Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
Big | 7’1” | 237 lbs | 7’1” wingspan | age: 22.2
30. L.A. Clippers (from OKC) — Walter Clayton Jr, Florida
Guard | 6’3” | 199 lbs | 6’4” wingspan | age: 22.2
Is Walter Clayton Jr. a lock to be a first round pick after his iconic NCAA Tournament run? It’s looking likely for the national champion guard, especially with other players in his range opting to return to school. Clayton is wonderfully dynamic as a shot maker and shot creator, consistently displaying deep range and shot versatility. Over four seasons at Iona and Florida, Clayton shot 44.4% from deep on nearly six attempts per game. He also shoots a decent percentage at the rim (65.2%) for a small guard, and his assist percentage shot up as a senior. There are lots of ways Clayton can contribute on the offensive end, he’ll just need to cut back on turnovers and likely will have some challenges to overcome defensively.
Big Board coming later this week!
31. Timberwolves (via Jazz) - Adou Thiero, Arkansas
Wing | 6’6” | 218 lbs | 7’0” wingspan | age: 21.7
Adou Thiero made a huge jump in his lone season at Arkansas after following head coach John Calipari from Kentucky. Thiero’s usage shot up 10% and his scoring averages more than doubled from his sophomore campaign at UK. His 3PT% took a dip on few attempts, but his overall efficiency improved, shooting 52% from the field and 68% at the rim. Thiero is a tough on-ball defender with great size that can guard multiple positions, and he’s a smooth athlete on both ends of the floor. The offensive ceiling is a bit limited for Adou Thiero, but he’s a good slasher and play finisher that plays with a combination of quickness and burst and generates points well in transition.
32. Celtics (via WAS) — Kam Jones, Marquette
Guard | 6’4” | 202 lbs | 6’6” wingspan | age: 23.3
33. Charlotte Hornets — Will Riley, Illinois
Wing | 6’9” | 185 lbs | 6’9” wingspan | age: 19.3
34. Hornets (from NOLA) — Koby Brea, Kentucky
Guard/Wing | 6’7” | 200 lbs | 6’10” wingspan | age: 22.6
Koby Brea is projected to be selected in the second round, but I think he has a good chance of returning better value than that. At a respectable 6’7” and 200 lbs, Brea is one of the most prolific and versatile shooter in the class, and the numbers bear that out. His pure efficiency and shooting volume at his size is something that’s extremely rare and remarkable. In 149 games across five seasons, Koby Brea shot 43% from deep on 6 attempts per game. His ability to quickly set his feet and shoot on the move is a joy to watch. The shot mechanics are smooth and repeatable and his release is lighting quick. Brea is also a good connective passer that moves the ball well and makes the extra pass often.
There are questions as to how much else Brea can provide outside of being a marksman, as he rarely attempts shots inside the arc. This even goes back to his days at Dayton when he wasn’t playing against a lower level of competition. But for a role player, which is what Koby Brea projects as, he checks some major boxes.
35. Philadelphia 76ers — Noah Penda, France
Forward | 6’7” | 225 lbs | 7’0” wingspan | age: 20.4 | Le Mans
36. Brooklyn Nets — Bogoljub Marković, Serbia
Forward | 6’11” | 190 lbs | 7’0” wingspan | age: 19.9 | KK Mega Basket
37. Detroit Pistons (via TOR) — Johni Broome, Auburn
Big | 6’10” | 250 lbs | 7’0” wingspan | age: 23.9
38. San Antonio Spurs — Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Penn State
Big | 7’0” | 242 lbs | 7’3” wingspan | age: 22.2
As we get later into the second round, there are quite a few of these teams that could use an extra big man in their rotation, which I believe plays into the late rise for a guy like Yanic Konan Niederhauser. Although the Spurs have one of the best 7-footers in the world in Victor Wembanyama, there isn’t much to get excited about beyond him in the center rotation. I could see them getting out ahead of it early in the second round before the bigs in this range start to get nabbed up.
Niederhauser is a high level shot blocker with great athleticism at his advanced size. He’s a hard screen setter that times his rolls well, has good footwork and serves well as a play finisher and lob threat. He would be great addition to the Spurs front court, however I could also see them targeting a shooter on the wing at some point in the draft, especially if they move Devin Vassell in a big deal for Kevin Durant.
39. Raptors (via POR) — Alijah Martin, Florida
Guard | 6’2” | 210 lbs | 6’7.5” wingspan | age: 23.5
40. Wizards (via PHX) — Rocco Zikarsky, Australia
Big | 7’4” | 260 lbs | 7’5” wingspan | age: 18.9 | Brisbane Bullets
41. Golden State Warriors (via MIA) — Jamir Watkins, Florida State
Big | 6’6” | 215 lbs | 6’11” wingspan | age: 23.9
42. Sacramento Kings (via CHI) — Chaz Lanier, Tennessee
Guard | 6’5” | 205 lbs | 6’9” wingspan | age: 23.5
43. Jazz (via DAL) — Hansen Yang, China
Big | 7’2” | 250 lbs | 7’3” wingspan | age: 20 | Qingdao Eagles
Hansen Yang is a name that’s been floating around draft conversations since last year’s cycle, and now he’s looking likely to hear his name called in 2025. Hansen brings a unique passing flare in his 7-foot frame and has soft scoring touch inside. He’s also a great rebounder and shot blocker, proving that he can provide the skills you want out of a guy his size while also offering added flavor. His ceiling is a bit more theoretical than his consistency has shown, but with the amount of NCAA players that opted to return to school, I’d be pretty shocked if there wasn’t a team that decided to take a flier on a guy with as much upside as Hansen Yang.
44. Thunder (via ATL) — Sion James, Duke
Guard/Wing | 6’6” | 220 lbs | 6’6.5” wingspan | age: 22.5
45. Bulls (via SAC) — Kobe Sanders, Nevada
Guard | 6’8” | 203 lbs | 6’8” wingspan | age: 23.1
46. Orlando Magic — Eric Dixon, Villanova
Forward/Big | 6’8” | 260 lbs | 6’11.5” wingspan | age: 24.4
47. Milwaukee Bucks (via DET) — Hunter Sallis, Wake Forest
Guard | 6’5” | 175 lbs | 6’10” wingspan | age: 22.2
48. Grizzlies (via GSW) — Michael Ruźić, Croatia
Forward | 7’0” | 220 lbs | 7’1” wingspan | age: 18.7 | Joventut
49. Cleveland Cavaliers (via MIL) — Vladislav Goldin, Michigan
Big | 7’1” | 255 lbs | 7’5” wingspan | age: 24.1
50. New York Knicks (via MEM) — Viktor Lakhin, Clemson
Big | 6’11” | 230 lbs | 7’1” wingspan | age: 23.9
First of all, bravo to the Knicks for making their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years. That’s not easy for me to say as a Celtics fan, but as a basketball fan, it’s hard not to be happy for that city and fanbase. However, it became clear during the ECF series against the Pacers that the Knicks had a depth issue. I think they particularly could use extra size in their lineup. Not to say that whoever you draft in the 50’s is going to immediately— or ever— crack your rotation, but it’s worth a shot, especially with this being New York’s only pick of the draft. Viktor Lakhin wouldn’t immediately crack their rotation as he’s coming off a torn tendon in his left foot. Foot injuries are never a great look for big men, but Lakhin’s talent when healthy is intriguing enough to be worth a look this late in the draft. He’s a stretch big with good mobility and size and has decent passing chops out of the post.
51. Clippers (via MIN) — Amari Williams, Kentucky
Big | 7’0” | 262 lbs | 7’5” wingspan | age: 23.4
52. Suns (via DEN) — Javon Small, West Virginia
Guard | 6’2” | 190 lbs | 6’5” wingspan | age: 22.5
53. Jazz (via LAC) — Payton Sandfort, Iowa
Wing | 6’8” | 215 lbs | 6’8” wingspan | age: 22.9
54. Indiana Pacers — Tyrese Proctor, Duke
Guard | 6’5” | 183 lbs | 6’7” wingspan | age: 21.2
55. Los Angeles Lakers — Mouhamed Faye, Senegal
Big | 6’10” | 223 lbs | 7’5” wingspan | age: 20.3 | Reggio Emilia
56. New York Knicks — (forfeited pick)
57. Grizzlies (via HOU) — Dink Pate, NBA G-League
Wing | 6’7” | 200 lbs | 6’10” wingspan | age: 19.2 | Mexico City Capitanes
Dink Pate is one of the last known relics of the failed NBA G-League Ignite program that was shut down by the league after last season. After his waiver to enter the 2024 Draft was denied, Pate remained in the G-League playing for the Mexico City Capitanes, where his production slightly increased, yet his efficiency remained subpar. He’s a great athlete with legit wing size which is where he garners so much intrigue, but he’s yet to really put it together thus far. He’s shown smooth scoring ability, but ultimately the consistency of his shot hasn’t caught up with how green his light can be. Dink Pate is a true project that will take time if he is to become anything in this league, and I’m not even sure the Grizzlies are the team that are in the business of making that upside swing. But similarly to Hansen Yang, I’d expect a team to take that bite of the apple this late in the draft in a mostly depleted second round.
58. Magic (via BOS) — Alex Toohey, Australia
Wing | 6’9” | 220 lbs | 6’11” wingspan | age: 21.1 | Sydney Kings
59. Cleveland Cavaliers — Max Shulga, VCU
Guard/Wing | 6’5” | 206 lbs | 6’6” wingspan | age: 23
60. Rockets (via OKC) — Micah Peavy, Georgetown
Guard/Wing | 6’7” | 211 lbs | 6’7” wingspan | age: 23.9
Stay tuned for my finalized 2025 NBA Draft Big Board!
Great work, Zach!