Some quick reactions to all 30 picks in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft!

1: Cooper Flagg (Duke)- Dallas Mavericks

Flagg is one of the best prospects we’ve seen in a long time, a versatile player with size, shooting, passing, defense, and athleticism. He steps into a lucky situation for a number one pick, joining a highly talented Dallas team. He has all the skills he needs to play a role and contribute to winning, but he could be a star right away with his skillset. Dallas lucked into this selection after trading away Luka Dončić in a stunner last year, and they end up with great lottery luck and get to select Flagg. This team could be scary defensively with Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, Derick Lively, PJ Washington, Max Christie and others really impacting that side of the ball. Flagg also can step into a big offensive role. He can take the load scoring, but he also can be a really good passer, a point forward, and he’s going to rebound for you. He’s going to do everything that drives winning and there’s just no world really other than one where he doesn’t stay healthy that this isn’t a fantastic first overall selection.

2: Dylan Harper (Rutgers)- San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio didn’t overthink the number 2 pick despite having two elite guards in De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, taking the uber-talented offensive force in Harper. It will be interesting to see how that core fits together, but ultimately the opportunity to pair a fantastic 3 level scorer and high level creator with Victor Wembanyama was too exciting to pass up. With Harper, the concern really is, does he ever go from being the mediocre outside shooter that he is now to a great one? We know that he’s good at getting downhill, getting in the lane, and getting to the basket, but that’s a skill that De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle already have. Now obviously Harper is more than just that, he’s a really talented guy who’s gonna be worth keeping around, but for the Spurs from a teambuilding perspective, they are going to have to think about how they play these three guys together. And if they are going to move on from one of them, who is it going to be? It’s likely not going to be Harper after selecting him number two overall, but we’ll have to see how he fits into their group in his first year.

3: VJ Edgecombe (Baylor)- Philadelphia 76ers

Edgecombe is a phenomenal talent, and should go down as a fantastic number 3 pick. A true two way talent who plays high level defense, and is a phenomenal athlete, Edgecombe can be a really high level contributor to a winning team. Now, next to Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and Joel Embiid, the young Bahamian has a chance to help the Sixers get back to winning right away. Edgecombe makes a lot of sense at this pick for Philly. He’s a guy who can play a role and contribute to winning right away because he’s such a good defender. He’s also such a good athlete and a great shooter who has so much potential to end up being one of the best two-way players in the league. He’s not that right now, he does need to work somewhat on self-creation on the offensive end but I think ultimately for the role that he’s going to play next to guys like Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and Paul George, he’s a great fit and he could end up being one of the best players in this draft. Very easily well worth the selection at number three. 

4: Kon Knueppel (Duke)- Charlotte Hornets 

The draft really started at 4, and this is a very interesting pick. Knueppel is a high floor prospect, a fantastic shooter with playmaking ability and a better defender than you would expect. For a Charlotte team that has lacked a direction and identity, Kon adds a lot of immediate value and his competitiveness and professionalism should add to their culture from the jump. The biggest thing for Knueppel will be reaching his full potential, becoming a number one option as a scorer and a competent defender rather than just an elite role player. Knueppel is going to make the Charlotte Hornets better immediately and that is something that they desperately need. He’s just such a capable NBA player who at his floor is going to be good, and that has to excite a team that has made some questionable decisions and struggled in recent years.

5: Ace Bailey (Rutgers)- Utah Jazz

There was a lot made of Ace Bailey skipping out on all workouts with top teams in the draft, with a lot of criticism going towards him and his representation for potentially trying to force him to a specific team or teams. The thought though, was that he would head to Washington or New Orleans, not Utah. Now, with Austin Ainge taking over the front office for the Jazz, Utah took a shot on the most talented player left on the board with the hope he reaches his full potential. This is an energetic, fun-loving kid with elite shotmaking and athleticism. He could end up being an All NBA player, but he also is currently an inconsistent defender, a poor free throw shooter, and is lacking as a passer. He will need to develop, but in Utah, he’ll have the chance to get a lot of volume and learn from his mistakes. 

6: Tre Johnson (Texas)- Washington Wizards

Johnson is an electric scorer and shooter, who will give Washington an immediate offensive punch. There is a concern that he’ll never be a good NBA defender, but if he can be competent, he could fit in really well with Washington’s young core of guys like Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly. Washington needed a first offensive option, which they may have accomplished by drafting Johnson. This is a guy who might be a 20 point scorer in the league on high shooting efficiency, and now the Wizards have both an offensive and defensive cornerstone with Johnson and Sarr. He also steps into a situation with the potential to get some fantastic mentorship from guys like Khris Middleton and CJ McCollum, solid vets with reputations for being good teammates who play a similar style to Johnson. Having that access could be key for his development. This Wizards team looks a little bit more serious now, and though they’re far from contention, they’re headed in a positive direction. 

7: Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma) – New Orleans Pelicans

The Fears pick is solid. The Pelicans got a point guard here and a guy who was a really good offensive player in college who also seemed to drive winning really well for a freshman, making his team competitive in a dangerous SEC and playing really well in the NCAA tournament too. This is a kid who can score on three levels, he can pass and rebound well, and his biggest point of development will be from going from a competent outside shooter in college to becoming a great three-point shooter. If he can do that, it would make him much more of a threat. You would also like to see him get better on the defensive end of the ball, but ultimately they got a talented, young player with this pick so you can’t hate it. 

8: Egor Demin (BYU)- Brooklyn Nets

This is the first pick of the first round that you can really make a strong argument is a reach. Demin is a very interesting prospect as a guy with legit incredible length and height for a passer with the feel and IQ that he has as a PG. There are significant concerns though with Demin. This is a guy who took a high volume of threes in his freshman year at BYU and did not make many of them. He’s also got quite a slight frame that will get him pushed around in the NBA, and he’s going to have to put on strength to be able to be effective with his game at the next level. With Brooklyn having their five picks, you really would’ve thought they wouldn’t have reached on a guy this high in the draft, but they chose to do so here.

9: Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina)- Toronto Raptors

Murray-Boyles may end up becoming the best NBA defender in this draft and that’s why the Raptors took him. They have a number of more offensive geared wings with guys like RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram. It will be interesting to see how he fits into this team. When it comes down to it you know he’s a switchable defensive piece with talent, but the pick doesn’t exactly move the needle towards contention for Toronto as he’s a limited offensive player. He does fit in well though and gives them a guy who can guard stars in the playoffs if they can make it there. 

10: Khaman Maluach (Duke)- Phoenix Suns

Although pick number 10 was made by the Houston Rockets, it will be routed to the Phoenix Suns as part of the Kevin Durant trade. Khaman Maluach has some of the most enticing potential of any prospect in this draft. He is very long he could become a phenomenal defensive anchor in the NBA and he finishes really well around the rim. The real concern is he is a very raw player. He didn’t start playing basketball until really just a few years ago, and you can see it. He has always gotten better though and he reportedly has a great attitude. Phoenix absolutely needs a starting level big so he could have a great opportunity there, but there are some real concerns that he may never reach his potential because he needs to get more aggressive on both ends, he needs to find more ways to score. He also is not a mobile athlete due to his immense size although he is relatively athletic for his size, so this pick makes enough sense at 10. It’s not a reach, but it’s a high upside low floor swing.

11: Cedric Coward (Washington State)- Memphis Grizzlies

There is a lot to like about this Cedric Coward pick to the Grizzlies. Memphis, after trading away Desmond Bane this off-season to the Orlando Magic, had a spot open on the wing and Coward will be an immediate contributor in Memphis. He’s a legit 3 and D player with length, and he’s also just a smart, thoughtful kid who can really sell you on his attitude and effort, which is something that will work really well in Memphis’s culture. He’s a great fit next to Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson, and will drive winning in a situation where Memphis wants to compete in a loaded Western Conference.

12: Noa Essengue (France)- Chicago Bulls

Essengue is an interesting swing at 12 for a bulls team that has been stuck in NBA purgatory for a while. Ultimately, he is one of the higher upside guys in the draft. He is really long and has interesting movement skills for a guy of his size, but there are concerns of that he’s never really going to be much of an NBA shooter and that perhaps he doesn’t do the best job of complementing the guys on the roster that they already have. There were some other prospects available at this spot who may have been a better fit, like Derik Queen, Carter Bryant, and Thomas Sorber, so this is not going to make the list as one of the best picks of the first round. 

13: Derik Queen (Maryland)- New Orleans Pelicans 

New Orleans has received criticism for this pick especially because they spent a 2026 first rounder to move up with Atlanta to get to 13. Ultimately though, at 13, Queen is a great selection. A big man with versatility that he has he could end up being one of the top players in this draft when it’s all said and done, and he fits really well with their other young big man Yves Missi, who is more of a lob threat and vertical athlete,  which Queen is not. Queen is though a phenomenal passer, a great inside scorer who has touch in the mid range, he has high IQ, and he’s a competitive winner. He fits well with their other selection Jeremiah Fears as a potential pick and roll combo, and also will be a good compliment to players they already have on the team like Herb Jones and Trey Murphy on the wing. There’s also a lot that he could potentially learn from Zion Williamson, who has some similar elements in his game as a skilled, versatile big with a larger frame. This pick could end up surprising people as one of the better selections of the entire draft.

14: Carter Bryant (Arizona)- San Antonio Spurs

Another phenomenal selection here, San Antonio went with the best player available at two selecting Dylan Harper, even though his fit with their current back court of Steph on Castle and De’Aaron Fox is questionable.  Here they got possibly the best player on the board again, a guy who could’ve easily gone in the top 10 in Carter Bryant. You do have to have some questions with Bryant because he is not a fully developed player. He was a freshman playing in a bench role for Arizona last year, but he has legit high-end 3 and D potential. He’s a fantastic athlete who showed that he can catch and shoot the three and also finish at the rim,  and he played defense well, being switchable and available to guard multiple positions. He seems to fit really well into what this team is building around Victor Wembanyama and could be an awesome part of their young core going forward. 

15: Thomas Sorber (Georgetown)- Oklahoma City Thunder

Thomas Sorber was one of the most interesting players in the country as a freshman at Georgetown before going down with an injury to end his season prematurely.  Going into the draft though he’s back getting healthy, and looks like he’ll be in a good spot for next season. OKC, the NBA Champions who just finished a dominant season, have a loaded roster featuring two phenomenal big men in Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren, as well as other good bigs coming off the bench like Jaylin Williams, but they may have issues down the road retaining all those guys and maintaining their books. Sorber is a phenomenal insurance policy for them who can take his time to develop and may be able to step into a big role down the road. This is an A+ for the thunder who get a guy who can be a real factor on both offense and defense with a long wingspan who can take his time to develop. 

16: Hansen Yang (China)- Portland Trailblazers

This was easily the biggest shocker of the first round with the Blazers taking Hansen Yang, the young Chinese Center, who was projected to be a second round pick by most insiders and outlets. Yang does have a lot of potential as a true seven footer who can block shots, moves really well, can set up his teammates for a success with his passing, and shoot it with some skill as well. It’s really unclear though how refined his game is right now, even though he did play really well in the NBA Combine, so this is more of a developmental swing for Portland. He’s going to be behind Donovan Clingan DeAndre Ayton, and Robert Williams as of no,  unless they move on from one or more of those guys, but still, this pick was made with an eye towards the future. It very likely would’ve been possible for Portland to get him later on though if they wanted to trade back, so it is a bit confusing why they chose to take him at 16.

17: Joan Beringer (France)- Minnesota Timberwolves

It’s hard to overstate how much upside Joan Beringer really has. The young French Big Man did not start playing basketball until a few years ago, and hasn’t had that much visibility because he has not been in the US. Really, he could have similar, or even higher potential than a guy like Khaman Maluach, who is more known to American audiences since he played it Duke. Right now Beringer is not refined at all. He is a very raw player whose only true NBA-ready skill really is blocking shots and working right around the rim, but as a big guy who moves with so much agility and suddenness, he could end up being a phenomenal NBA player and even a true star. It also just makes too much sense to pair him with Rudy Gobert, another phenomenal French shot blocker as a mentor to start out his career. This is definitely a win for the T wolves. The only concern really is that he may not contribute to winning immediately for a team was trying to compete right now. 

18: Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida)- Utah Jazz

The Jazz shocked the world by taking Ace Bailey at 5, and then they went and took Walter Clayton at 18. This pick makes a lot of sense. Clayton is a guy who can get off his shot from anywhere, and who makes a ton of tough shots. He is also just a winner who drove Florida to a National Championship. At some point Utah really needs to consider culture as they’re building with their young team, and this is a guy who is going to push their culture forward to a good spot. It will be interesting to see how he fits with their other young players and especially guards like Isaiah Collier and Keyonte George, but his shotmaking is valuable around any group. Clearly Austin Ainge was not married to the players who were on the roster before, and really wants to create his own identity as he takes over this front office. Walter Clayton will be a big part of that. 

19: Nolan Traore (France)- Brooklyn Nets 

Once again, a bit of a head scratcher from Brooklyn. This is a team that spent the eighth overall pick on Egor Demin, a guy who has a lot of potential as a point guard, but was a bit of a reach, and they do the same thing again at 19. Traore is a really good basketball player. He is quite fast. He is a really good passer, and he has some ability to get steals and initiate offense. He’s quite a skilled guy, but he has some of the same limitations as Demin at a smaller size. You really have to be concerned about how his shooting translates to the NBA, and it seems unclear why you would take two guys who are kind of in the same mold with your first two first round picks. Maybe the strategy is to take a lot of shots at getting a great PG with the hope of hitting on at least one and figuring it out later, but it’s a weird strategy Brooklyn is taking. 

20: Kasparas Jakucionas (Illinois)- Miami Heat

At 20 Miami goes with the young guard out of Illinois Kasparas Jakučionis. This is a really good basketball player who is a 6’6 guard with a lot of size. He’s a capable three-level scorer and is a really good passer in a lot of situations. Miami needed a true point guard, and this is the guy who could develop into that, but you do have to question his turnovers, which were a big problem in college. Maybe he can clean that up and he can become the perfect guy to slot next to Tyler Herro in the back court, but if that continues to be an issue, it’s a concern. He also may not be ready to really step into that role right away, and they’re probably going to have to find another veteran guard to play with him. 

21: Will Riley (Illinois)- Wizards

There are some real concerns about this pick of Will Riley at 21 for the Wizards. He is a talented basketball player with potential, but ultimately he is not a guy who is going to drive winning for you right now, and has a lot of development left to do with Washington. Now that you have a young core that added Tre Johnson to guys like Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George, AJ Johnson, and Bilal Coulibaly, this is a team that’s ready to take the next step, and they need guys who can drive winning. There are players who simply are going to be better at doing that faster left on the board here, like Nique Clifford, Jase Richardson, or Danny Wolf, so the Riley pick doesn’t make a ton of sense for Washington

22: Drake Powell (UNC)- Nets

With their third pick of the night, Brooklyn takes another developmental swing, this time on UNC freshman guard Drake Powell. Powell is easily one of the best athletes in the draft. He’s an incredible vertical leper and his athleticism should translate to some ability on both offense and defense in NBA, but people are betting on his development saying that he’s a great 3 and D prospect. As a freshman limited role at UNC, he was neither an elite offensive or defensive player, honestly far from being either. The athleticism is there, and maybe he’s a great kid with a great work ethic who will turn himself into a fantastic NBA player, but there are real concerns that he will never live up to the hype. It’s unclear what Brooklyn is doing, and what their draft strategy is taking these swings with all these picks when there are guys on the board who may be better options.

23: Asa Newell (Georgia)- Atlanta Hawks

Asa Newell is a guy who had lottery hype as a Big Man with really good athleticism and leaping ability that will absolutely translate to the NBA, so getting him a 23 is good value, especially considering that Atlanta traded down and got a future first round pick as part of the deal. At Georgia Newell was playing in an excellent conference on a team where he didn’t have a lot of other highly touted teammates, and he was really good. There are some limitations in his game. He’s not much of a shooter, he’s not doing much to create his own offense, but his ability as a lob threat will fit really well with Trae Young. It makes a lot of sense with what the Hawks already have going on, and they don’t need to rely on him now with Kristaps Porziņģis coming in and Onyeka Okongwu already on the team. This is a good pick at 23. 

24: Nique Clifford (Colorado State)- Sacramento Kings

Nick Clifford may be the steal of the draft at 24 going to Sacramento. Ultimately, the biggest reason why Clifford was here this late in the draft is his age. He’s 23, but he has been a highly productive player in college who is a tenacious rebounder for a guard, a guy who can score on all three levels, is athletic, and plays really good defense. This is a guy who immediately will be a strong role player for the Kings. He will drive them towards winning, and he just does so much well. He does have somewhat of a similar skillset to another one of their young players, Devin Carter, but you can’t have too many versatile, switchable guards and wing players who play really hard and do a lot of things well. This could be a great fit for the Kings and give them something to look forward to this season

25: Jase Richardson (Michigan State)- Orlando Magic

Another phenomenal pick in the back half of the first round. Jase Richardson is exactly what the Orlando Magic needed in their playoff loss to the Boston Celtics this year. Orlando clearly left too much of the offensive burden on their two stars, Palo Banchero and Franz Wagner, and did not have enough shooting around those guys to drive them offensively, even though they have a lot of defensive talent. Now bringing in Desmond Bain from the Grizzlies, a phenomenal shooter, and adding Richardson, who can really shoot the ball and can score at all 3 levels, they are in a really good spot. There are concerns about Richardson due to his size. He’s a small guard and it’s unclear how that will translate on both ends in the NBA, but he was a really productive offensive player and capable defender at Michigan state as a Freshman. Getting him at 25 is great value and he has exactly what Orlando needed with this pick. 

26: Ben Saraf (Israel)- Brooklyn Nets

It’s like someone told Brooklyn that they have to try and draft different versions of the same player at this point. Now, there are of course nuances between guys like Nolan Traore, Egor Demin, and Ben Saraf, but there are a lot of similarities with the three European point guards. All of them are better passers than they are shooters, and they just aren’t floor spacers for you with that limitation. It doesn’t really make sense to draft guys who have similar talent and weaknesses, especially when you’re using all five of your five first round picks. Saraf has game and he could’ve been a good fit on a team at this point, but it just seems weird to see him go off the board to Brooklyn after their previous selections. 

27: Danny Wolf (Michigan)- Brooklyn Nets

This is Brooklyn’s best pick of the night by far. Danny Wolf was actually higher on our board than any of the four guys they picked before him in the first round. He also fits really well with Nic Claxton if they want to keep him long-term. He is not a vertical athlete like Claxton, but he is a fluid mover, and a guy who has a great vision and touch for a big man. He can fit really well into the offense, and he can be an immediate contributor. He’s also better on defense than he’s given credit for. A great selection for the Nets here even though their draft as a whole wasn’t ideal. 

28: Hugo Gonzalez (Spain)- Celtics

At 28, the Celtics decided to go with a developmental player, Hugo Gonzalez, out of Real Madrid in Spain. Gonzalez was previously, before the season, projected as a guy who could go in the lottery, and he fell down boards after people watched him struggle in some ways in a limited role this year at Real Madrid. He is a guy with legit NBA size on the wing who has versatility and can do a lot of things well. He’s only 19 years old, but he really does need to develop both as an outside shooter and as a defender. Reports are that he will be coming to Boston this year and won’t be a draft and stash selection, but it’s hard to think how he’s going to be a major contributor, if much of a contributor at all in his first year in the NBA, and that’s something that Boston really needs with Jayson Tatum out all year with a ruptured Achilles. Maybe they have a guy that they really like who’s more NBA-ready at pick number 32 early in the second round, and they wanted to make sure they took this swing on Gonzalez before someone took him ahead of them. It’s unclear what their strategy was, but this doesn’t make too much sense with other guys on the board here like Maxime Raynaud, Noah Penda, and Liam McNeely.

29: Liam McNeeley (U Conn)- Charlotte Hornets

After taking Kon Knueppel at four, the Hornets add another wing who is a great shooter with Liam McNeely. The big question about McNeeley coming out of U Conn was really about his defense. It’s no question that he’s a capable offensive player who can contribute on that end, but it’s really a question of whether or not he’ll ever a capable defender. At 29 though, the risk starts to fade and you really just look at talent. He’s an offensive player who can be an impact guy on catch and shoot looks, especially next to dudes like Kon and Brandon Miller. This pick makes sense. He’s arguably the best player on the board here so a solid good selection from Charlotte.

30: Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Penn State)- Clippers

This selection, the last of the first round, seems a bit surprising for the Clippers at first on its surface, but when you think about it, it makes sense. Konan Niederhauser is a guy who wasn’t on a lot of people‘s radars before the NBA combine, but he had an intriguing performance there, and put himself in position to get drafted. He’s somewhat of a raw player. He is from Switzerland, but went to college at Penn State. There he showed he is a rim running big with vertical athleticism, and that is an archetype of player that James Harden loves playing with. He is not just going to come in to supplant Ivica Zubac, but as a back up, he has a game that fits well with Harden, and he has the chance to develop. This is not a guy who you’re thinking is going to be great immediately, but he has one of the higher ceilings of the guys left on the board at this point, so it makes sense although it’s a bit of a gamble for LAC.