John Fanta
School Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter
Because the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and Indiana Pacers gear as much as meet within the NBA Finals later this week, these two groups are as a lot of a testomony as any that constructing via the draft, good transactions and front-office execution can’t be overstated in significance.
The Thunder characterize what a draft evening can do for a corporation. Look again at 2022, when Sam Presti chosen Chet Holmgren with the No. 2 total choose within the draft after which used the twelfth choose, which was acquired from the Clippers again within the 2019 Paul George/Shai Gilgeous-Alexander blockbuster transfer, to get Jalen Williams out of Santa Clara. Quick-forward to 2025, and Williams, Holmgren and Gilgeous-Alexander have mixed to kind an natural large three of their very own.
The most effective half about this draft? There are a number of transformational gamers on this class with the upside to be 15-year All-Stars within the league. That was not the case final 12 months, and even in 2023, after Victor Wembanyama, there have been extra questions than solutions on the expertise facet.
There are nonetheless questions on what groups will do on this 12 months’s draft as the vast majority of the primary spherical might be made up of faculty one-and-done gamers. That provides intrigue and buzz due to what number of instances followers have seen them in motion over the course of the final 12 months.
Right here’s how I see issues taking place in my newest NBA Mock Draft:
1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, Duke
Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils dunks the ball towards Houston within the first half in the course of the Ultimate 4 spherical of the lads’s NCAA Basketball Event. (Photograph by Lance King/Getty Photos)
I bought to sit down courtside to name Flagg’s video games at Peach Jam in 2023. He was one of the best defensive participant at the highschool degree that I’ve ever seen in my 15 years of watching highschool and school basketball.
He’s such a novel prospect. A child from Maine who was found within the fourth grade by a random guardian. A junior-high scholar who was at the back of a automotive chowing on pizza for a two-hour experience to AAU observe. A fearless competitor who, in an period pushed by social media, might care much less about it. He lets his recreation do the speaking. Dallas, don’t commerce out. Take this child. He’s generational.
Odds to be No. 1 choose: -100,000
2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Dylan Harper #2 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights drives to the basket towards Michigan. (Photograph by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Photos)
If I had been the Spurs, I might take a powerful commerce provide on this place, but when they find yourself with the 6-foot-6 bucket-getting guard out of Rutgers, I might not thoughts that one bit both. I do know there are questions on Stephon Citadel and De’Aaron Fox and the way a lot this all suits, however depth has been a theme in these NBA playoffs and Harper is in a category of his personal at No. 2 for finest total expertise.
Odds to be No. 2 choose: -4000
3. Philadelphia 76ers: VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
VJ Edgecombe #7 of the Baylor Bears celebrates on the finish of the second half within the first spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event towards Mississippi State. (Photograph by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Photos)
At first, it’s a must to suppose Daryl Morey is doing all he can to get a crew baited right into a commerce to take Ace Bailey out of Rutgers at No. 3. Philadelphia is able to win now with cash locked up with Paul George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. That mentioned, Edgecombe is a tricky guard who averaged 15 PPG, six RPG and three APG within the Massive 12 and was a succesful defender. Sure, he’s a bit undersized, however he performs the sport the appropriate approach and would assist Philadelphia now.
Odds to be No. 3 choose: +130
4. Charlotte Hornets: Ace Bailey, Rutgers
Ace Bailey #4 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights controls the ball in the course of the first half of the sport towards Michigan. (Photograph by Wealthy Graessle/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos)
I don’t see Bailey going previous fourth within the draft as a result of any approach you slice it, his 6-10 body coupled with guard abilities makes him one of the crucial distinctive one-and-done prospects we’ve seen. His offensive prowess is particular when he’s cooking from the perimeter, however shot choice is an actual problem at instances. He additionally has some maturing to do defensively. However, to common 18-and-7 on 46% taking pictures within the Massive Ten as a freshman while you’re the focus of any protection speaks to his skillset.
Odds to be No. 4 choose: +180
5. Utah Jazz: Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners guard Jeremiah Fears (0) goes in for a shot round Georgia ahead Dylan James throughout an opening-round recreation of the SEC Event. (Photograph by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos)
The 18-year-old skipped his senior 12 months of highschool, stepped foot into Norman and helped the Sooners get to the NCAA Event after averaging 17/4/4 per recreation. Utah wants assist, and whereas Fears had some taking pictures and turnover considerations in his lone 12 months of faculty, the quantity of nice issues he did and a willingness to defend with shut to 2 steals per recreation are trigger for me to say he’d be a terrific choose at No. 5.
Odds to be the No. 5 choose: +500
6. Washington Wizards: Tre Johnson, Texas
Tre Johnson #20 of the Texas Longhorns makes an attempt a layup towards the Xavier protection in the course of the first half within the First 4 recreation of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event. (Photograph by Dylan Buell/Getty Photos)
Washington has so many organizational inquiries to ponder between expiring contracts and what precisely they consider Jordan Poole following his breakout 12 months. However this crew was nonetheless twenty ninth within the NBA in taking pictures. They lack offensive firepower, playmaking and taking pictures. Johnson averaged 20 factors per recreation within the SEC whereas taking pictures 40% from downtown. He or Fears needs to be who the Wizards goal.
7. New Orleans Pelicans: Kon Knueppel, Duke
Kon Knueppel #7 of the Duke Blue Devils dribbles the ball towards Arizona in the course of the second half of a recreation in the course of the Candy 16 spherical of the 2025 NCAA Males’s Basketball Event. (Photograph by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Images by way of Getty Photos)
The Pelicans had their worst season within the win column since 2011-12, with Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray and Zion Williamson by no means stepping foot on the ground collectively attributable to accidents. That mentioned, New Orleans has a variety of gamers below contract, and it appears like a crew searching for plug-and-play choices to help their strategy to win now. Knueppel’s shotmaking, really feel for the sport and toughness all soar off the display.
8. Brooklyn Nets: Egor Demin, BYU
Egor Demin #3 of the Brigham Younger Cougars makes an attempt a 3-point basket towards Wisconsin in the course of the first half within the second spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event. (Photograph by Matthew Stockman/Getty Photos)
The Nets maintain 4 of the highest 27 picks on this draft. They’ll intention to start out the evening with a lead playmaker on the perimeter, except they really feel actually strongly about Frenchman Noa Essengue or Duke’s Khaman Maluach. Search for them to take Demin right here, a 6-9 guard who makes use of his dimension and talent to be among the best creators and passers on this draft class. Denim’s taking pictures is of concern, however there’s purpose to consider that it may be developed, and the ball is on a string for him in pick-and-roll conditions.
9. Toronto Raptors: Khaman Maluach, Duke
Khaman Maluach #9 of the Duke Blue Devils blocks the ball in the course of the first half within the Ultimate 4 Recreation of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event. (Photograph by Tyler Schank/NCAA Images by way of Getty Photos)
The Raptors want to spice up their frontcourt past Jakob Poeltl and there are a variety of indicators that time to Maluach, who’s 7-2 with a 7-6 wingspan, being simply the person for the job if he’s out there at choose No. 9. Maluach is an outstanding rim protector who’s unafraid of physicality and possesses athleticism that oozes potential. Whereas his offensive skillset must proceed to develop, his mobility is an enormous power, and it felt like he grew leaps and bounds in that column in his lone 12 months at Duke.
10. Houston Rockets: Cedric Coward, Washington State
Cedric Coward #0 of the Japanese Washington Eagles makes an attempt to dam a shot within the second half towards Northern Arizona. (Photograph by Tommy Martino/College of Montana/Getty Photos)
The most important riser within the 2025 draft class was initially slated to switch to Duke, however the returns from his draft exercises had been so sturdy that the 21-year-old has emerged as a lottery candidate and, on this case, a top-10 choose. Houston wants extra perimeter offense. Coward averaged 18 factors, seven rebounds and 4 assists per recreation this previous 12 months whereas taking pictures 56% from the ground and 40% from 3-point territory. His 6-6 body provides him the power to be a strong two-way participant and any individual who may also help a crew win now. That matches the Rockets, who had been the 2-seed within the West however bought uncovered on offense within the sequence loss to the Warriors.
11. Portland Path Blazers: Carter Bryant, Arizona
12. Chicago Bulls: Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina
13. Atlanta Hawks: Jase Richardson, Michigan State
14. San Antonio Spurs: Derik Queen, Maryland
15. Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder: Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois
16. Orlando Magic: Liam McNeeley, UConn
17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Nique Clifford, Colorado State
18. Washington Wizards: Noa Essengue, Ratiopharm Ulm (Israel)
19. Brooklyn Nets: Nolan Traore, San Quentin
20. Miami Warmth: Thomas Sorber, Georgetown
21. Utah Jazz: Danny Wolf, Michigan
22. Atlanta Hawks: Will Riley, Illinois
23. Indiana Pacers: Asa Newell, Georgia
24. Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder: Ben Saraf, Ratiopharm Ulm (Israel)
25. Orlando Magic: Adou Thiero, Arkansas
26. Brooklyn Nets: Walter Clayton, Florida
27. Brooklyn Nets: Hugo Gonzalez, Actual Madrid
28. Boston Celtics: Joan Beringer, Cedevita Olimpija
29. Phoenix Suns: Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joe’s
30. Los Angeles Clippers: Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
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John Fanta is a nationwide school basketball broadcaster and author for FOX Sports activities. He covers the game in a wide range of capacities, from calling video games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Community to offering commentary on The Area of 68 Media Community. Comply with him at @John_Fanta.
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