So admittedly this is truly sick behavior. There’s no two ways around that. For someone who gets paid (and has been paid) exactly $0 to write mock drafts and analyze prospects to have a blog out related to the 2025 Draft in early September is a disease. HOWEVER
This is a significantly more intriguing class than last year, which longtime readers of this blog (a hilarious concept) will of course remember as a class I was categorically not that interested in, nor did I really know how to evaluate. I think there are going to be some real contributors (Sheppard, Castle, even Risacher), but there’s a certain star power (not just the obvious number one) with this class that deserves as much attention as I can give. Just like in years past, I ran a Tankathon.com draft simulator to get the top 14 in order, so without further ado,
#1: Washington Wizards - Cooper Flagg, F, Duke (NCAA)
6’9”, 205lbs, 2006/12/21
‘23/’24 High School Stats (Montverde Academy - FL): 16.5ppg, 7.5rpg, 3.8apg, 1.6spg, 2.7bpg
In the least exciting race for the top spot since checks notes oh yeah, two years ago when that big French guy went to San Antonio, the Wizards are glad to finally end their seemingly endless torture and luck into one of the premier prospects of the past twenty years. After a 2024 draft that potentially left them with more questions than answers (A. Sarr, B. Carrington, etc.), lucking into the Duke wing and Maine product (shout-out New England!) should answer a lot of those. His immediate defensive impact at a hyper-athletic 6’9” will earn him minutes right off the bat, and his increased playmaking in the pick-and-roll combined with his improving jump shooting should make him the premier player in Washington right away. If he lives up to the rumors that his motor and willingness to win exceed any natural talents he has, he could change the trajectory of a franchise desperately in need of just that. He went toe-to-toe with the NBA’s best as a member of the Team USA select team that was used to tune up the Olympic squad this summer, and those videos do much of the talking for him. At his age, anything he did that was remotely positive was going to be adored, and he did stuff that was a lot more impressive than “remotely positive”.
#2: Chicago Bulls - Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers (NCAA)
6’6”, 220lbs, 2006/03/02
‘23/’24 EYBL Stats (New York Rens): 19.5ppg, 6.7rpg, 4.9apg
A lot has happened with relation to the Chicago Bulls (and another team that’s going to make an appearance here shortly!) over this past summer. Many people view this as a two-man race for the first slot, with a player who’s not Dylan Harper being the other one alongside Cooper Flagg. I am going to give last year’s first-round selection, Matas Buzelis, a chance to show that he can be the lanky, shot-creating young player of the future in Chicago. Alongside Buzelis and returnees like Zach Lavine and Patrick Williams, securing a guard position alongside some combination of Josh Giddey, Ayo Dosunmu, and Coby White feels like a good choice. You could make the argument that with those three and the MAYBE returning Lonzo Ball, the Bulls are guard-heavy, but I would make the argument that between those four players, there’s maybe a combined two guards’ worth of basketball for a whole season. Even if they’re all okay (or in Lonzo’s case, on the court), the son of Bulls great Ron Harper seems like a sure enough thing that one or two of them could become a high-value trade piece (Zach Lavine's departure, anyone?). Harper will be able to step right in as a primary play initiator and defensive stopper. I also think that whatever guard he’s matched up alongside of the four I previously mentioned, he would fit well with. He’s a playmaker and a stopper, and without having overwhelming athleticism, he’s able to score on three levels.
#3: Charlotte Hornets - Nolan Traore, G, Saint Quentin (FRA)
6’3”, 175lbs, 2006/05/28
‘23/’24 Euro U18 Tournament Stats (7 Games): 14.0ppg, 3.6rpg, 9.3apg, 2spg, 50%FG
A strong argument could be made that the remaining players that will go in at least the top ten (can you IMAGINE if the Hornets fall outside the top ten?), are either a “LaMelo replacement” or a “Brandon Miller replacement”, and since Miller is the more recent add, and seems to be able to stay on the court longer, a backup for LaMelo seems like the more appropriate selection for the Hornets. Traore has made himself known as one of the better lead guards in the class, and one of the premier “traditional” point guard prospects in a few years. Immediately, his frame doesn’t make you super excited, but he’s got a great first step and good foot speed in the open floor. For someone of his size, he seemingly has no issue getting to his spots in transition or in a half-court set, which makes you think that he may be a real two-way and scoring threat, even at the approximate size of the guy writing this blog (where did I go so wrong?). He’s an exceptional ball-handler and has a very natural playmaking feel to his game and seems to be very comfortable in that role already. On defense, he will certainly be limited by his size, but he’s gutsy and has good hands, so it will be interesting to follow reports of his wingspan and see if he has anything +3 or more.
#4: Sacramento Kings - Airous “Ace” Bailey, F, Rutgers (NCAA)
6’9”, 200lbs, 2006/08/13
‘23/’24 High School Stats (McEachern HS - GA): 32.5ppg, 15.5rpg, 3.5apg, 2.4bpg
I laughed out loud looking up Ace’s stats for this. Public school basketball is so funny. That being said, I believe their schedule included either seven or nine nationally ranked opponents. I’ve alluded to both him and the Kings a couple of times already, with the Kings making a big splash in landing Demar DeRozan this offseason. Bailey is pushing 6’10”, another in the mold of the Paul George/Brandon Miller modern wing scorer. With his development years spent playing… different opponents than someone who attended a national prep powerhouse their whole high school career, he’s developed some shot tendencies that are occasionally as hilarious as the stats they accompany. But the talent is undeniable. You can only speculate about what he’d have done if he had been in the same position, but many people held him and Cooper Flagg in similar regard, coming out of high school and leading up to the Team USA selection for Flagg. If Bailey can sure up his shot selection alongside Dylan Harper at Rutgers, and not get baited into becoming a chucker against lesser opponents, he’s going to be a real offensive issue in the NBA. At this point, he’s not really a plus defender, but he could end up being so good on the other side that it doesn’t matter. If he can tap into a little bit of the creation and playmaking potential that he flashed in high school, and make use of his frame on the glass, he could be making a play for the #2 or even #1 slot throughout the college season.
#5: Brooklyn Nets - VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor (NCAA)
6’5”, 180lbs, 2005/07/30
‘24 Olympic Stats (Bahamas) [4 Games]: 16.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 3.8apg, 2.0spg, 57.1%FG
Okay, so after watching the VJ Olympic highlights and running this draft sim, I decided to make my official “fun” pick of this mock draft (this version anyway). Last year, I dreamt of pairing Stephon Castle with the Houston Rockets and the high-flying fun that would have been, and I mean, I still got a good consolation prize. The state of the Nets is messy, and they had the best odds to land the first overall pick and by extension, Cooper Flagg. If that’s not going to happen, let’s pair another offensive firecracker up with Cam Thomas on the wing and have some fun. Edgecombe has a lot going for him already as displayed in the Olympics, with his playmaking for others appearing as having taken the biggest step already. He’s not the biggest, but he’s freaky athletic, and lean. I saw someone compare his body type to Shaedon Sharpe of the Trail Blazers and I think that’s a good one. He also has significant potential on the defensive side of the ball, and his athleticism will only lend itself to that. The Nets certainly don’t have a lot of ball-stoppers in their rotation at the moment (2024-25 Dennis Schroeder, anyone?), so if he decided to pour effort into that side of the ball, he could earn even more minutes early on. He’ll likely fill the same role as Jakobe Walter did last year for the Bears, so it will be interesting to juxtapose Edgecombe’s freshman season in Waco with Walter’s in Toronto for the Raptors.
#6: Detroit Pistons - Tre Johnson, G, Texas (NCAA)
6’6”, 185lbs, 2006/03/07
‘23/’24 High School Stats (Link Academy - MO): 15.9ppg, 3.5rpg, 3.2apg, 39.1%3FG
Based on some of the boards that have been made by fellow draft sickos, this is the first selection that could loosely be defined as a “reach”. I am going to do my damndest to be a better General Manager than whatever current pariah they have in that fateful chair (please don’t hurt Trajan Langdon, he’s a good guy). Cade is your guy in Detroit. I know you know that, but he’s the one. No problem with you keeping those two big guys. I really like Jalen Duren and I think IF you decided you wanted to move on from Isaiah Stewart, he could be worth a fair amount. What you get with Johnson is what I feel you desperately need, which is a lights-out shooter from anywhere on the floor. I think you’re sitting on some legit wing talent. Ron Holland, Ausar Thompson, and Jaden Ivey are sure all NBA players, and I think if any of these guys started to show star promise, others could be packaged for “win-now talent” (see: the Chicago Bulls situation from earlier, just a different position). Johnson also has a reported 7’0” wingspan, which is very attractive, as most people don’t associate people with exceptional wingspans with great shooting. Athletically, he’s one of those guys they call “smooth” instead of “explosive”, but I think for the role he’s going to fill in the league, that’s not an issue. He’s going to need to figure out his second marketable skill to NBA GM’s because he’s more or less answered most questions about his scoring already. Whether that’s defense or playmaking for others (one of those feels more likely than the other), as soon as he figures it out, he’s going to cement himself in the top ten.
#7: Utah Jazz - Hugo Gonzalez Pena, F/G, Real Madrid (ESP)
6’6”, 207lbs, 2006/02/05
‘22/’23 Adidas Next Gen Tournament Stats (Real Madrid) [4 Games]: 17.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 3.8apg, 3.25spg, 2bpg
A certain Real Madrid alum who stands a little over 6’6” himself and currently plays for the Dallas Mavericks is going to make many eyes go to Gonzalez Pena, a member of the organization since he was nine(!!) years old. He’s exceedingly solid all around and is well-built to play the 1-3 in the NBA. He likely won’t be a primary initiator too early on, but he’s shown flashes of secondary playmaking potential that’s very enticing. At this point, his three-point shooting isn’t anything to write home about, which is a little bit weird if for no other reason than he’s a good free-throw shooter (80% in the mentioned tournament vs 25%3P) and his mechanics look good as well. Beyond that, there’s a lot to like. He’s strong and knows how to use his frame to get to his spots without an excessive amount of extra movement. His size and the fact that he’s on tape having defended up and down a position make you excited about his two-way potential in the NBA. I think the only thing that could keep him out of top-five conversations is the fact that without a super reliable outside jump shot, there might be a question of what his role could be in the NBA, especially since he’s not a primary play initiator at this point either.
#8: Portland Trail Blazers - Drake Powell, G/F, North Carolina (NCAA)
6’6”, 195lbs, 2005/09/08
‘23/’24 High School Stats (Northwood HS - NC): 17.7ppg, 7.9rpg, 4.5apg, 2.2spg, 1.2bpg
Another team that fell short of the slot that the current lottery odds are giving them, the Blazers can take a swing at a unique guard/wing prospect who could be a fun addition to their current squad. There’s a bit of purgatory that they find themselves in, however, where they’re beginning to find themselves caught between eras. Damian Lillard is gone, and it’s becoming more and more accepted that one of Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simons will also be gone this year (likely JG if you ask me). The three-headed trio of Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Donovan Clingan is sure nice looking on paper, so if Joe Cronin and Co. know they’re not going to be in title contention, I’m of the belief that they could and even should sell off some pieces. Should the odds land them with Powell, they’ll get a super tenacious defender and a very good athlete. He’s equally troublesome on and off the ball for opposing offensive players, and his willingness to do whatever it takes to win makes him a threat on the glass for a wing as well. Some seem to think his ceiling as a pro could be limited by his consistency as a three-point shooter or the fact that he may not be a lead guard, but I think he’s not dissimilar to Hugo Gonzalez Pena in that there’s a lot to like without some of the traits traditionally thought of as “must-haves”. One thing to keep an eye on is how Powell cracks the rotation at UNC because there’s a combination of returnees (R.J. Davis, Eliot Cadeau) and fellow freshmen (Ian Jackson, notably) in the guard/wing slots.
#9: Toronto Raptors - Khaman Maluach, C, Duke (NCAA)
7’2”, 250lbs, 2006/09/14
‘24 BAL Stats (City Oilers) [6 Games]: 18.2ppg, 13.5rpg, 2.8bpg, 60.3%FG
The first of two true bigs that most analysts have as securely going in the lottery is Maluach, physically imposing by any metric and showing flashes of seriously tantalizing skill. There’s so much to like based purely on the eye test, and then you see his defensive instincts, shot-blocking, switching onto guards, and how seemingly easy that side of the ball is for him and the vision becomes more clear. THEN, you see him splash a couple of threes and you’re like “Surely that can’t be, can it?”. That’s not a REAL part of his game at this point, but he’s certainly not afraid to shoot jump shots as a part of his game. There’s no denying that Maluach is very raw still, but the floor is high enough that the ceiling is a little bit ridiculous. He’ll get a chance to play at Duke alongside Cooper Flagg and some other guys that will go in the first round of this draft, and depending on how his offensive game develops and how he learns to read the game and make decisions based on more than his athleticism and physicality, he could be in top-five conversations very easily. Toronto is notably thin up front (sorry to Celtics Legend Kelly Olynyk) and having someone defensively oriented like Maluach is next to Scottie Barnes and other bruisers like Davion Mitchell and Bruce Brown (Vermont Academy Legend) off the bench, and a gritty team identity can begin to emerge.
#10: San Antonio Spurs - Liam McNeeley, F, Connecticut (NCAA)
6’8”, 185lbs, 2005/10/10
‘23/’24 High School Stats (Montverde Academy - FL): 12.5ppg, 3.8rpg, 2.8apg, 1spg, 40%<3FG
Rounding out the top ten is McNeeley, who I’m NOT going to call a token member of this group because holy cow can he shoot the basketball. The future Connecticut Husky (and former Indiana commit) has nearly as good of a chance as his former high school teammate Cooper Flagg to make an impact on day one of his rookie season. He’s a high-IQ cutter and is able to shoot in multiple situations, and he’s a more competent creator than some would guess a player so easily pigeonholed into one task would be. He’ll obviously enter the league at a much younger age (probably, I guess) than this comparison, but the idea of a wing who’s such a good shooter that it covers the fact that he’s just fine putting the ball on the deck reminds me a lot of former Tennessee Volunteer and current Laker Dalton Knecht. He’s not much of a creator for others, but he’s capable of being one, and I don’t anticipate him being called upon to fill that role as a wing early in his career. He’s a solid defender, no doubt, but he’s pretty slender for his height and reportedly has a wingspan at or near his 6’8” height, so there’s only so much he will be able to do in terms of getting put on islands and getting shot over. If he’s able to toss on fifteen-ish pounds and use his physicality to impact guys getting to their offensive spots, he could become a valuable two-way wing. The fit around Wemby feels obvious, he’s going to draw an ungodly amount of defensive attention for the rest of his hopefully long career, so McNeeley could make a good bit of money trailing the play and shooting a ton of threes.
#11: San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta Hawks) - Asa Newell, F/C, Georgia (NCAA)
6’10”, 205lbs, 2005/10/05
‘23/’24 High School Stats (Montverde Academy - FL): 11.4ppg, 6.1rpg, 1.2apg, 0.8bpg
Alright, I lied, one more “fun” pick (that I think works so write your own mock if you don’t like it). Since the Spurs found themselves with back-to-back picks thanks to the Dejounte Murray trade (isn’t that insane?), I thought it would be appropriate to pair up two high school teammates in the NBA. Newell is a high-motor, super athletic power forward who has the look of someone who could gain muscle as he gets older and be able to just sort of dominate people with his size. He is a very strong offensive rebounder, taking bumps to get in and try to clean up teammates’ missed shots or mistakes. He’s showing flashes of a shooting touch which is notable if for no other reason than he’s left-handed, but it’s really just in catch-and-shoot situations that he’s found himself knocking down some of those shots. The fluidity and speed for his size are the biggest selling points at this juncture in his career, and in having a (likely) large role at Georgia, it will be interesting to see how he maximizes his time there. There seem to be equal agreements from those who follow the process that if Newell becomes a more-than-reliable shooter or fills out significantly and becomes a defensive menace, he could be another player with significant potential to rise up boards. In San Antonio, he’ll provide more length and athleticism around VIctor Wembanyama and another lob threat for Stephon Castle and Chris Paul.
#12: Oklahoma City Thunder (via Houston Rockets) - Egor Demin - F/G, BYU (NCAA)
6’9”, 190lbs, 2006/03/03
‘23/’24 U18 Stats (Real Madrid 2): 13.0ppg, 5.1rpg, 4.3apg, 2.2spg, 57.1%FG
What Luka Doncic did to scouting departments when juxtaposed against Marvin Bagley III after their respective careers developed must be studied. Another Real Madrid alum and jumbo-sized creator, Demin is going to be one of the more intriguing prospects to follow, as he’ll likely have the keys to the BYU offense, and Kevin Young (coach) is known to be an exceptional developmental instructor. Another player lacking a truly consistent outside shot, his has shown a lot of promise in terms of improvement, so if he can figure out a way to make that a regular part of his offensive game, he’s going to be someone who is going to be a three-level scoring threat with advanced creation ability for his teammates at 6’9”. That’s a heck of a player. He won’t blow you away with his athleticism (another guy who’s “smooth” not “explosive”) but he’s long enough that he can be pesky defending multiple positions. This does truly seem to be the year of the “combo guard/wing” as Demin is another player who may suffer because of a perceived lack of role in the NBA, but I think that’s also an easy cop-out to say early in the season. Realistically, Demin, Drake Powell, Hugo Gonzalez Pena, and VJ Edgecombe are going to be wildly different players both in college (where applicable) and in the league. In OKC, this is truly just an unfair fit. If you know anything about that roster, a player of Demin’s nature would be exceedingly welcome in the midst of Jalen Williams, SGA, Chet Holmgren, and Lu Dort.
#13: LA Clippers - Rocco Zikarsky - C, Brisbane Bullets (NBL)
7’3”, 227lbs, 2006/07/10
‘22/’23 U17 WC Stats (Australia) [7 Games]: 13.6ppg, 9.3rpg, 3.1bpg, 67.9%FG
It’s tempting to just redux a lot of what I said about Donovan Clingan last year when talking about Zikarsky, but I’m going to do my best to keep it unique. One thing that does differ is the fact that Zikarsky is going to join the Clippers with professional experience already, which in a post-Paul George world with a lot of uncertainty could be very useful. He’s physically immense and knows how to use that size as a lob threat, screen setter, and paint protector. He’s shown very brief flashes of being a guy who can score further than 6-8 feet from the basket, but at this point, he’s not really a factor outside the paint on offense (I’m doing a terrible job not just writing my Clingan report again). He’s also going to need to become a little bit more mobile to fully acclimate to the NBA’s pace and style of play, but it’s hard to deny that a guy like Zikarsky is going to make an impact on day one due to nothing else beyond his rim protecting. Comparing him to Clingan, Zach Edey, or Walker Kessler may feel reductive, but Kessler’s career is off to a great start, and the previous two showed great signs during their NBA Summer League appearances.
#14: New Orleans Pelicans - Will Riley - G/F, Illinois (NCAA)
6’8”, 180lbs, 2006/02/10
‘23/’24 High School Stats (The Phelps School - PA): 26.5ppg, 6.0rpg, 4.1apg
This is a pick that I’ll label of the “insurance” variety. The Brandon Ingram experiment in New Orleans seems to be waning, with everything from workout holdouts to social media shading of the Pelicans from their famously laid back star. As a fan of both Ingram and to some extent the Pelicans, this does make me sad to see, but in defense, the Zion/Ingram/Lonzo/CJ thing hasn’t really shown any real results. If the Pelicans decide to move on from their premier wing, they would be wise to demand much in return so as to not bottom out on the Anthony Davis trade. What Illinois freshman (and Canadian native) Riley is going to bring is similar levels of “plug-and-play” offense and leadership. Depending on how effective he is both as a jump shooter and a creator for others during his campaign in the Big Ten, and depending on the truth to the rumors that he could still be growing at 6’8”, we could be talking about someone who can play 1-4 and bring the ball up as a play initiator, with the prospect of someone who could develop into a versatile defender or three-point threat. It could be a situation where the Pelicans target someone who can be a more traditional point guard, and move on from CJ McCollum as well, but this feels like the likely first two dominoes to fall.
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