The lasting image of Cooper Flagg is a crushing one: riding on the back of a golf cart, a blank stare, his mind undoubtedly revisiting the foul-line jumper in the closing seconds of the Final Four semifinals that came up just short. Soon that will be replaced by a fresh image: a smiling Flagg walking onto a stage as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
Across the league, team executives are in agreement: This is one of the deepest drafts in years. Flagg is a consensus No. 1, a springy forward with unlimited potential. But he may not be the only franchise player in the draft. Rutgers will send a pair of highly touted prospects in what is one of the strongest pools of American-based talent in years.
A lot will change in the coming months. There’s the draft combine in mid-May, individual workouts and probably a few trades. Even the running order will likely shake up on lottery night. Until then, here’s Sports Illustrated’s first crack at a running order in June. It’s mock draft, version 1.0.
1. Utah Jazz
Cooper Flagg, F, Duke
The Jazz get the cornerstone star they have been looking for. Flagg has been cemented as the top overall pick for months. Scouts love his defensive potential—he’s a tremendous weakside shot blocker with the quickness to defend several positions—while his offense should develop quickly playing alongside NBA playmakers. His three-point shot was uneven during the regular season, but he shot 50% from deep during the NCAA tournament and there’s a strong belief he will be reliable there at the next level. He’s close to can’t miss.
2. Washington Wizards
Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers
A big (6'6") left-handed combo guard with a knack for getting to the rim? There’s definitely a little James Harden in Harper, who has the DNA (he’s the son of ex-NBA guard Ron Harper) and the skill set to be a star. Harper has excellent handles, a quick burst and great body control when he gets near the rim. His three-point shot wasn’t great (33.3%), but it’s not broken, either. I’d take Flagg first overall, but for the guard-starved Wizards, Harper is more than just a consolation prize.
3. Charlotte Hornets
Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
It’s not exactly the Thompson brothers going back-to-back, but Rutgers’s two stars appear early to be a lock to land in the top three. Bailey is a big-time shotmaker. Squint and you can see Michael Porter Jr. Squint harder—O.K., real hard—and you can see Kevin Durant. He’s a three-level scorer with a quick release and explosiveness around the rim. A LaMelo Ball/Brandon Miller/Bailey trio has the potential to put up a lot of points in Charlotte.
4. New Orleans Pelicans
Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois
There’s a little Ricky Rubio in Jakucionis, a tall (6'6"), flashy playmaker with tremendous court vision. Turnovers are a problem; Jakucionis averaged 3.7 for the season and committed six per game in the NCAA tournament. He will need to be reined in some at the next level, but you can’t teach his instincts. The Pelicans, who could move on from CJ McCollum and will be without Dejounte Murray for a chunk of next season, need a lead guard. Jakucionis is it.
5. Philadelphia 76ers
VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor
Edgecombe is an NBA-ready athlete, able to score off the dribble and through traffic. His three-point shot is a little shaky—it started bad, got better and then fell off again in the NCAA tournament—but scouts I’ve talked to have expressed confidence he will be efficient at the next level. The Victor Oladipo comps are reasonable; Oladipo was more advanced coming out of Indiana, but he was an aggressive, above-the-rim guard with a knack for playing the passing lanes, like Edgecombe. Philadelphia could trade this pick—not sure how much a teenager helps a team with a closing contending window—but if not, Edgecombe makes sense.
6. Brooklyn Nets
Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina
I’m probably more bullish on Murray-Boyles than most. He is a big-time defender, a sturdy, 6'7" wing with a 7-foot-plus wingspan and the quickness to defend on the perimeter. South Carolina ran a lot of stuff through Murray-Boyles last season and he responded by bumping his scoring average six points while keeping his field goal percentage in the high 50s. He’s a load in the post with a Julius Randle–like bag. Can he become a reliable shooter? That’s the question. He can do most everything else.
7. Toronto Raptors
Derik Queen, F, Maryland
Hot-ish take: There’s more variance with Queen than any projected top-10 pick. There’s a lot to like about Queen, a mobile, soft-handed 6'10" big who can create off the dribble and rebound in traffic. But he’s a limited athlete and a poor shooter (53% from the floor/20% from three) with a slow release. Best case, Queen’s shooting comes along and he develops into an All-Star who can play both front court slots. Worst case, he’s a defensive liability whose offense never expands enough to keep him on the floor. It’s a risk the Raptors, who need some size up front, may deem worth taking.
8. San Antonio Spurs
Tre Johnson, G, Texas
The Spurs need shooting. And more shooting. And more shooting. Frankly you can’t have enough shooters around Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox. Enter Johnson, a near 40% three-point shooter last season who runs off screens like an NBA veteran and has a knack for relocating to the right spots off the ball. I’ve heard some uncertainty about his defense, and he tends to settle for jumpers a little too much. But he’s arguably the best pure shooter in the draft.
9. Houston Rockets (via Phoenix)
Kon Knueppel, F, Duke
High-volume, 41% three-point shooters will attract a lot of NBA attention. Knueppel thrived playing opposite Flagg, eating up spot-up three-point opportunities. He’s got a sturdy frame and a lot of potential as a screener in pick-and-pop situations. He isn’t great off the dribble and will need to work on that Sam Hauser–esque ability to drift into open space.
10. Portland Trail Blazers
Noa Essengue, F, France
I like Essengue. He’s a long, fluid-moving forward, who could fill a need for a team in need of exactly that kind of player. There’s shades of a young Giannis Antetokounmpo to his game. He moves without the ball well and is a terror with it in the open floor. Skeptics will point to his jumper (he didn’t crack 30% from three in either of the last two seasons) but repetitions there will help. And I can’t help but wonder what a few years in an NBA weight room will do for his lanky physique. I think he’s a potential steal.
11. Chicago Bulls
Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
What a story Maluach is. Refugee, picked up basketball at 13, honed his skills at the NBA Academy Africa, earned a role with the upstart South Sudan basketball team before heading to Duke, where he emerged last season as one of college basketball’s top rim protectors. At 7' 2" with an enormous wingspan, Maluach’s defensive potential is obviously high and whoever drafts him will hope his soft touch (he was a 77% free throw shooter last season) will translate to a perimeter game. He’s a project, but for the Bulls, one who could pay off down the line.
12. Miami Heat
Jeremiah Fears, PG, Oklahoma
There is enormous upside in Fears, one of the youngest players in college basketball last season. The raw talent is there; in transition, where Fears excelled, in the pick-and-roll, an NBA bread-and-butter play that Fears has potential to thrive in. There’s plenty of inconsistency—his three-point shot was erratic and he coughed it up 3.4 times per game last season—but in a strong player development program like Miami he could be a starter in two to three years.
13. Dallas Mavericks
Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State
A strong second half pushed Richardson into the lottery. Richardson shined when the lights were brightest: 18 points against Michigan, 21 against Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament, 20 against Ole Miss in the Sweet 16. He’s a 41% three-point shooter who can score off the dribble and around screens. He doesn’t have great size (6'3"), but he makes up for it with effort. Good fit for Dallas, which will be looking for shooters to open the floor up for Anthony Davis.
14. Atlanta Hawks (via Sacramento)
Egor Demin, G, BYU
Will the Hawks continue building around Trae Young? That’s a decision Hawks general manager Landry Fields and his staff will have to make this summer. If they do, Demin, a dynamic playmaker, could be a solid investment. Demin’s ballhandling skills are elite. He averaged 5.5 assists in 27.5 minutes per game, whipping passes like an NBA veteran. His shooting needs a lot of work, but 6'9" playmakers—you read that right—don’t come along every year. Demin oozes potential.
15. San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta)
Thomas Sorber, F/C, Georgetown
Sorber came out of nowhere to emerge as a legit NBA prospect before a foot injury ended his season in February. Sorber is a throwback big, more comfortable with his back to the basket than on the perimeter. He’s an excellent screener who seems to love contact and showed flashes of solid playmaking skills. The Spurs will need a big to take some of the physical burden off of Wembanyama. Sorber has the potential to be just that kind of guy.
16. Orlando Magic
Nolan Traoré, G, France
Orlando’s offense has been terrible this season. Its pace has been worse. Traoré is fast. He’s elite in transition and gets downhill in the half court quickly, with a change of gears burst that leaves defenders in the dust. He’s not especially athletic and his defense is, um, bad. But the Magic, which badly needs an injection of something to an offense that has not matched its defense in recent seasons, may be inclined to bet on his playmaking potential.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit)
Liam McNeeley, G/F, UConn
There’s a lot to like about McNeeley. He’s strong with good body control, comfortable coming off screens or playing in the post. He moves extremely well, almost always relocating to the right spots. McNeeley’s three-point shot fell off a cliff in the postseason (1-of-8 in the Big East tournament, 3-of-16 in the NCAAs), but he projects to be a solid NBA shooter. McNeeley, eventually, could play a Kyle Anderson–like role in Minnesota, thriving off of Anthony Edwards.
18. Brooklyn Nets (via Milwaukee)
Will Riley, F, Illinois
The old axiom “feel for the game” seems to apply to Riley, who moves well, has a nice bag of moves in isolation and is fearless under pressure. He can get overly aggressive offensively but he moves off the ball well and plays with a noticeable confidence. He’ll need a couple of years with NBA strength coaches to get his body right, but if he does, there’s a starting-caliber wing in there.
19. Utah Jazz (via Minnesota)
Danny Wolf, C, Michigan
A 7-footer with three-point range is going to attract a lot of attention, and Wolf has emerged as a star at Michigan after spending the previous two seasons at Yale. Wolf is a surprisingly slick shot creator, with moves off the dribble and a nice step back. Can he stay on the floor defensively? That will determine Wolf’s NBA impact.
20. Orlando Magic (via Denver)
Asa Newell, C, Georgia
Newell reminds me a little of Utah center Walker Kessler. He floats around the rim, has good hands, keeps the ball high on the catch and is a solid rebounder/rim protector. He showed decent post-up skills at Georgia, and while the three-point accuracy wasn’t there (29.2%), the shot looks pretty smooth. Newell could eventually be a nice piece to fill out the Magic frontcourt.
21. Miami Heat (via Golden State)
Nique Clifford, G, Colorado State
In 2023, Miami hit on Jaime Jaquez Jr., a skilled wing who slipped (in part) due to his advanced age. Clifford could fall for similar reasons. He shot 37.7% from three last season, shooting around five per game. He’s a good passer, can play in the pick-and-roll and has the size and footwork to defend multiple positions. He racked up 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the second round of the tournament against Maryland, giving a swath of scouts a glimpse of what he can do. At 23, some teams will take Clifford off their board. Miami should not.
22. Washington Wizards (via Memphis)
Carter Bryant, F, Arizona
Bryant is a potential sleeper. He’s a prototypical three-and-D wing whose offense will develop as he does. He averaged 19 minutes per game at Arizona, so there’s a good chance he climbs the board in the coming months. But if he’s there, Washington should take him.
23. Oklahoma City Thunder (via L.A. Clippers)
Joan Beringer, C, France
I have my doubts about whether Oklahoma City will keep this pick—the Thunder really don’t need another teenager, not with a roster loaded with young talent and 2024 lottery pick Nikola Topic set to play next season—but let’s plug Beringer in here for now. Beringer is a long, mobile big with the kind of versatile defensive potential the Thunder like. He’s raw, having reportedly just started playing three years ago. Perhaps OKC could work something out where Beringer stays overseas for a year or two before coming over.
24. Atlanta Hawks (via L.A. Lakers)
Labaron Philon, G, Alabama
Philon has some polished moves for a freshman. He’s an excellent ballhandler who accelerates quickly and exhibits good body control in the paint, where he has shown he can score in a variety of ways. His three-point shot tailed off at Bama—he shot 31.5%, down from 42% in his last high school season—but the potential for a starting-level point guard is there.
25. Indiana Pacers
Ben Saraf, G, Germany
Saraf has a classic European game. He’s quick—and creative—off the dribble and has a wide variety of finishes in the paint. There’s not a ton of athleticism and his shot has been shaky. But he can play both guard spots and his footwork is excellent. He could develop into a nice fit in Indiana’s backcourt rotation.
26. Brooklyn Nets (via New York)
Hugo González, G/F, Spain
Teams that talk about González often cite his defensive potential. He’s a good athlete who moves his feet well and competes on every possession. Offensively, González is a work in progress. He’s good in the open floor and will attack the rim. But he hasn’t developed any consistency anywhere else. Still, versatile defenders are worth taking a flyer on.
27. Brooklyn Nets (via Houston)
Tahaad Pettiford, G, Auburn
After a disastrous SEC tournament, Pettiford picked it up in the NCAAs, posting strong numbers in the regional bracket. He struggled in the Final Four against Florida, but scouts I talked to remain impressed with his shooting and playmaking potential. There’s some leeriness about his size—Pettiford is listed at 6'1"—which will undoubtedly scare some teams off. The Nets, who need talent everywhere, could take a bet on him.
28. Boston Celtics
Walter Clayton Jr., G, Florida
In the midst of Florida’s championship celebration, ex-Gator (and current Celtic) Al Horford suggested Clayton could be his teammate next season. That was notable for two reasons: Horford, 38, unintentionally confirmed he plans to play next season and, hey, did he know something? Probably not on the latter, but for a Boston team that may need to pare payroll in its backcourt, the 22-year-old Clayton makes sense. He’s a mature, shotmaking guard who should be able to defend two positions. Exactly what the Celtics need.
29. Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland)
Rasheer Fleming, F, Saint Joseph’s
Fleming made strong strides in his three years at St. Joe’s, improving his shooting percentages (42.7% from the field, 29.7% from three as a freshman to 53% and 39%, respectively, last season) and developing into an excellent weakside defender. He’s not much of a shot creator, but his three-and-D potential will make him tough to overlook in the first round.
30. L.A. Clippers (via Oklahoma City)
Johni Broome, F, Auburn
Clifford, Clayton, Broome. Years ago teams shied away from “old” talent. In today’s NBA, where winning teams are desperate to avoid the second apron, more developed talent has value. Broome, who Charles Barkley dubbed the best player in Auburn basketball history, shined as a defender, playmaker and paint scorer throughout his five-year college career. If an NBA team can unlock his jump shot, he’s a decade-long starter … or more.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2025 NBA Mock Draft: How the First Round Projects After NCAA Tournament.
