The college basketball season is a month old, which makes it a good time to check in on this season’s talented group of NBA draft prospects. This year’s freshman class came in with high acclaim, but through one month has somehow outproduced even the most optimistic expectations. The injection of young talent into the college game has been exciting to watch, and combine that with a number of promising international prospects plying their trade overseas and you’ve got a 2025 class with plenty of intrigue.
Here’s a look at Sports Illustrated’s top 30 prospects thus far.
1. Cooper Flagg, F, Duke Blue Devils
Flagg has largely lived up to the lofty hype that has followed him since early high school during his first month at Duke, delivering monster performances against the Kentucky Wildcats and Arizona Wildcats and showcasing a versatile skill set. Jon Scheyer has used him as Duke’s primary offensive hub at times, and Flagg has taken to that role well, save some unsightly late-game turnovers. He’s not yet an elite scorer, nor is he likely to enter the NBA immediately ready to be the top option for a team offensively. That said, there’s been little from Flagg’s early-season tape to cause any real concern about his status as an elite prospect and the early leader to go No. 1.
2. Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Hoards of NBA scouts and executives spent Thanksgiving week in Las Vegas where Harper delivered a monster showing that should leave a lasting impression. He dropped 35-plus points on back-to-back nights, shredding the Alabama Crimson Tide and Notre Dame Fighting Irish despite opposing coaches throwing all types of defenders and coverages at him. Harper’s off to a somewhat slow three-point shooting start at Rutgers, but very few, if any, college defenders can consistently keep Harper out of the lane. He looks capable of stepping into an NBA game tomorrow and contributing, and his upside as an explosive primary creator with excellent size is tantalizing.
3. Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Bailey produces more “wow” plays than anyone in this class, thanks to his ability to take and make tough shots as well as his explosive athleticism. After missing Rutgers’s first two games with a minor hip injury, Bailey has averaged nearly 19 points per game in his six appearances. He’s far from a finished product, sometimes falling back on his ability to shoot over defenders as a crutch to avoid getting all the way to the rim and finishing through contact. That said, Bailey’s ceiling, if he puts it all together, is higher than anyone else’s in this class, Flagg included. How he handles the ups and downs of a physical Big Ten season should tell us a lot.
4. Nolan Traoré, G, Saint-Quentin (France)
Traoré isn’t quite as physically gifted as Harper, but he possesses a lot of the same positives as a bigger ballhandler capable of getting to the rim with regularity and setting up others with his floor vision. Traoré has been fairly productive this season despite playing against much older pros, though teams will want to track his decision-making and consistency as they home in on him as a potential top-five pick.
5. Khaman Maluach, C, Duke Blue Devils
Maluach is playing this college season as a raw 18-year-old, but so far has showcased more good than bad against a challenging schedule. It’s hard to emphasize enough just how physically impressive Maluach is in person, standing every bit of the 7' 2" he is listed at with a hawking wingspan and standing reach. Maluach plays hard, looks fairly well-schooled in Duke’s defensive principles and makes a significant impact at the rim on both ends of the floor. Foul trouble has been an issue, and there’s plenty more for him to fix as he adjusts to the speed, size and physicality of the college game. But all told, Maluach looks the part of a long-term NBA starter with the upside for more as he continues to expand his game.
6. Egor Demin, G, BYU Cougars
Demin’s electric first week of the season had some scouts wondering if he could challenge Flagg at the top of the class. That elite level of play hasn’t quite maintained itself, capped by a brutal 0-of-10 showing from the field in his first road game this week against the Providence Friars that was attended by a ton of NBA decision-makers. Demin has elite court vision and the potential to be one of the best pure passers in the NBA in time, but will need to showcase enough on-ball juice and consistency from deep to unlock his upside.
7. Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois Fighting Illini
In some drafts, Jakucionis would be the best passer in the class. He has serious competition this year with the likes of Demin and Harper, but the Lithuanian sensation has been elite in ball screens so far while taking on a high-usage role. Jakucionis plays with an impressive feel for the game, dictating the tempo and getting teammates involved. It has been encouraging to see him attack switches and score effectively in big early-season games against Alabama and the Arkansas Razorbacks, though a combined 11 turnovers in those two games are a bit of an eyesore.
8. Tre Johnson, G, Texas Longhorns
The play of Flagg, Harper and Bailey has somewhat overshadowed Johnson; he’s averaging just under 21 points per game on an efficient 48% from the field and 45% from three. He’s still very much developing as a playmaker for others, but his scoring instincts are very real and should translate well at the next level. The concern is what happens when shots aren’t falling, like they weren’t during Texas’s early-season tournament against the Syracuse Orange and St. Joe’s Hawks. Johnson will need to prove he can add value in other ways to climb draft boards.
9. VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor Bears
Edgecombe has had an uneven start, struggling to score efficiently against high-level competition but producing plenty of highlight plays. While somewhat limited in creating offense for himself, Edgecombe should be able to add value as a slasher with strong defensive chops. And after a 1-of-10 start from three, Edgecombe has settled in nicely from distance, a huge swing skill for him long-term.
10. Kon Knueppel, G, Duke Blue Devils
Our third top-10 Duke prospect, Knueppel has handled a fairly high-usage role as Duke’s No. 2 offensive option well thus far. He possesses clear athletic limitations, but Knueppel has shown he’s more than just a standstill shooter, showcasing his playmaking ability with eight assists against the Kansas Jayhawks in a heavily scouted matchup in Las Vegas during Thanksgiving week. He’s just 4-of-23 from three in Duke’s four big games, but his reputation as a shooter is enough to give him the benefit of the doubt that number should turn around soon.
11. Liam McNeeley, F, UConn Huskies
McNeeley’s shooting and competitiveness drove plenty of preseason hype, and for the most part, he has shown that. He made six threes in three games at the Maui Invitational and has shown the ability to shoot off movement. What he can do other than shoot is the question scouts are trying to answer, and shooting 3-of-13 on twos while in Maui was a bit of a red flag.
12. Ben Saraf, G, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
Saraf built momentum with a monster showing at the FIBA U18 European Championships this summer and has continued his upward trajectory thanks to his scoring savvy and creativity. His game doesn’t always look like that of a quintessential lottery pick, but at some point his productivity becomes impossible to ignore.
13. Will Riley, G, Illinois Fighting Illini
Riley’s wiry frame does create some limitations, but there are few more impressive shotmaking prospects in this class. Riley has been more productive than many would have expected for Illinois, bucking the trend of reclassified freshmen tending to struggle early on. He’ll have to assuage concerns about how he’ll hold up physically over a long season, but he’s too talented not to get lottery consideration.
14. Hugo González, G/F, Real Madrid (Spain)
González has had a hard time securing consistent playing time this season, showcasing the risk of top draft prospects staying at massive clubs surrounded with some of the best players in the Euroleague. His pedigree is enough to keep him in lottery considerations for now, but finding more stable footing in the Madrid rotation would certainly help his case.
15. Adou Thiero, G/F, Arkansas Razorbacks
Thiero has been Arkansas’s best player thus far, showing off much-improved scoring ability to go with his long-impressive defensive chops. The three-point shot is still somewhat shaky, but seeing Thiero’s aggressiveness blossom alongside his defensive versatility and high motor make him a potential riser to keep tracking this season.
16. Asa Newell, F, Georgia Bulldogs
Newell is off to a productive start at Georgia, where he has stepped into a more featured offensive role after being overshadowed by Flagg, McNeeley and others on a loaded Montverde team. He’s not someone who teams will have to draw up many plays for, instead finding ways to be productive with his motor and nose for the ball. Teams will be monitoring how his three-point shot develops after a slow start from distance with the Bulldogs.
17. Drake Powell, G/F, North Carolina Tar Heels
Powell’s physical tools are evident, but he hasn’t always parlayed that into productivity on an old North Carolina team that features multiple ball-dominant guards. His 18 points on 4-of-6 from three against the Michigan State Spartans was a promising performance to build on after making just three threes in his first six college games.
18. Noa Essengue, F, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
Still a few days from his 18th birthday, Essengue has turned heads thanks to his athletic tools and fairly impressive instincts for such a young player. Essengue is a streaky shooter, but his early production with Ratiopharm is a very positive sign.
19. Derrion Reid, G/F, Alabama Crimson Tide
Reid’s statistical impact has been somewhat muted, but he possesses a lot of the characteristics NBA teams are looking for in rotation wings. He’s a high-IQ player and a capable three-point shooter, and he finds himself around the ball far more than you’d expect.
20. Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina Gamecocks
Murray-Boyles has made a jump as a sophomore despite facing tons of defensive attention on a team without many other weapons. His NBA fit is a bit funky as an undersized forward who doesn’t shoot threes yet, but Murray-Boyles is remarkably productive on both ends of the floor and has the touch to eventually stretch the floor.
21. Labaron Philon, G, Alabama Crimson Tide
Philon has worked his way into an essential role in Alabama’s loaded rotation thanks to his playmaking ability and fearlessness. His slender build could create some pause around the NBA, but it’s hard not to buy into his pro future after watching performances like his 18 points on the road at the Purdue Boilermakers or 16 points and nine assists against Illinois in November.
22. Kam Jones, G, Marquette Golden Eagles
Jones is in the college national player of the year discussion after one month, and for good reason. He has taken to the point guard position well, posting 60 assists to just 14 turnovers all while continuing his hyper-efficient scoring exploits. A team in need of immediate backcourt help could target Jones as a young, controllable rotation piece.
23. Motiejus Krivas, C, Arizona Wildcats
Krivas’s expected breakout sophomore season has gotten off to a slow start after an ankle injury hampered him this fall. He hasn’t been helped by the fact that Arizona’s offense has struggled with spacing, especially in the half court. His upside defensively keeps him very much on the first-round radar, but it’d be nice to see him step up as conference play approaches.
24. Alex Karaban, F, UConn Huskies
Karaban seems like a safe choice late in the first round given his elite shooting, IQ and history of winning. The ceiling is fairly low, but it’s not hard to envision him carving out a long career as a floor spacer on winning teams.
25. Derik Queen, F/C, Maryland Terrapins
Queen’s freshman season has been productive thus far, albeit largely against poor competition. His game may be better suited for college than the NBA, but there could be room for him at the next level as a highly skilled, offense-first big man.
26. Rocco Zikarsky, C, Brisbane Bullets (Australia)
Zikarsky is as toolsy a prospect as there is in this class, but the production hasn’t always followed suit. The Australian-born big hasn’t had the second NBL season many had hoped for so far, but there’s still time to right the ship.
27. Joseph Tugler, F, Houston Cougars
Tugler is a unique player, slightly undersized but possessing a monster wingspan and incredibly high motor that makes him a great fit with Kelvin Sampson’s team defensively. His 14% block rate so far this season is nothing short of eye-popping.
28. Boogie Fland, G, Arkansas Razorbacks
Fland has gotten off to a strong start, shooting well over 40% from three and posting around 2.5 assists for every turnover. He’s fairly undersized (6' 2", 175 pounds) for an NBA point guard, but his offensive exploits gives him a decent chance to stick at the next level.
29. Noah Penda, F, Le Mans Sarthe Basket (France)
Penda profiles as an interesting connector wing piece and has had a productive start to the season. He’s a capable three-point shooter, posts impressive steal and block numbers and was one of the best players on the French U20 team that won a European championship this summer.
30. Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma Sooners
Fears is a young freshman who reclassified up from the 2025 high school class to ’24 late, but has played well enough early on to warrant some early draft buzz. He may be better served shooting for a second college season and positioning himself to go higher in ’26. But if he continues to put up the numbers he has so far, he may have a chance to sneak into first-round conversations this June.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBA Draft Big Board: Three Blue Devils in Top 10, Rutgers’ Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey Near Top.
