Ever since the end of last summer, NBA executives have been buzzing over the fact that the next Draft Class is packed with talent, and is even considered one of the most-gifted generations in decades. Scouts and evaluators are already eyeing the prize in many of this year’s upcoming athletes, according to ESPN insiders.
We are talking about Duke’s Cooper Flagg, or even the Rutgers’ Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, who have garnered most of the attention within the draft context. As reported by Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, NBA clubs can’t wait. “NBA executives tell us they are excited.
“Not only about the star power at the top but also the overall depth, as a number of freshmen have unexpectedly emerged as clear lottery talents, and the international class also appears better than advertised with as many as nine potential first-rounders,” they wrote on their last report.
"This is the best group of prospects I've seen in my 20 years of covering the draft." 📈
—@DraftExpress on Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey and the 2025 NBA draft class 👀 pic.twitter.com/b7Ht1JEyuq
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 4, 2024
In recent times, players like Dereck Lively II, Amen Thompson, Brandon Miller and Cam Whitmore have proved that rookies can have a big impact on the NBA, but Victor Wembanyama is the player that truly embodies this idea, as he has taken the league by storm.
When talking about this upcoming 2025 draft, at this point, failing to win the lottery will clearly become a huge disappointment as Flagg is set to become this year’s No. 1 pick. The Duke rookie is averaging 19.5 points and 7.7 rebounds so far this season.
While earning a selection in the top three will mean they should earn Harper or Bailey, Jonathan Wasserman is another player who has been climbing up the mock drafts in recent weeks. Bleacher Report, for example, has placed him as the second-best player of his class.
Even so, NBA clubs would be lucky to earn any player out of the top 14, as there will be a lot of young talent that could eventually blossom into something special.
