Monday’s NBA Draft Lottery has officially set the top half of June’s Draft. The ping pong balls drew number combinations of course, but also excitement, surprises and conspiracy theories, too.
With six weeks until Adam Silver reads the names of Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper, there’s a lot that can change — looking at you, Giannis — between now and June 25. Nevertheless, the mocks must go on.
2025 NBA Mock Draft
1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg (F, G – Duke)
You may not like it, but it’s real. Just a few months after inexplicably trading Luka Doncic, the Mavericks are set to acquire one of the most highly touted prospects of recent memory in Cooper Flagg. Maybe Nico Harrison was right after all… he wasn’t.
2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper (G – Rutgers)
Dylan Harper isn’t a seamless fit in San Antonio, but having the clear number two prospect fall in your lap is too good to pass on. Having Harper, Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox is an embarrassment of riches for the Spurs.
3. Philadelphia 76ers: Ace Bailey (F – Rutgers)
Like the Mavs and Spurs, Philadelphia has an opportunity to add a top-flight talent to a roster with playoff aspirations. Early signals from the 76ers’ front office suggest that they will make the pick and Ace Bailey provides a ton of scoring juice and upside.
4. Charlotte Hornets: V.J. Edgecombe (G – Baylor)
V.J. Edgecombe gives Charlotte the best athlete in the class and a fun pairing with LaMelo Ball. The Baylor product has a defensive edge that the Hornets have long been without on the perimeter.
5. Utah Jazz: Tre Johnson (G – Texas)
The Jazz are obviously one of the biggest losers of the Lottery, but coming away with Tre Johnson is more than a nice consolation prize. His perimeter scoring is a game-changer for a team looking to finally come away with a true cornerstone prospect.
6. Washington Wizards: Khaman Maluach (C – Duke)
Washington can go in a bunch of different directions here. Maluach just may be the biggest difference maker, though. The 7-foot big man provides instant defensive identity and the intriguing ability for coach Brian Keefe to play Alex Sarr at the four.
7. New Orleans Pelicans: Jeremiah Fears (G – Oklahoma)
New President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars is inheriting one of the most confounding rosters in basketball. The selection of Jeremiah Fears would breathe some fresh life into a Pelicans squad that has a need at point guard next year and in the future.
8. Brooklyn Nets: Derik Queen (C – Maryland)
Similar to Utah, the Nets shouldn’t be picky in who they grab with their first selection. All positions should be on the table. Derik Queen would have to compete with Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe for minutes, sure, but Brooklyn may feel as if every starting spot is up for grabs next year.
9. Toronto Raptors: Kon Knueppel (G, F – Duke)
You can make the argument that the Raptors have a lot of shot creators but not a lot of shooters. Kon Knueppel is the shooter in this class. Toronto made just 34.8% of their three-point attempts last season and Knueppel in an off-ball role would allow for some really fun, well-spaced lineups.
10. Houston Rockets: Kasparas Jakucionis (G – Illinois)
Kasparas Jakucionis was the pick for Houston in last month’s mock and it remains so here. The Rockets have until June 29 to decide whether or not they’ll pick up Fred VanVleet‘s team option, allowing for uncertainty around the PG position, considering the date of the deadline. Perhaps Jakucionis joins Reed Sheppard to create an intriguing young guard duo.
11. Portland Trail Blazers: Collin Murray-Boyles (F – South Carolina)
Portland battled injuries and managed offsetting timelines throughout the regular season and still managed to play .500 basketball from the All-Star break onwards, thanks in large part to solid defense. Keeping with that theme, Collin Murray-Boyles is one of the best defenders in this class and can pair nicely with Donovan Clingan in the frontcourt.
12. Chicago Bulls: Noa Essengue (F – France)
Noa Essengue has the opportunity to be what the Bulls thought Patrick Williams could be. Essengue is incredibly young and possesses great measurables. He’d have the opportunity to start alongside Matas Buzelis next season, as well.
13. Atlanta Hawks: Asa Newell (F – Georgia)
Atlanta has quietly built a nice starting five around Trae Young. With Clint Capela likely headed elsewhere, Asa Newell can be a quality backup big and serve as a roll man when playing with Young.
14. San Antonio Spurs: Rasheer Fleming (F – St. Joseph’s)
Rasheer Fleming’s monstrous 7-foot-5 wingspan was the talk of the measurables portion of this week’s NBA Combine in Chicago. Imagine the defensive possibilities of a lineup with Fleming and Victor Wembanyama.
15. Oklahoma City Thunder: Nique Clifford (F – Colorado State)
Thunder GM Sam Presti has built such a loaded roster of young players that it’s going to be difficult for any rookie to get consistent burn, though Nique Clifford’s experience and versatility should make OKC feel confident in carving out a bench role for him.
16. Orlando Magic: Jase Richardson (G – Michigan State)
It wouldn’t come as a shock to see Orlando trade up for Jase Richardson, but here he falls and Orlando would be elated to scoop him up. Richardson’s ability to play on and off the ball would make life easier for both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Will Riley (F – Illinois)
Minnesota may lose a key bench piece this off-season, and Will Riley would be a great offensive-minded replacement. Riley is a lanky forward with the ability to rise and hit jumpers and also serve as a connective playmaker. Minnesota’s inconsistent half-court offense would benefit from having a player like Riley, who can create his own shot.
18. Washington Wizards: Egor Demin (G – BYU)
Having already selected Maluach, why not add another tall rookie in Egor Demin? If the Wizards feel as if Bub Carrington is more of a combo guard, then there’s a real path to early starting minutes for Demin, who passes as well as any prospect in the class.
19. Brooklyn Nets: Nolan Traore (G – France)
The state of the guard room in Brooklyn is bleak. Selecting Traore gives the Nets a high-upside project with obvious physical tools. Traore needs to grow stronger and become a more consistent shooter along the way in polishing his game.
20. Miami Heat: Carter Bryant (F – Arizona)
It’s becoming increasingly unlikely that Carter Bryant is picked outside of the top 15 despite his lackluster college production. Bryant’s 6-8 frame and efficiency are what teams are most intrigued by and Miami would be lucky to snag the young forward.
21. Utah Jazz: Liam McNeeley (F – UConn)
With Johnson already in the fold, the Jazz completely revamp their group of wings by picking Liam McNeeley here. McNeeley offers competitive intensity and off-ball shooting to a team without much of an identity.
22. Atlanta Hawks: Labaron Philon (G – Alabama)
Atlanta has struggled to add backup guards through the draft as of late, so they try yet again with Alabama’s Labaron Philon. Philon plays much bigger than his slight frame and he has a knack for getting to the cup and finishing with touch. Not to mention his admirable perimeter defense that gives him a safe floor.
23. Indiana Pacers: Thomas Sorber (C – Georgetown)
Thomas Sorber is emerging as a write-in pick here for the Pacers should he make it this far. Thomas Bryant isn’t Indiana’s long-term plan at the backup five, so Sorber makes plenty of sense. The Georgetown product saw his freshman campaign cut short by injury but showcased enough on defense and on the boards to warrant a first-round selection.
24. Oklahoma City Thunder: Danny Wolf (F, C – Michigan)
Danny Wolf could have easily been the pick for OKC at 15. Wolf’s profile as a center-playing-point-guard makes him an intriguing fit for any team, though the Thunder can play him with Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein without losing much of their defensive edge.
25. Orlando Magic: Yaxel Lendeborg (F – UAB)
Funnily enough, a decent play style and physical comparison for Yaxel Lendeborg is Banchero. Lendeborg’s do-it-all mentality can provide Orlando with a tenacious rebounder and sound passer off the bench.
26. Brooklyn Nets: Ben Saraf (G – Israel)
Like April’s mock, Saraf again winds up a Net in the hopes of bolstering the state of the backcourt. Saraf can be a go-to combo guard off the bench and pair nicely with the speedy Traore.
27. Brooklyn Nets: Noah Penda (F – France)
Noah Penda has developed a reputation as a switchable defender for Le Mans Sarthe Basket in France. Question marks start to arise when analyzing his limited offensive game, however.
28. Boston Celtics: Maxime Raynaud (F, C – Stanford)
Major change is coming to Boston this summer and everyone knows it. Kristaps Porzingis may depart, and the same goes for his backup, Luke Kornet. Luckily, Maxime Raynaud falls to the Celtics here and arrives with four years of college experience, in which he opened eyes as a ball handler.
29. Phoenix Suns: Walter Clayton Jr. (G – Florida)
Speaking of incoming major change, here are the Suns at pick 29. Phoenix is without a long-term answer at PG, and they add the sharpshooting Walter Clayton Jr., who wowed during Florida’s National Championship run.
30. Los Angeles Clippers: Joan Beringer (C – France)
Ivica Zubac emerged as a fringe All-Star this season for a surprise Clippers team. That said, man, do they need to give him a capable backup. Mo Bamba, Kai Jones and Ben Simmons are some of the names the Clippers employed to play behind Zubac, and none of them are on the books next year. Joan Beringer is a raw player but a gifted athlete.
