The NBA Draft early withdrawal deadline on May 30th has shaken up this year’s player pool. Potential first-round picks Miles Byrd, Alex Condon, Yaxel Lendeborg, Tahaad Pettiford and Labaron Philon headline the long list of those who have opted to return to school. Players who were heavily projected to go in the first round withdrawing just weeks away from the draft is unprecedented. We have entered a new age for both the NBA and college ranks. After the latest withdrawals, a new 2025 NBA mock draft was due.
2025 NBA Mock Draft
1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg (F, G – Duke)
No changes here. Cooper Flagg will be a Dallas Maverick come June 25th.
2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper (G – Rutgers)
There’s been a small amount of noise surrounding San Antonio and this pick — Giannis Antetokounmpo trades aside. Maybe there’s some real truth to the Spurs trading down, but it doesn’t seem likely. Dylan Harper isn’t an ideal fit here, but he is the best player on the board.
3. Philadelphia 76ers: Ace Bailey (F – Rutgers)
This is a pick where the noise and speculation are legit. Philadelphia general manager Daryl Morey has brushed aside any notion that this pick will be traded for a star. I choose to believe him. Ace Bailey is far from a perfect prospect, but he represents a team fit and an exciting project for the 76ers.
4. Charlotte Hornets: VJ Edgecombe (G – Baylor)
The Hornets can add VJ Edgecombe to their starting lineup seamlessly. He provides a much-needed injection of perimeter defense and motor to a Charlotte squad trying to find its way.
5. Utah Jazz: Tre Johnson (G – Texas)
Utah possesses two young guards in Isaiah Collier and Keyonte George, who could very well be key parts of the team’s future. However, neither was as strong a prospect as Tre Johnson is. Johnson, a talented scorer with some respectable playmaking flashes, can help form a very promising guard trio in Utah.
6. Washington Wizards: Jeremiah Fears (G – Oklahoma)
The Wizards have an abundance of young players who can play multiple positions. Which isn’t a bad thing, but it does present some questions about the long-term construction of the roster. Jeremiah Fears gives Washington clarity and their future lead guard.
7. New Orleans Pelicans: Kon Knueppel (G, F – Duke)
New Orleans can patiently wait for the draft to come to them and pounce on the best player available. Kon Knueppel would provide connective off-ball play to the Pelicans while fitting in nicely with their other young players.
8. Brooklyn Nets: Derik Queen (C – Maryland)
The Nets need help from top to bottom. Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks should target the player with the highest ceiling at pick eight. Derik Queen offers a rare blend of size and ball-handling, perhaps allowing Brooklyn to slot him next to Nic Claxton.
9. Toronto Raptors: Khaman Maluach (C – Duke)
Khaman Maluach may not be quite a shoo-in here at pick nine, but he’s close to it. Toronto can afford to let the former Blue Devil develop behind starter Jakob Poeltl, considering the other talent in the starting lineup.
10. Houston Rockets: Kasparas Jakucionis (G – Illinois)
Speaking of a shoo-in, Kasparas Jakucionis has been slotted here at 10 in what is now three straight mocks. Houston may look to trade this pick in exchange for a star, but it’s hard to ignore the lack of depth at guard behind Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green. In the interest of avoiding future tax penalties, Jakucionis gives Ime Udoka a serious lead guard candidate on a rookie deal.
11. Portland Trail Blazers: Noa Essengue (F – France)
Noa Essengue is rising up draft boards as he continues to improve in postseason play overseas. The lanky Frenchman has the physical tools needed to forge a formidable frontcourt duo with Donovan Clingan in Portland.
12. Chicago Bulls: Carter Bryant (F – Arizona)
To help balance out a roster with a crowded group of guards, the Bulls pick Carter Bryant and hope he becomes what Patrick Williams was supposed to be. Bryant was an underutilized and efficient freshman at Arizona with an intimidating defensive edge.
13. Atlanta Hawks: Thomas Sorber (C – Georgetown)
If there were any serious trade rumors surrounding Trae Young, I’d be tempted to give Atlanta a guard here. It doesn’t appear that Young is headed elsewhere, though, so the Hawks can target their future starting big man in Thomas Sorber. Sorber can become the latest lob target for Trae Young thanks to his 7-foot-6 wingspan.
14. San Antonio Spurs: Collin Murray-Boyles (F – South Carolina)
San Antonio can approach this pick by focusing on allowing Victor Wembanyama to be more of a defensive roamer in the years to come. Collin Murray-Boyles has a case as the best defender in this class at 6-foot-7 and a projected power forward.
15. Oklahoma City Thunder: Asa Newell (F – Georgia)
Can we retool the “the rich get richer” saying into “the deep get deeper” with this pick? Asa Newell projects as a switchable, athletic defender who wouldn’t be asked to do much offensively in Oklahoma City. Current backup big Jaylin Williams has a team option for next season, and the Thunder can save money and maybe even improve the position by bringing in Newell.
16. Orlando Magic: Jase Richardson (G – Michigan State)
Magic fans are hoping for an offensive rebrand to pair with the new-look rebrand this offseason, and selecting Jase Richardson would be a step in the right direction. The Michigan State product shot over 41% from deep this past season in a predominantly off-ball role.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Nique Clifford (F – Colorado State)
Minnesota should be viewing this pick as a chance to do some pre-damage damage control — if there is such a thing. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Julius Randle and Naz Reid are all free agents in some respect, so why not bring in a do-it-all forward to prepare for the potential losses?
18. Washington Wizards: Rasheer Fleming (F – St. Joseph’s)
After passing on the chance to give Alex Sarr a frontcourt running mate at pick six, they take a swing on the 6-foot-10 Rasheer Fleming. Fleming shot surprisingly well throughout his junior season at St. Joseph’s and always brought defensive intensity. Jeremiah Fears operating the pick-and-roll with Fleming and Sarr sounds fun.
19. Brooklyn Nets: Egor Demin (G – BYU)
The Nets need something, anything at point guard. Egor Demin is the best passer in the class. While he may not start on day one, he would provide hope that better days are ahead for the Brooklyn backcourt.
20. Miami Heat: Nolan Traore (G – France)
The Heat should be looking to get off Terry Rozier‘s awful contract this offseason. Should they trade the veteran, Miami’s group of point guards would look like Davion Mitchell, Dru Smith and… Noaln Traore.
Traore can step in and take the reins of the second unit with his solid passing and blazing speed.
21. Utah Jazz: Cedric Coward (F – Washington State)
No player’s stock has improved over the last month more than Cedric Coward’s. It took about a week for the 21-year-old to go from a relative unknown to getting Jalen Williams and Kawhi Leonard comparisons. Utah’s need at small forward makes Coward a great fit.
22. Atlanta Hawks: Ben Saraf (G – Israel)
Atlanta may not be set on Kobe Bufkin or Keaton Wallace being Trae Young’s primary backup. Ben Saraf is a 6-foot-5 combo guard with the IQ to lead the Hawks when Young is off the floor.
23. Indiana Pacers: Maxime Raynaud (C – Stanford)
How about this NBA Finals run for the Pacers? Incredible stuff. Thanks to great team-building, Indiana isn’t dying for cap relief, so they’re free to add a quality player without worrying about their pockets. With Thomas Bryant‘s upcoming free agency, the Pacers have a chance to add the gifted Maxime Raynaud from Stanford.
24. Oklahoma City Thunder: Will Riley (F – Illinois)
With the sheer number of quality defenders on the Thunder, general manager Sam Presti can afford to add a player without elite defensive upside. Will Riley is a lanky forward with a smooth jumper and a knack for tough shot-making. A bench duo of Riley and Aaron Wiggins? Sheesh.
25. Orlando Magic: Liam McNeeley (F – UConn)
Keeping with the theme of adding offense to the Magic roster, UConn’s Liam McNeeley comes off the board here. What McNeeley lacked in three-point shooting (31.7%) as a freshman was made up for in free-throw rate (86.6%) and confidence from beyond the arc.
26. Brooklyn Nets: Noah Penda (F – France)
Noah Penda’s bread is buttered on the defensive side of the ball, something the Nets are sure to covet. Offensively, the 20-year-old is a work in progress. He’s knocked down just over 31% of his threes this season with Le Mans Sarthe Basket.
27. Brooklyn Nets: Drake Powell (G, F – North Carolina)
Another swing at forward for the Nets. Why not? Drake Powell’s measurements at the NBA Combine, which included a seven-foot wingspan and 42.5-inch vertical, helped elevate his stock greatly. Powell got to the rim at a respectable rate and shot nearly 38% from deep at UNC.
28. Boston Celtics: Joan Beringer (C – France)
With Luke Kornet and Kristaps Porzingis likely headed elsewhere this summer, the Celtics capitalize on a prime opportunity to retool their frontcourt by selecting Joan Beringer. The young center is quick on his feet and a vertical threat in the pick-and-roll game.
29. Phoenix Suns: Walter Clayton Jr. (G – Florida)
Phoenix seems set on dealing Kevin Durant this offseason. There’s only so much Bradley Beal and Devin Booker can do to pick up the slack, so the Suns add one of the more offensively sound guards in the class in Walter Clayton Jr.
30. Los Angeles Clippers: Danny Wolf (C, F – Michigan)
Danny Wolf’s slide ends here as the final pick of the first round. Wolf’s non-traditional play style for a seven-footer makes his fit on any team an intriguing one. With the Clippers, the former Wolverine can take some defensive pointers from Ivica Zubac and assume the backup role.
