While the 2024 NBA Draft was perhaps underrated, it is now in the rearview mirror and we can look ahead to starting over with the 2025 NBA Draft.
As the incoming class of rookies are mostly beginning competition in NBA Summer League, there are plenty of other prospects who can become draft eligible next season who have stood out recently as well. Even though Cooper Flagg (heading to Duke) is the headliner of this class, others are making very strong contenders as well.
One such candidate is VJ Edgecombe, an incoming freshman guard at Baylor. A consensus five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American, he recently averaged 18 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game for the Bahama’s senior national team during an Olympics qualifying tournament.
Meanwhile, a pair of teammates headed to Rutgers as freshmen (Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper) both offer tremendous upside heading into their first college campaigns as well.
A few of the most interesting international prospects include Nolan Traore (France), Hugo Gonzalez (Spain), Noa Essengue (France), and Rocco Zikarsky (Australia).
This mock evaluated freshmen based on their play when data was available from high school, AAU, or FIBA competition. Returners are mostly based on what we have seen from them at the collegiate level, though other factors were also considered.
Our draft order is provided by Tankathon. Let’s get started!
1
Brooklyn Nets: Cooper Flagg
(Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for the McDonalds All American Games)
TEAM: Duke
POSITION: Forward
HEIGHT: 6-9
DRAFT AGE: 18.5
2
Washington Wizards: Ace Bailey
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: Rutgers
POSITION: Forward
HEIGHT: 6-9
DRAFT AGE: 18.9
3
Detroit Pistons: Dylan Harper
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: Rutgers
POSITION: Guard
HEIGHT: 6-6
DRAFT AGE: 19.3
4
Utah Jazz: Nolan Traore
fiba.basketball
TEAM: Saint-Quentin (France)
POSITION: Guard
HEIGHT: 6-3
DRAFT AGE: 19.1
5
Charlotte Hornets: VJ Edgecombe
(Photo by JOSE JORDAN/AFP via Getty Images)
TEAM: Baylor
POSITION: Guard
HEIGHT: 6-5
DRAFT AGE: 19.9
6
Portland Trail Blazers: Hugo Gonzalez
fiba.basketball
TEAM: Real Madrid
POSITION: Guard
HEIGHT: 6-6
DRAFT AGE: 19.4
7
Chicago Bulls: Tre Johnson
© Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK
TEAM: Texas
POSITION: Guard
HEIGHT: 6-6
DRAFT AGE: 19.3
8
Toronto Raptors: Khaman Maluach
fiba.basketball
TEAM: Duke
POSITION: Big
HEIGHT: 7-2
DRAFT AGE: 18.8
9
San Antonio Spurs: Jalil Bethea
© Daniella Heminghaus / USA TODAY NETWORK
TEAM: Miami
POSITION: Wing
HEIGHT: 6-4
DRAFT AGE: 19.5
10
San Antonio Spurs (via ATL): Liam McNeeley
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: UConn
POSITION: Wing
HEIGHT: 6-8
DRAFT AGE: 19.7
11
Oklahoma City Thunder (via HOU): Egor Demin
fiba.basketball
TEAM: BYU
POSITION: Wing
HEIGHT: 6-8
DRAFT AGE: 19.3
12
Sacramento Kings: Ian Jackson
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: North Carolina
POSITION: Guard
HEIGHT: 6-6
DRAFT AGE: 20.4
13
L.A. Clippers: Noa Essengue
fiba.basketball
TEAM: ratiopharm ulm (Germany)
POSITION: Wing
HEIGHT: 6-8
DRAFT AGE: 18.5
14
New Orleans Pelicans: Drake Powell
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: North Carolina
POSITION: Forward
HEIGHT: 6-6
DRAFT AGE: 19.8
15
Orlando Magic: Rocco Zikarsky
(Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)
TEAM: Brisbane (Australia)
POSITION: Big
HEIGHT: 7-2
DRAFT AGE: 19
16
Utah Jazz (via CLE): Isaiah Evans
(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
TEAM: Duke
POSITION: Guard
HEIGHT: 6-6
DRAFT AGE: 19.6
17
Indiana Pacers: Donnie Freeman
© Rok Baller/Special to The News-Press / USA TODAY NETWORK
TEAM: Syracuse
POSITION: Big
HEIGHT: 6-10
DRAFT AGE: 19.9
18
Atlanta Hawks (via LAL): Boogie Fland
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: Arkansas
POSITION: Guard
HEIGHT: 6-2
DRAFT AGE: 19
19
Memphis Grizzlies: Collin Murray-Boyles
Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: South Carolina
POSITION: Big
HEIGHT: 6-7
DRAFT AGE: 20
20
Golden State Warriors: Milan Momcilovic
Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: Iowa State
POSITION: Forward
HEIGHT: 6-8
DRAFT AGE: 20.8
21
Houston Rockets (via PHX): Kwame Evans
D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: Oregon
POSITION: Forward
HEIGHT: 6-7
DRAFT AGE: 20.9
22
Oklahoma City Thunder (via MIA): Dink Pate
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: Mexico City Capitanes (G League)
POSITION: Guard
HEIGHT: 6-6
DRAFT AGE: 19.3
23
Oklahoma City Thunder (via PHI): Asa Newell
fiba.basketball
TEAM: Georgia
POSITION: Forward
HEIGHT: 6-9
DRAFT AGE: 19.7
24
Brooklyn Nets (Via MIL): Caleb Foster
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: Duke
POSITION: Guard
HEIGHT: 6-5
DRAFT AGE: 20.9
25
Brooklyn Nets (via NYK): JT Toppin
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: Texas Tech
POSITION: Forward
HEIGHT: 6-9
DRAFT AGE: 20
26
Dallas Mavericks: Hunter Sallis
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: Wake Forest
POSITION: Guard
HEIGHT: 6-5
DRAFT AGE: 22.3
27
Utah Jazz (via MIN): Nique Clifford
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: Colorado State
POSITION: Forward
HEIGHT: 6-6
DRAFT AGE: 23.4
28
Brooklyn Nets (via OKC): Adama Bal
(Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
TEAM: Santa Clara
POSITION: Wing
HEIGHT: 6-7
DRAFT AGE: 21.5
29
Orlando Magic (via DEN): Payton Sandfort
© Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
TEAM: Iowa
POSITION: Forward
HEIGHT: 6-7
DRAFT AGE: 23
30
Boston Celtics: Alex Karaban
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
TEAM: UConn
POSITION: Forward
HEIGHT: 6-8
DRAFT AGE: 22.6
