Best Available Players List —— 2025 Mock Draft —— Final Big Board
| # | Team | Instant Analysis – 6/25/2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mavericks | Cooper Flagg – 6-9 – PF – Duke – The Mavs winning the lottery after trading away Luka is one of the most bizarre happenings in modern sports and makes you wonder if…..oh never-mind. Flagg is a special talent who is one of the best prospects of the past decade. He’s a truly elite defender and a sensational all around talent. He’ll be an immediate impact player who could be an All Star player before too long and a perennial All-NBA guy. Flagg will contribute to winning from the moment he steps on a NBA court as an 18 year old and will be one of the faces of the NBA going forward. |
| 2 | Spurs | Dylan Harper – 6-5 – PG/SG – Rutgers – The Spurs now have a young core that could grow into a dynasty. This is the most exciting young roster in the league with the highest upside. Harper isn’t the cleanest fit with Fox and Castle but he’s far too talented to pass up because of fit. The big lefty guard is hard to keep out of the lane and has an incredible feel for manipulating the defense, getting to his spots and hitting shots or setting up teammates. Becoming a great 3pt shooter will take his game to a whole different level. |
| 3 | 76ers | VJ Edgecombe – 6-5 – SG – Baylor (Bahamas) – The mini-drama around the third pick comes to end with the selection of the talented and athletic guard from Baylor. Ace Bailey might have been the pick here if he was on board but instead choose to steer clear of Philly, leaving an opening for VJ to jump into this spot. The pick might seem redundant with Maxey, McCain and maybe Grimes but having a bunch of good guards is never a bad thing and VJ brings a level of defensive intensity and open court athleticism that will compliment the high-scoring and sweet-shooting Maxey and McCain. I like the pick. |
| 4 | Hornets | Kon Knueppel – 6-6 – SF – Duke – The Hornets have some talent and Kon is the type of mature, NBA ready player who should be able to help the franchise take a big step towards respectability. He’s an elite shooter from mid range and from 3 and is a complete player as well. He’s not a run/jump athlete but has great strength and special BBIQ. This is a great pick for the Hornets. Kon is a great compliment to their young stars LaMelo and B.Miller. |
| 5 | Jazz | Ace Bailey – 6-9 – SF – Rutgers – The Ace Bailey drama comes to an end with the Jazz taking the talented forward despite his preference to stay on the East Coast. Is there some further movement in the works here? If he stays with the Jazz they get a big time player who could make a massive difference for the franchise. After falling to no.5 in the lottery the Jazz thought they were out of the running for the top talents in the class but somehow still manage to get Ace Bailey here. He’s got elite upside and a chance to be special. |
| 6 | Wizards | Tre Johnson – 6-6 – SG – Texas – The Wizards reportedly wanted Ace but get a big time consolation prize in Tre Johnson, the high scoring guard from Texas. Tre is a special offensive talent who can get his shot at will, despite not having blow-by speed. The Wizards are putting together a really nice group of young players and are a franchise moving in the right direction. |
| 7 | Pelicans | Jeremiah Fears – 6-4 – PG – Oklahoma – This league is about putting difference makers on the court and Fears has a chance to be a real difference maker, at least on the offensive end. He’s the most dynamic player with the ball in his hands in this draft and his offensive abilities are special. The Pelicans needed this shot in the arm and will be a much better team with Fears running the show. |
| 8 | Nets | Egor Demin – 6-9 – PG – BYU (Russia) – The Nets get a jumbo ball-handler who can run the show and be the new face of the franchise. He’s an elite passer with uncanny ability to pass teammates open. His outside shot is a work in progress but I think he’ll shoot it in time. You don’t find 6-9 point guards very often and it’s no surprise he goes in the top ten. Nice pick by the Nets. |
| 9 | Raptors | Collin Murray-Boyles – 6-7 – PF – South Carolina – Wow. Even with Khaman Maluach still on the board the Raptors shock the world by going with CMB. We know they love versatile forward with length but damn, this is a surprise. I actually love the pick, I’m a huge CMB fan, I just didn’t see this one coming. The Raptors are getting a burly forward with elite feel for the game, outstanding defense and very good passing ability. Very interesting pick. It’ll be fun to watch how this pick ages. BTW, it looked like CMB was not happy to selected by Toronto and he’ll hear about that from their fans and media. |
| 10 | Sun | Khamam Maluach – 7-2 – C – Duke (South Sudan) – The Suns have Maluach fall into their laps at no.10. He’ll be able to step in right away and help anchor the defense while also providing a solid option on the offensive end. He’s a massive 7-2 guy who moves well, has great verticality and is just figuring out how good he can be. He’s also a really good young man who lights up the room so there probably won’t be as many fist fights in the Suns locker room next year ;) This is a really good addition for the Suns, who needed this type of draft luck. |
| 11 | Grizzlies | Cedric Coward – 6-7 – SG/SF – Washington State – The Grizzlies trade up to get their guy Coward who was one of the biggest risers during the pre-draft process. He’s exactly the type of lengthy wing with a 3pt shot that the NBA loves. He’s also going to a team that drafted another wing from Washington State last year in Jaylen Wells. You could say the went back to the wells…I’ll show myself out. |
| 12 | Bulls | Noa Essengue – 6-10 – PF – France – Noa goes right in the middle of his draft range and is a really nice pick for the Bulls. He’s going to take some time but he’s got unique size/athleticism and has a chance to be really good. I like what the Bulls are building and adding this type of high energy big forward is a really nice move. |
| 13 | Pelicans (Kings) | Derik Queen – 6-10 – PF/C – Maryland – The Pelicans front office gets their guy after trading up with the Hawks via the Kings. Queen brings a special skill level to the court and is going to be really fun to watch on a court with Zion, Trey Murphy, Fears etc. Giving up the unprotected first round pick next year must have been tough but the Pelicans did it to get their guy. |
| 14 | Spurs (Hawks) | Carter Bryant – 6-8 – SF – Arizona – This is as steal. Bryant is a special talent and is an exact fit for this Spurs roster bringing floor-spacing, heady play and standout defense. I’m surprised he was still on the board here. The Spurs are really putting together an awesome group of young and talented players. |
| 15 | Thunder (Heat) | Thomas Sorber – 6-11 – C – Georgetown – The Thunder go with a big man as expected but pass on the raw and athletic Beringer and go with Thomas Sorber instead. Sorber is a highly talented player with great length, standout defense and he plays a very heady game. He’s got really good touch, has excellent passing vision and rebounds the ball well. The rich get richer and the Thunder get the depth piece they need up front. |
| 16 | Blazers | Yang Hansen – 7-2 – C – China – This is so cool. Hansen had a great draft combine showing off his special ball skills and passing abilities at 7-2. The Blazers trade back and make a bold move, passing on a lot of better known talented players to go with the massive center from China. This is going to be the most heavily scrutinized pick and it’s going to be really fun to watch how it plays out over the coming years. Wow. |
| 17 | Wolves (Pistons) | Joan Beringer – 7-0 – C – France – The raw but ultra-talented center goes to Minnesota, joining one of the up and coming teams in the West. Beringer is a breathtaking athlete for a 7-footer who changes ends in a blur and moves on the court exceptionally well. He’s going to take some time to develop but has a chance to be really good. |
| 18 | Jazz (Grizzlies) | Walter Clayton Jr. – 6-3 – PG/SG – Florida – The Jazz trade in to get Walter Clayton Jr., adding one of the best shooters in the draft. Clayton brings talent, toughness and a winning mentality to this young Jazz team. There was a lot of talent still on the board and the Jazz go with the exciting combo guard to help spark the franchise back to relevancy. |
| 19 | Nets (Bucks) | Nolan Traore – 6-4 – PG – France – The Nets get another point guard but a very different player than Demin. Traore is a speed merchant with the ball in his hands who can really pass the rock. He’s a great pick and roll ball handler who can get into the lane and score or find teammates. He had an up and down season and his draft stock fell but he’s a very talented player. The Nets went from having an empty cupboard in the backcourt to having two young studs. |
| 20 | Heat (Warriors) | Kasparas Jakucionis – 6-6 – PG – Illinois (Lithuania) – Jaku’s fall stops at no.20 where he goes to a great situation with the Heat where he’ll get a chance to play minutes early in his career. This feels like a match made in heaven with the tough, smart and talented guard joining the Heat culture. Really nice selection at this point in the first round. |
| 21 | Wizards (Wolves) | Will Riley – 6-9 – SG – Illinois – The sweet shooting big wing goes to a young Wizards team that could give him minutes early on. He’s a work in progress on the defensive end but has good size, solid athleticism and should be a able to figure it out. His calling card will be his ability to put the ball in the basket. He joins Tre Johnson who the Wizards picked at no.6, giving them two nice scoring options. I really like this pick. |
| 22 | Nets (Lakers) | Drake Powell – 6-7 – SF – North Carolina – The high-flying defensive-minded wing goes to a good situation where he can develop his offensive game without the pressure to win a ton of games. He’s a big time athlete and was one of the top recruits in his class. After an up and down year at UNC he lands in the first round and will have a chance to prove himself in Brooklyn. Has some boom/bust potential but worth the swing here. |
| 23 | Hawks (Pacers) | Asa Newell – 6-10 – PF – Georgia – The Hawks traded back, got an unprotected pick next season in a very strong draft and get a nice talent here at no.23. Newell is a high energy player who impacts on the glass, in the paint, has some stretch ability and gives good effort all over the court. A nice fit next to Porzingis and the rest of the Hawks. |
| 24 | Kings (Clippers) | Nique Clifford – 6-6 – SF – Colorado State – The Kings get this pick from the Thunder and add the tough and feisty wing from Colorado State. He’s a role player type who does all the dirty work and impacts both ends. He’s got some smoothness to his movements and moves really well on the court. The Kings are stuck in no man’s land and really need this pick to hit. I think it’s a solid pick here. |
| 25 | Magic (Nuggets) | Jase Richardson – 6-2 – PG/SG – Michigan State – This is a really great fit. Jase is an ultra efficient player who shoots the ball at a high level, is a great decision maker on the court and can attack the basket. He’s undersized but has some length and plays bigger than his size. He’s probably not a starter anytime soon but should provide the Magic with a valuable piece off the bench. |
| 26 | Nets (Knicks) | Ben Saraf – 6-6 – PG/SG – Ulm (Israel) – Another international guard for the Nets, very interesting. Saraf is a tough and physical guard who plays with intensity on both ends. The Nets all the sudden have a wealth of young guards and it’ll be fun to see Demin, Traore and Saraf share the workload. |
| 27 | Nets (Rockets) | Danny Wolf – 7-0 – C – Michigan – The Nets finally go with a big man, a very creative passing and talented one at that. Wolf is a unique player with his ball handling and passing ability at near 7-feet. Wolf waited longer than he might have thought to get drafted but he ends up going to a great situation in Brooklyn where he can be part of this exciting rebuild. |
| 28 | Celtics | Hugo Gonzalez – 6-7 – SG – Spain – The Celtics are going through an interesting transition year and should be able to give some minutes. to the young high-energy Spaniard. A year and a half ago Hugo was viewed as a future lottery pick but after not getting big minutes for Real Madrid his draft stock took a fall. He’s a big time talent with awesome athleticism and intensity. He just needs to shoot the ball a bit better. Really fun pick here for Boston. |
| 29 | Hornets (Cavs) | Liam McNeeley – 6-8 – SF – UConn – The Hornets might be getting a major steal there. McNeeley had a mixed freshman season at UConn but this kid can ball. He’s a really good outside shooter and he’s got some size and strength to him as well. The Hornets come out of the first round with Kon and Liam. Hell yeah. |
| 30 | Clippers (Thunder) | Yanic Konan Niederhauser – C – Penn State (Switzerland) – The meteoric rise of YKN continues and he ends up going in the first round. Goodness. He wasn’t on draft boards for most of the season but blew up during the draft combine and here we are. He’s a super impressive athlete for a 7-footer and is a late bloomer who’s best basketball is ahead of him. |
| 31 | Suns | Rasheer Fleming – 6-10 – PF – St. Joseph’s – Fleming falls out of the first round but goes to a great situation in Phoenix where he might be the only non center or shooting guard on the roster. Fleming is a great talent with freaky length and really good athleticism who’s arrow is pointing up. The Suns don’t own their first rounder next year so they will be wanting to win but they can also afford to develop their young players and give them plenty of minutes. |
| 32 | Magic | Noah Penda – 6-8 – PF – France – The Magic trade up and get one of my favorite players in the draft. Penda can do a bit of everything on the court and has a NBA-ready frame. He’s got basketball in his blood and knows the game at a high level. A great pick here at no.32, especially with Noah wearing a black pinstripe suit, like the old school Orlando Magic jerseys. |
| 33 | Hornets | Sion James – 6-6 – SG – Duke – The Hornets get another Blue Devil in James, giving them a tough, hard-nosed guard who plays a mature game and continues the trend of culture change in Charlotte. He’s a nice all around talent and a glue-guy type of player. |
| 34 | Hornets | Ryan Kalkbrenner – 7-1 – C – Creighton – The Hornets are absolutely killing this draft. Kalkbrenner gives them a much needed influx of size up front after they traded away Mark Williams yesterday. He’s a rock solid defender and an underrated offensive player who probably won’t be a star in the league but has a chance to be a long time rotation player. Great draft by the Hornets. Their fan-base should be ecstatic. |
| 35 | 76ers | Johni Broome – 6-10 – C – Auburn – After a great college career Broome lands in the early second round and lands in a situation in Philly where he can challenge for minutes early on. He’s not a great athlete but he’s really strong, fundamentally sound and is a winner. He’s a smart player and a high effort player and should be a fan favorite in Philly. |
| 36 | Lakers | Adou Thiero – 6-8 – SF – Arkansas – The Lakers trade up and get the big time wing athlete in Adou Thiero. He’s far from a finished product but has unique athletic ability and can come in and rebound and defend from day one. He’s made steady progress on the offensive end and gotten a bit better every year. He’s got plenty of upside left to develop. |
| 37 | Pistons | Chaz Lanier – 6-4 – SG – Tennessee – Lanier is one of the more NBA ready players and can really shoot the basketball. He had a strong pre-draft process and moved up draft boards. A solid pick at this point in the draft. |
| 38 | Pacers | Kam Jones – 6-4 – PG/SG – Marquette – The Pacers, who lost Haliburton to a serious injury, add some depth at the guard position here in the steady veteran Kam Jones. He’s a guy who can play off or on the ball and gives the team some good versatility. This is a really good pick and a nice fit…great value at no.38. |
| 39 | Raptors | Alijah Martin – 6-2 – SG – Florida – The Raptors get a hard-nosed and aggressive guard who doesn’t have great size but plays with huge heart and a ton of toughness. He’s a gamer and a winner who will help set the culture in Toronto. If he was two inches taller he’d be in the top 20. Nice pick here. |
| 40 | Pelicans | Micah Peavy – 6-8 – SF – Georgetown – The Pelicans have had an interesting draft. At no.40 they get a versatile forward who brings great energy on the court and does a bit of everything. The team needed this type of junkyard dog type of player to go along with their more offensive-minded players. |
| 41 | Suns | Koby Brea – 6-7 – SG – Kentucky – Brea is one of the best 3pt shooters in the draft and goes to a franchise that loves to let it fly from 3. He’s not the most well rounded player and will have to improve his handling and creativity but if he can defend his position then his 3pt shot will get him on the court. |
| 42 | Kings | Maxime Raynaud – 7-1 – C – Stanford (France) – Raynaud seemed like one of the winners of the pre-draft process but apparently NBA teams didn’t see it that way as he falls into the 40’s. He’s got great size and is a mobile, skilled and talented guy who loves to pull up from 3. The Kings got good value here and I think Raynaud can stick in the league and maybe be in impact player. |
| 43 | Wizards | Jamir Watkins – 6-6 – SF – Florida State – An athletic and physical player who can really defend on the wing. He’s got a solid all around game and gives really good effort on the court. He’s not a great shooter or scorer but he knows his role and does a good job with all the dirty work. |
| 44 | Thunder | Brooks Barnhizer – 6-6 SG – Northwestern – This feels like such a Presti pick. Brooks is a big, tough guard/wing who shoots the 3-ball well and can lock up and defend his position. |
| 45 | Wolves | Rocco Zikarsky – 7-3 – C – Australia – The behemoth center goes to the Wolves where he’ll be given plenty of time to develop. He’s not a great athlete and has had some injuries along the way but you can’t teach his kind of size. We’ll see in a few years if this pick amounts to anything but it’s definitely worth a swing at no.45. |
| 46 | Celtics | Amari Williams – 7-0 – C – Kentucky (England) – Williams is a really interesting player with his size, length and ball-handling ability. He’s got a knack for passing players open and loves to operate from the top of the key and make plays. A 7-footer with shot blocking and passing ability is a nice pick at this stage of the draft. |
| 47 | Bucks | Bogoljub Markovic – 6-10 – SF/PF – Serbia – Markovic falls a bit farther than I expected but lands in a good situation in Milwaukee. He’s a skilled big forward who can rain 3-pointers and take defenders off the bounce. A possible draft and stash. |
| 48 | Grizzlies | Javon Small – 6-2 – PG – West Virginia – The Grizzlies get a standout defender at the point guard position. He’s not the biggest guard but has good athleticism and can really get after opposing ball handlers. Has good hands and quick feet. Nice pick. |
| 49 | Cavs | Tyrese Proctor – 6-5 – PG – Duke – Proctor could provide back-up minutes early in his career. He’s played in a lot of big games at Duke and has a lot of experience. Improved a lot as a 3pt shooter over the years and has a nice combo guard skill-set. Solid pick at this point in the draft. |
| 50 | Clippers | Kobe Sanders – 6-8 – SG – Nevada – A big guard with a nice 3pt shot. Has good passing vision and a nice feel for the game. Plays with pace and rhythm and can get into the lane, even though he doesn’t have a great first step. A nice prospect who could work his way into the league. |
| 51 | Knicks | Mohamed Diawara – 6-8 – PF – France – I’m a fan. This kid is super long and athletic but has a raw skill set and is going to take some time. At this point in the draft swinging for this type of raw talent makes a lot of sense. If it works out, great! If not, oh well. Good move by the Knicks. |
| 52 | Warriors | Alex Toohey – 6-8 – SF – Australia – Really nice pick here for the Warriors. Toohey is a really good shooter with size and a good feel for the game. He’s a tough forward who does a lot of little things to help the team win. |
| 53 | Jazz | John Tonje – 6-5 – SG – Wisconsin – A talented offensive player with solid size and decent athleticism. Really knows how to draw contact and get to the line. A crafty scorer with a NBA level jumper. |
| 54 | Pacers | Taelon Peter – 6-4 – SG – Liberty – Wowa, didn’t see this one coming. He’s an athlete and can really get to the rim and also has a solid 3pt shot. I’d love to see him succeed but there were a number of other talented players on the board that the Pacers passed on. |
| 55 | Bulls | Lachlan Olbrich – 6-10 – PF/C – Illawarra, NBL – A skilled and crafty big man who is a hard worker, a glue-guy and does all the dirty work. Has some touch around the rim and can finish plays in transition. Flashes some offensive skills but is more of a energy player at this point. |
| 56 | Warriors | Will Richard – 6-5 – SG – Florida – The Warriors get a NCAA champion and a two-way talent who can do a bit of everything on the court. This is a really solid pick late in the second round. Will Richard has a lot of talent and will have a chance to make it. |
| 57 | Celtics | Max Shulga – 6-5 – SG – VCU – A really nice 3pt shooter with some athleticism and bounce. Can play with the ball in his hands and can space the floor. |
| 58 | Cavs | Saliou Niang – 6-8 – SF – Italy (Senegal) – This guy has a chance. He’s a really smooth athlete who can handle the ball and has passing instincts. Can play above the rim and is overall a smooth athlete. Isn’t yet a great outside shooter but shows promise. |
| 59 | Grizzlies (Rockets) | Jahmai Mashack – 6-4 – SG – Tennessee – A tough and physical defender and a very good athlete who doesn’t really score the ball much but has NBA level defensive ability. We saw in the playoffs how valuable it is to have big time defenders to pressure the ball and Mashack does have that ability. |
