The best, worst and most surprising of the NBA draft: Favorite picks, classes and rookie-year predictions

The 2025 NBA draft is simply a wrap, with Cooper Flagg (No. 1 to the Dallas Mavericks) and Dylan Harper (No. 2 to the San Antonio Spurs) the headliners of what turned retired to beryllium a archetypal circular afloat of twists.

Ace Bailey came disconnected the committee astatine No. 5 to the Utah Jazz, a squad that wasn't 1 of his planned destinations, but could beryllium an fantabulous landing spot. The New Orleans Pelicans made an assertive play to brace Jeremiah Fears (No. 7) with Derik Queen (No. 13), moving invaluable draught superior to marque it happen. The Portland Trail Blazers made the astir astonishing prime of the archetypal circular by selecting Yang Hansen (ranked No. 35 successful our last Top 100 large board). And the Brooklyn Nets, who controlled 5 first-round picks, drafted each 5 to jump-start a younker movement.

What was the champion value pick? Which squad drafted the champion class? And which players could beryllium named first-team All-Rookie? We person spent years studying the prospects successful the 2025 class, and present are the moves we liked, the moves that amazed america and we'll stock a fewer semipermanent predictions.

Let's excavation into the fallout of this draught by answering 15 questions.

Jump to a topic:
Favorite pick | Ideal situation | Best worth
Biggest surprise | Class pick | In-draft trades
Surprise faller | ROY candidates | All-Rookie players
G-league hitter | Undrafted underdog
Predictions | Overall takeaways

What was your favourite prime of the full draft?

Givony: Kasparas Jakucionis to the Miami Heat astatine No. 20. Not lone did the Heat get the No. 10 subordinate connected my large board, they besides got a subordinate who fills a roster void and fits their civilization and benignant of play perfectly. Jakucionis (6-foot-6, 205 pounds) has the ballhandling and playmaking quality to connection much-needed changeable instauration successful the backcourt, but helium besides is large capable to run disconnected the shot alongside All-Star combo defender Tyler Herro.

With Davion Mitchell (restricted escaped agent) coming disconnected a beardown playoff showing, the 3 could surely play successful the aforesaid lineup astatine times, acknowledgment to Jakucionis' size, spot and perimeter shooting prowess -- positional versatility that is perfect for the modern NBA.

In their draught country and aft eating perogies (an Eastern European staple) connected Thursday, the Miami Heat beforehand bureau secured Russian halfway Vlad Goldin, the No. 2 ranked undrafted escaped cause imaginable connected the ESPN Top 100 large board (No. 49). He adds to the Heat's increasing roster of planetary performer successful caller years, including Lithuanian and Russian players. The Heat besides person Sweden's Pelle Larsson and Serbia's Nikola Jovic connected their roster.

Woo: Khaman Maluach to the Phoenix Suns astatine No. 10. I can't archer you whether the Suns volition beryllium immoderate bully adjacent season. But I tin accidental they did a bully occupation of addressing immoderate of past season's problems, peculiarly by drafting Maluach, who is the nonstop benignant of jumbo overgarment protector Phoenix was sorely missing.

I don't deliberation it's an exaggeration to accidental the Suns had zero antiaircraft individuality past season, and Maluach (in tandem with caller summation Mark Williams) should assistance alteration that tone. He should beryllium capable to thrive complementing the Suns' shot ascendant perimeter group.

Which subordinate landed successful the perfect concern to maximize his talent?

Givony: Bailey to the Utah Jazz astatine No. 5. Despite the play astir Bailey's preferred draught destination (Washington?) and his agent's alleged menace to a top-five squad earlier the draught to perchance not study to camp, it wasn't astonishing to spot this concern amicably resolved, apt successful nary tiny portion owed to Bailey's deficiency of leverage due to the fact that of the NBA's corporate bargaining statement and the nationalist relations backlash this determination generated.

When Bailey arrives successful Utah connected Saturday and sees however fortunate helium is to onshore successful a concern with an ample opportunity, a deficiency of prima power, an outstanding coaching unit and a highly passionate instrumentality base, helium should rapidly recognize helium is successful the cleanable spot to scope All-Star potential.

Woo: Egor Demin to the Brooklyn Nets astatine No. 8. I'm much optimistic connected Demin's aboriginal than immoderate look to beryllium -- determination volition ever beryllium a premium placed connected prospects successful his mold arsenic a jumbo playmaker, and I recognize wherefore the Nets believed helium was worthy the dive that aboriginal successful the draft. Going to a squad wherever he'll get a accidental to play close distant with plentifulness of on-ball reps, brace with the different talented passers successful Brooklyn's draught people and besides hone his shooting is ideal.

His rookie play could beryllium thing of a crucible, but his unselfish benignant of play falls successful enactment with however the Nets intelligibly privation their squad to look. Landing successful a blank slate concern similar this could beryllium immense for Demin, arsenic opposed to having to combat for minutes connected a deeper roster that mightiness person constricted the accidental to dispersed his wings.

What was the champion worth pick?

Givony: Liam McNeeley to the Charlotte Hornets astatine No. 29. I'm inactive amazed McNeeley (ranked No. 17 connected our apical 100 large board) fell to the extremity of the archetypal round. Known for his shooting prowess for astir of his career, McNeeley deed lone 32% of his 3s astatine UConn this season. He had respective workouts wherever helium struggled to sprout arsenic efficaciously successful backstage settings arsenic NBA teams had hoped.

I've seen McNeeley sprout lights-out successful galore antithetic settings and firmly judge helium volition thrive with NBA spacing successful a smaller violative relation than helium was asked to enarthrosis astatine UConn. He besides brings much to the array with his size (6-foot-8 successful shoes), toughness, consciousness for the crippled and wide accomplishment level. It's not casual to find this benignant of player, truthful I judge the Hornets volition extremity up getting a bargain with this pick.

Woo: Jakucionis to the Heat. Miami benefited from immoderate of the unexpected decisions up of it by drafting a subordinate who immoderate (me included) viewed arsenic a top-10 imaginable -- and 1 who besides fits the Heat's request for a playmaking guard. He was yet a small much polarizing than we expected, but my conjecture is this 1 volition property amended for the Heat than it volition for the teams that passed connected him.

Which prime astir amazed you?

Givony: Demin to the Nets. A batch of radical had a hard clip knowing wherefore we kept Demin successful our apical 10 each year, particularly arsenic helium was struggling severely successful Big 12 play. Still, I was a small amazed to spot him selected up of Khaman Maluach and Jakucionis, who I had successful beforehand of him connected our Top 100 large board. We had heard the Nets wanted to travel retired of this draught with a starting constituent guard, and they present person 3 candidates for that position: Demin, Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf (and possibly Danny Wolf too).

I emotion the information Demin volition beryllium empowered to scope his afloat imaginable successful an outsized relation (similar to BYU), wherever he'll beryllium capable to play done mistakes, but volition besides person playmakers alongside him. Ideally, determination would beryllium a small much shooting to beryllium recovered successful this group, but that's thing the Nets tin enactment done agelong term, perchance with different precocious prime successful adjacent year's loaded draft, wherever A.J. Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer oregon Nate Ament each look similar outstanding fits.

Woo: Yang Hansen to the Portland Trail Blazers astatine No. 16. My absorption was person to fascination than shock. Yang has an intriguing accomplishment acceptable for a teenage large who was going to beryllium worthy idiosyncratic rolling the dice on. I liked what I saw from him astatine the combine, but determination was nary anticipation that helium would upwind up wrong the apical 20, and it's a large gamble connected his violative endowment yet translating from a debased level successful China.

The lone squad that was wide tied to Yang was the Nets, who held 4 picks down the Trail Blazers successful the archetypal round. I recognize wherefore Portland took him wherever it did, arsenic a broad connection connected draught strategy. If you emotion a guy, conscionable instrumentality him, don't hazard it. Trading backmost was astir apt a challenge, but adjacent with that rationale, the thought of Yang going that precocious ne'er crossed my caput successful immoderate scenario.

Which squad has your favourite people arsenic a whole?

Givony: Charlotte Hornets. I already wrote astir McNeeley above, but I besides similar the additions of Kon Knueppel (No. 4) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (No. 34) rather a bit. Knueppel's consciousness for the game, selfless benignant of play, spot and toughness should marque him casual to play with, particularly alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, who helium could complement rather well. I was a immense instrumentality of Knueppel each play and was not amazed to spot him spell successful the apical five.

With Kalkbrenner, the Hornets got a plug-and-play large who looks acceptable to play rotation minutes close distant connected a inexpensive rookie-scale deal. Charlotte needed idiosyncratic NBA-ready aft trading Mark Williams for the prime that got them McNeeley and a 2029 first-rounder, which I thought was a large determination arsenic well.

Woo: San Antonio Spurs. Lucking into Harper was 1 thing, but the Spurs were close not to thin into immoderate temptation to commercialized him and fast-track their competitory window. I recognize the acceptable concerns, and it would beryllium simpler were De'Aaron Fox not successful the premix already, but the thought of letting Harper jell with Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle makes a batch of sense.

Generally speaking, we emotion to delegate a consciousness of contiguous rubric urgency to each squad fortunate capable to employment superstar-caliber endowment but 1 has to retrieve Wembanyama is 21 years old. In my mind, determination was ne'er immoderate request for San Antonio to bash thing but prime and spot however these players turn together. Factor successful No. 14 prime Carter Bryant, who should complement his much shot ascendant teammates with shooting and perimeter defence implicit time, and the Spurs could person an fantabulous happening going.

Which squad has your slightest favourite people arsenic a whole?

Givony: There isn't 1 squad that stands out, though I would person loved to person seen the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets leap into the enactment successful either round, but it's understandable wherefore some teams are prioritizing their playoff windows close now.

Woo: New Orleans Hornets. This is little astir the endowment of players they drafted and much astir however the Pelicans invited hazard and acceptable concerns with their drawstring of caller transactions. Fears is simply a existent talent, but him maximizing it successful what could beryllium a crowded backcourt with Jordan Poole present successful the premix is simply a concern.

And I conflict to spot however Queen tin stock the level with Zion Williamson successful a winning discourse -- neither tin sprout from the perimeter oregon support the overgarment astatine a precocious level, and they mightiness yet get successful each other's way. I'm acrophobic astir the chances either lottery prime gets to usage their talents successful the situation.

Of course, I recognize a caller beforehand bureau targeting the guys they like, putting their stamp connected the squad and figuring retired different things later. It would each beryllium a small much palatable had the Pelicans not sold disconnected their ain draught prime adjacent twelvemonth to marque it enactment -- a determination that places unit connected their existent radical to instrumentality a immense corporate measurement forward.

What was your favourite in-draft trade?

Givony: The Atlanta Hawks trading down to yet draught Asa Newell astatine No. 23. Woo recapped the New Orleans broadside of the Queen deal, but a shoutout to the caller Hawks beforehand bureau (led by Onsi Saleh) is successful order. The Hawks secured what I task to beryllium the No. 8 prime successful the 2026 NBA draft, conscionable for moving down 10 spots successful this draft. I had Queen rated 23 spots up of Newell connected my idiosyncratic large board, truthful there's surely country to quibble astir value.

But it's just to question the process New Orleans went through, intelligibly telegraphing its involvement successful Queen truthful powerfully successful the lead-up to the draught that it wounded its negotiating leverage. It led to giving up a perchance precocious draught prime successful 2026, which should person netted New Orleans a batch much than what it did.

Woo: The Jazz trading up to draught Walter Clayton Jr. astatine No. 18 I admittedly was not a immense Clayton proponent during the season, but the much I evaluated him, the much I started to bargain his shotmaking endowment arsenic an intriguing stake successful a draught people that was beauteous airy connected constituent guards. The Jazz didn't person to wage overmuch to bash it, and portion helium mightiness person to combat for minutes, there's a tenable accidental Clayton becomes a invaluable contributor.

What was your slightest favourite in-draft trade?

Givony: Memphis trading up 5 spots with Portland from No. 16 to No. 11, giving up an unprotected first-round prime from the Orlando Magic successful 2028 and 2 second-round picks (2027 via Atlanta and 2028 from Orlando). That feels similar an awfully large haul to determination up conscionable 5 spots, adjacent if determination were a batch of rumblings that the Oklahoma City Thunder (picking No. 15) were besides trying to determination up for Cedric Coward. I wasn't particularly sold connected Coward being picked that high, truthful we'll person to spot however this plays out.

I would person liked to person seen Portland determination down different five-to-10 picks for Yang, and possibly prime up much assets successful the process, but it seems the commercialized marketplace softened rather a spot extracurricular the apical 15, with minimal question successful the 2nd fractional of the archetypal round.

Woo: New Orleans mortgaging the aboriginal for Queen. Considering each the circumstances, nary substance however severely you judge successful the Maryland halfway (or nary substance who you deliberation should person been the 13th prime instead), trading distant a 2026 first-round prime to determination up 10 spots successful this draught was hard for maine to rationalize. It's little astir the subordinate and much astir the process.

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The plays that Derik Queen is bringing to the Pelicans

Check retired immoderate apical highlights from Derik Queen arsenic the Pelicans commercialized up to instrumentality him.

In 5 years, we're each going to wonderment wherefore ____ fell successful the draft?

Givony: Hugo Gonzalez to the Boston Celtics astatine No. 28. I had him rated arsenic the No. 15 subordinate connected my idiosyncratic large board, 13 spots up of wherever helium was drafted. He started the process arsenic a projected top-10 pick, but it's not hard to recognize wherefore his banal fell, arsenic helium struggled to get connected the level for a loaded Real Madrid team. Had Gonzalez played for Ratiopharm Ulm, went to BYU (which recruited him heavy anterior to signing Demin), oregon spent a play with the NBL Next Stars programme successful Australia ... helium would person been a wide lottery prime successful my view.

He built an impeccable résumé arsenic 1 of the apical prospects successful planetary hoops successful FIBA younker competitions and inferior nine contention anterior to this season.

I besides emotion his acceptable successful Boston, wherever he's definite to look arsenic a instrumentality favourite owed to the frenetic strength level helium brings defensively. I was told Boston was telling agents it planned to motion whichever rookie it took with this prime for 80% of the rookie scale, but owed to Gonzalez's important buyout with Real Madrid ($1.4 million), that won't beryllium viable, arsenic Gonzalez volition already request to screen a important information of that retired of his pocket.

Woo: Will Riley to the Washington Wizards astatine No. 21. I astir apt saw much of him up adjacent than anyone, arsenic I saw Illinois unrecorded galore times past season. I'm a large believer successful Riley's endowment and deliberation there's a accidental helium rises to the apical connected a Wizards squad that is going to springiness a batch of opportunities to their young talent. He's going to person to enactment hard astatine his carnal improvement to marque it hap -- Riley is 6-foot-8, 180 pounds -- but however galore wings with morganatic size and violative endowment person ever been excessively skinny to marque it successful the NBA?

Riley isn't lacking for existent game, and I deliberation he'll astonishment immoderate radical implicit time.

Call it now: Who volition triumph NBA Rookie of the Year?

Givony: Flagg. He is the champion subordinate successful this people and volition beryllium asked to play a important relation for the Mavs immediately, arsenic they person precise small changeable instauration connected their roster presently and volition request him to beryllium a prima from time one. They'll request him to fundamentally support them afloat successful the brutal Western Conference arsenic they hold for Kyrie Irving's instrumentality from a genu injury.

Woo: Anyone different than Flagg? Um, no. That's not to discredit immoderate subordinate successful this draft, but I don't deliberation this is simply a peculiarly bold call. He's walking into an fantabulous accidental to basal retired close away, and I fishy we'll spot him fig the NBA retired connected the fly, and alternatively quickly.

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Cooper Flagg excited to larn from Mavs veterans

Cooper Flagg lays retired his expectations aft being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks

Call it now: Which 5 players volition beryllium named to the NBA All-Rookie archetypal team?

Givony: Flagg, Harper, Bailey, Knueppel, Tre Johnson (Wizards).

Woo: Flagg, Harper, Johnson, Knueppel -- and chiefly truthful we don't prime the nonstop aforesaid players, I'll spell with the different Jazz rookie, Clayton Jr.

Which subordinate is astir apt to airy up the G League successful 2025-26?

Givony: Javon Small, No. 48 prime by Memphis. A first-team all-conference subordinate successful the loaded Big 12, Small carried an undermanned West Virginia squad to the cusp of a NCAA tourney berth with dependable changeable instauration and shotmaking portion bringing large toughness connected some ends of the floor, things that typically construe good to the G League.

He'll beryllium a fistful to woody with successful modulation and should thrive successful the wide-open quality of that league, apt putting up points successful bunches portion making winning plays connected some ends of the floor. I would not beryllium amazed to spot him look arsenic different Scotty Pippen Jr.-type gem for Memphis successful the coming years.

Woo: Ryan Nembhard, undrafted. Nembhard volition motion a two-way woody with the Mavericks, and the caveat present is that I could spot him getting fast-tracked to a roster spot and NBA inferior purely owed to the Mavs' deficiency of constituent defender depth. I emotion Nembhard's consciousness for playmaking and involving teammates and judge helium tin transcend his size limitations (6-foot, 180 pounds). He'll beryllium among the apical guards successful the G League whenever he's assigned there.

Which undrafted subordinate are you astir funny to follow?

Givony: Eric Dixon with the Los Angeles Lakers. The erstwhile Villanova defender was the No. 1 scorer successful assemblage hoops this season, averaging 23 points and shooting 41% from 3. He's not conscionable a spot-up shooter though, helium tin deed pugnacious side-step and iso pull-ups, and attacks closeouts to gully fouls astatine a beardown rate. He stands 6-foot-8 with a almighty 260-pound frame, making him a existent inside-out mismatch successful the Guerschon Yabusele mold. Dixon, 24, volition request to beryllium helium tin clasp his ain defensively, but he's got immoderate existent toughness and physicality connected apical of his quality to agelong the floor. I similar this summation rather a spot for the Lakers.

I heard Lakers president of hoops operations Rob Pelinka spent clip with Dixon aft his predraft workout with the team. Apparently, Pelinka told Dixon the communicative of Kobe Bryant's sojourn to the Sistine Chapel successful the Vatican, which was cleared retired for them. Pelinka said the archetypal happening Bryant noticed was the deficiency of lighting and however Michelangelo was forced to bash overmuch of his enactment by candlelight, which demonstrated his attraction to item and the absorption required to maestro his trade nether pugnacious conditions. Bryant related this to his enactment connected the hoops court, imagining what Michelangelo's mindset mightiness person been similar astatine the time, successful presumption of perfecting his trade and creating a world-renowned masterpiece, contempt less-than-ideal circumstances.

Woo: John Poulakidas with the LA Clippers. The erstwhile Yale defender was 1 of the heavy sleepers I grew to similar implicit the people of the season. Poulakidas (6-foot-6, 205 pounds) has beardown proportions for a wing, he's a precise bully shooter already, and if helium tin measurement up his antiaircraft contributions, there's a way for him to marque it onto a roster done the backdoor (he's reportedly signing an exhibit-10 with the Clippers). Quality 3-point marksmen with NBA size often get to skip the enactment much truthful than immoderate different relation archetype.

Make 1 prediction astir this people for 5 years from now:

Givony: Joan Beringer (No. 17 to the Minnesota Timberwolves) volition beryllium an All-Defensive squad campaigner successful 5 years. He's getting a uncommon accidental to larn from four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and chap Frenchman Rudy Gobert successful signifier each day. Beringer, who grew an inch and a fractional implicit the past year, had ne'er touched a hoops until summertime 2021, arsenic helium was focused connected shot until a precocious maturation spurt allowed him to outgrow the sport.

He proved to beryllium the apical changeable blocker successful the Adriatic League during his archetypal play of nonrecreational basketball, demonstrating exceptional instincts and agility arsenic a driblet defender and rim protector, giving him immense imaginable to turn into agelong word connected that extremity of the floor.

Woo: The Nets' draught ages amended than expected. There's a wide imaginativeness for what Brooklyn was trying to do: It bought debased connected Nolan Traore (No. 19) and Drake Powell (No. 22) coming disconnected of down seasons and it loaded up connected high-IQ passers with above-average size with Demin, Ben Saraf (No. 26) and Wolf (No. 27). Clearly, the Nets privation to physique an unselfish squad that shares the ball. I'm not arsenic acrophobic astir these guys getting successful each other's mode developmentally arsenic immoderate radical look to be.

All of these players request to amended their perimeter shooting -- which is simply a just critique and large variable. Still, I interest little astir accomplishment acceptable overlap erstwhile you're bringing unneurotic guys who emotion to pass. Letting them each commencement their careers together, physique chemistry and play a chiseled benignant should facilitate easier looks each around. The Nets look to person minutes for everybody arsenic they hole to rotation the lottery instrumentality again adjacent play -- and I deliberation astatine slightest a fewer of these players volition outkick expectations.

What is your apical overarching takeaway from this draft?

Givony: College hoops is backmost and not going distant anytime soon. After the apical 2 picks successful past year's draught came from France (Zaccharie Risacher) and via Australia (Alex Sarr), determination were zero non-collegiate planetary players selected successful the apical 10 this year, and lone six chosen successful the archetypal round. These are historically debased numbers, but they could alteration adjacent further adjacent year, arsenic we presently lone task 4 non-collegiate planetary players to beryllium picked successful the archetypal and 2nd rounds, which volition apt beryllium the lowest we've seen successful immoderate time.

The entreaty of ample NIL-related paydays successful assemblage has led galore players to stay successful schoolhouse and has attracted much planetary players to the U.S., akin to what we saw with Demin and Jakucionis. Time volition archer if revenue-sharing restrictions from the House colony reduces the precocious NIL salaries we're seeing now, which mightiness origin immoderate planetary players to enactment location and make done the accepted European hoops path.

Woo: Consensus is conscionable a concept. Nearly each the first-round surprises we saw were by-products of teams simply trusting their boards and valuation process supra each else. Whether it was Memphis ensuring it snagged Coward, New Orleans going successful large for Queen, Portland taking Yang higher than anyone expected oregon the Nets seeing worth successful making each 5 first-round picks, the draught is ever successful the oculus of the beholder, and that's wherefore mock drafts thin to spell disconnected the rails astatine a definite point.

This draught was an entertaining reminder of however galore teams are consenting to prime with condemnation and forgo immoderate the public's conception of worth mightiness be.