The NBA Draft Lottery is done, which means we have an official draft order and a winner in the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. And it was a stunner.
The Dallas Mavericks won the lottery Monday, falling backward from the disastrous Luka Dončić deal into the right to select Flagg at No. 1 on June 25. The San Antonio Spurs will have the second pick, the Philadelphia 76ers will pick third, and the Charlotte Hornets will pick fourth.
The Mavericks had just a 1.8 percent chance of winning the lottery. This run-out may be among the most unlikely in history, as the Spurs only had a 12.3 percent chance at a top-two pick and the Sixers only had a 32 percent chance at a top-three pick.
The surprising order impacts the lottery immensely, as Dallas moving up reduces one spot in the middle of the lottery for a potential point guard to be selected, possibly resulting in that position cascading down the board a bit. Additionally, don’t be surprised to see this lottery have an impact on the star trade market, as teams like the Spurs, Houston Rockets and Sixers all could look to package their selections for a potential high-impact, win-now player.
A few quick notes on the structure and format of this mock draft:
• Team needs ARE taken into account.
• Player ages are as of draft day (June 25).
• Heights listed are per official team sites and could change based on Draft Combine measurements.
1. Dallas Mavericks
Cooper Flagg | 6-9 forward | 18 years old | Duke
Flagg was going to go No. 1 regardless of who got the pick. He was the national player of the year in college basketball this season at just 18 years old after reclassifying into the 2024 recruiting class. He posted ridiculous numbers, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, but it got even better after January. In his final 25 games, including the Georgia Tech game in which he rolled an ankle after 15 minutes in the ACC tournament, Flagg posted 20.5 points, seven rebounds and 4.6 assists on 51.1 percent shooting from the field, 45.1 percent from 3 and 88 percent from the line. Duke went 23-2 in that run before falling in the Final Four to Houston in staggering fashion (despite Flagg’s 27, seven and four with two steals and three blocks in that game).
Flagg isn’t quite at the Victor Wembanyama level of prospect over the last 20 years, but he belongs in the Anthony Davis tier. And now, he’ll get to play with Davis. Barring injury, Flagg is about as can’t-miss as it gets because of his skill level, athleticism, shot-creation ability and mentality. He is about as competitive as you’ll find on the court and will bring a serious degree of work ethic into whatever situation he arrives. He wants to be great. There’s no red flag in terms of entitlement here.
It will be interesting to see how the Mavericks attack this process. Flagg can play small forward effectively but probably fits better at the power forward spot in how he creates chaos defensively off the ball. But that would mean Davis shifting back to the center spot and reducing two good players in Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford to the bench. My guess currently is that Dallas just plays Flagg at the three, but it will be interesting to see if this outcome results in Mavericks’ ownership seeing this as a get-out-of-jail-free card. Will they try to pivot in a different direction long-term, or will they double down on their roster build?
2. San Antonio Spurs
Dylan Harper | 6-6 guard | 19 years old | Rutgers
Harper was seen as being exceptionally likely to be the No. 2 pick before the lottery. I think that’s still the most likely outcome, but San Antonio getting this pick does throw things for a bit of a loop.
The Spurs just acquired De’Aaron Fox at the trade deadline. Additionally, Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle plays a similar role to Harper as a combo guard. Ultimately, I think the Spurs should just take the best talent on the board, and that’s Harper. I think he’s a better prospect than Castle, and thus, Castle’s presence shouldn’t stop you from selecting him. On top of that, getting the No. 2 pick may have actually put the Spurs in the driver’s seat for a potential superstar trade. I’m not convinced that any team will have a better top asset available for a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade than this pick.
Harper’s 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and four assists per game while shooting 48 percent from the field as a freshman guard put him in rarefied air, as few players have gotten all that close to such marks in their first year. He also creates rim pressure at an elite level, with the ability to get into the paint and finish at the basket at a serious clip with his impressive array of gathers and touch finishes at 6-6 as a lead guard.
The biggest question for Harper remains his pull-up game as a shooter, as he only hit 29.2 percent of his pull-up 3s. I watched Harper work out recently, and it’s clear that working as a scorer in ball screens, re-screens and dribble handoffs is a real emphasis for his pre-draft process. He shot the ball well in the workout that I saw. I felt like the ball would sometimes flatten out on him this season at Rutgers, but he’s starting to work on getting more consistent arc on the shot off pull-ups. Between that, his physical frame being NBA-ready, and his intel all coming back very positively even in the face of a tough season at Rutgers, Harper is very well-positioned.
3. Philadelphia 76ers
Ace Bailey | 6-10 wing/forward | 18 years old | Rutgers
I expect the Sixers to look into scenarios that involve moving this selection, especially now that they’ve moved up without getting inside the top-two picks. Their backcourt is fairly loaded with Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes and last year’s pick, Jared McCain. There could be a consideration to get a big to backup Joel Embiid, but my read is that president of basketball operations Daryl Morey would see that as a bad way to maximize the current core of players he worked hard to assemble last fall.
Bailey’s range starts at No. 3 now that the Sixers officially have the pick. They certainly could use a bigger wing to pair with Paul George. However, Bailey’s range extends a bit further down than this into even the middle portion of the lottery. He remains quite polarizing for executives and has seemed to have borne the brunt of the blame from NBA personnel for Rutgers’ poor season.
Yes, he averaged 17.6 points and seven rebounds while shooting 46 percent from the field and 34 percent from 3. But his style of play did not seem wildly conducive to winning basketball. He settles for a lot of long jumpers because he struggles to get all the way to the rim (he has a high handle and high center of gravity that gets knocked off its line a bit too easily). Defensively, he wasn’t always particularly engaged in help situations unless he saw an opportunity to go get the basketball. It will be interesting to see where the Sixers’ scouting department comes down on Bailey and his evaluation.
It’s worth noting that Rutgers was a catastrophe when Bailey wasn’t on the court. Even in Big Ten play, they lost Bailey’s minutes by only three points per 100 possessions. When he was off the court, they lost those minutes by 23 points per 100, per CBB Analytics. His presence was clearly helpful, and I think that’s what tracks most for me. Bailey is enormous, he’s long, he is a real shooter, and he showed some defensive moments that were very positive in switch situations.
4. Charlotte Hornets
V.J. Edgecombe | 6-3 guard | 19 years old | Baylor
Edgecombe ticks a lot of boxes for the Hornets. They’re a team that needs a better defensive infrastructure surrounding franchise centerpieces in LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. Ball is too inattentive on that end despite his impressive offensive skill set, and Miller is quite skinny and struggles to wall up on opposing guards and wings through his core. Edgecombe is a terrific defensive player with truly elite athleticism. He’d be a real running mate in transition for Ball early in his career while taking on the toughest defensive assignments from the two other perimeter players. On offense, the key will be how Edgecombe’s game grows. He has a lot of potential because of his special athleticism, but he needs to continue working on his ball skills, particularly with his left hand and the tightness of his handle.
Even still, he averaged 15 points, nearly six rebounds and three assists as a freshman and has a long track record of knocking down shots off the catch. This pick makes a ton of sense for the Hornets, especially given that Edgecombe’s intel is quite positive and that he is known to be a leader on the court at even this young age.
5. Utah Jazz
Tre Johnson | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | Texas
Johnson was the most impressive player I saw working out during my trip to the U.S. back in early April. He had one of the best shooting workouts I’ve ever seen from a teenage player, showcasing a serious-minded intentionality about how he goes about his craft. He displayed the ability to hit shots off movement at a high level, something that he rarely got the chance to do in an offensive scheme at Texas that could be charitably described as anachronistic but fairly described as hideously archaic. Even within that scheme, Johnson found his way into 19.9 points per game, even if he struggled a bit once he had to foray into the lane because of the team’s lack of spacing and his own still-improving overall strength level.
Utah needs a backcourt of the future. Keyonte George looks like a backup long-term because of his inefficiency and defense, and while Isaiah Collier had an excellent season passing the ball, he still doesn’t have a great way to score effectively. Johnson also fits really well within Will Hardy’s scheme, as a player who can fly off screens and knock down shots at an elite level.
6. Washington Wizards
Derik Queen | 6-10 big | 20 years old |Maryland
Wizards general manager Will Dawkins comes from the Oklahoma City school of getting guys who can dribble, pass and shoot as well as make decisions. Queen has many of those skills and averaged nearly 17 points, nine rebounds and two assists as a freshman at Maryland. He’s been exceptionally productive at every stage of his career, and he has real offensive talent that should lead to him putting up real numbers in the NBA.
Queen is also from the DMV area and is the kind of personality that this team could use as it looks to take the next step forward. I also love the fit of Queen next to Alex Sarr, as Sarr’s struggles to rebound would be helped immensely by Queen’s positional play on the interior, while still allowing the team to play with some fun five-out concepts. Sarr’s ability to protect the rim from the weak side would also help Queen’s play on the interior defensively, too. This is a fun match.
7. New Orleans Pelicans
Kon Knueppel | 6-6 guard | 19 years old | Duke
The Pelicans have already made substantive changes to their organization, firing David Griffin and hiring Joe Dumars to run basketball operations. The word out of New Orleans is simply not to expect the roster to look the same as it did this year.
They’ll be disappointed to fall in the lottery, but I love this slot for them if they can end up with Knueppel, a bigger shooter who is competitive and tough. He has a case as the best shooter in the class along with Johnson, and his overall game was more impactful this season. They’re right next to each other on my board. He also has more ball skills than you think, especially in ball screens, and was better defensively than he got credit for being. This works really well regardless of the direction the team decides to go in the future. Knueppel is the kind of big shooter who is almost scheme- and roster-proof.
8. Brooklyn Nets
Jeremiah Fears | 6-4 guard | 18 years old | Oklahoma
The reality for Fears is that teams and evaluators either really love him or they don’t. He’s a very polarizing player for evaluators around the league, because you either believe in the upside of him as a primary ballhandler and think he can be a true top-tier option, or you don’t and you think he profiles more as a backup. There are genuinely scouts and executives I’ve talked to who think he’s a top-five upside bet in this draft because of his handle and creativity. Others see him more as a backup long-term and as a bet to take in the late teens or even the 20s.
The Nets have a roster loaded with holes, but the good news is that they seem to have found an excellent coach long-term to build around in Jordi Fernandez. Fears here would make sense, as the team doesn’t really have a primary ballhandler for the long haul on its books. He is a playmaking guard who can get paint touches with his quickness and handle. However, he struggles to shoot the ball right now and isn’t a great finisher, and his defense needs a lot of work. He’s more of a project than a ready-made player. However, the ability to separate is there if he can improve his skill set.
9. Toronto Raptors
Khaman Maluach | 7-2 big | 19 years old | Duke
With Jakob Poeltl potentially hitting free agency next year, the Raptors could use a long-term answer at center. Many people around the league have connected Duke center Maluach here because of his time at the NBA Academy in Africa and Masai Ujiri’s efforts to promote basketball within the region. It’s a connection that makes a ton of sense now with the Raptors sliding back to No. 9.
Maluach isn’t a monster shot-blocker, but he understands how big he is and is excellent at using his size to cut off angles and contest on the interior. Offensively, there are more questions, largely about his hands and overall feel for the game. He got to basketball a bit late and is still working on how to see the floor around him. He also doesn’t always seem to come down with contested rebounds, as was starkly seen in Duke’s Final Four game against Houston, when he played 20 minutes and had zero rebounds. Still, someone will take the bet on a player who’s 7-2 with long arms and real movement skills.
10. Houston Rockets (via PHX)
Collin Murray-Boyles | 6-8 wing/forward | 20 years old | South Carolina
The Rockets are loaded across each position. They have a veteran point guard in Fred VanVleet and drafted their point guard of the future in Reed Sheppard at No. 3 last year; the organization is still extremely high on Sheppard despite his lack of playing time this year. They have their center of the future in Alperen Şengün. I think they will just take the best player available in the lottery, and at this spot, that’s Murray-Boyles for me. He’s a tremendous defender and would fit in perfectly with how Ime Udoka wants to play. He also passes well and has serious toughness to play with many of their players. He processes the game at an elite level and is the kind of prospect the Rockets have valued in the past.
11. Portland Trail Blazers
Kasparas Jakučionis | 6-5 guard | 19 years old | Illinois
Jakučionis is big and can play both on and off the ball, coming off a terrific freshman season in which he averaged 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. His vision is sublime, and he fits the current ecosystem of the NBA well with his dribble, pass and shoot traits. Still, he is a bit polarizing for folks around the league as he doesn’t have a ton of athletic explosiveness, and his defensive game was not always on point this year. His range is seen as somewhere from the middle to the end of the lottery.
The Blazers, in my opinion, have a tremendous frontcourt of the future with Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan. However, there are questions in the backcourt surrounding young players Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson, and they could use another offensive option to start pushing those guys. Jakučionis can play both on and off the ball, giving him the flexibility to play with either of those players.
12. Chicago Bulls
Carter Bryant | 6-8 wing | 19 years old | Arizona
Bryant didn’t start many games this year at Arizona, but he was a monster defensive player when he was on the court, showcasing serious playmaking chops as well as great on-ball play. He also knocks down a solid percentage of his 3s. Bryant is the guy in this class who seems to have a ton of juice when you talk to front offices, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him land in the top 10. I think I’d park his range in the No. 7 to No. 16 area.
The Bulls desperately need to find answers on the defensive end, especially if they’re going to go all-in on the Josh Giddey and Coby White backcourt this summer when Giddey hits restricted free agency. Bryant would give Giddey a potential transition running mate and would give them a real perimeter defender to attack opposing ballhandlers and wings with.
13. Atlanta Hawks (via SAC)
Nolan Traoré | 6-3 guard | 19 years old | Saint-Quentin
Traoré has rebounded well from a tough start to his pro season in France. Over about three months from Jan. 15 to April 6, Traoré averaged 13 points and four assists while shooting 50 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3 and 79 percent from the line. His overall numbers on the year aren’t that strong, but it’s worth remembering that he’s a teenager playing professional basketball for a full season for the first time in his career and leading his team to the cusp of the playoffs as the primary ballhandler at 13-16 on the season. He’s also dropped 20-plus points in back-to-back games recently, too.
The Hawks just moved Bogdan Bogdanović this past trade deadline. They do have Caris LeVert, but he’s entering free agency. They could use another player in the backcourt who could both play with Trae Young or could back up Young as the lead ballhandler in bench units. That’s what they were hoping for with Kobe Bufkin, who has been unable to stay healthy.
14. San Antonio Spurs (via ATL)
Noa Essengue | 6-9 forward | 18 years old | Ratiopharm Ulm
Essengue is starting to turn things on in France, with multiple 20-point outings over the last month. The 6-9 forward is a terrific athlete who moves exceedingly well for his age. He’ll be the second-youngest player in this draft class behind Cooper Flagg and is averaging 12 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 0.8 blocks per game since Jan. 22.
The questions here are largely around his polish. The jumper is starting to fall, as he’s made 35 percent from 3 in that window, but there are real mechanical issues regarding his base and balance that teams think will take a lot of time to work through, despite his solid touch. Additionally, while his defensive playmaking numbers are strong and he’s shown improvement throughout the year, his overall impact on that end isn’t all that high. He gets beaten more often off the bounce than you’d expect for this level of athleticism, and his help instincts waver. Still, he’s a young player clearly coming along well regarding his development. Don’t expect Essengue to be a valuable player next year in the NBA, but he could develop in time to be one of the better players in this draft class if he lands with the right organization.
15. Oklahoma City Thunder (via MIA)
Danny Wolf | 7-0 big | 21 years old | Michigan
Over their recent history, the Thunder have valued players with terrific positional size as well as the ability to dribble, pass and shoot for their position. Wolf is exactly that, as he’s a real creator at 7 feet with the ability to play in ball screens as a ballhandler as well as pass and make plays as a big man. He averaged 13 points, 10 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, though he had a real turnover problem owing to a bit of a high handle and wild decision-making. Defensively, there are also some questions, although I think that his overall movement skill has been underrated throughout the process. For the Thunder, Isaiah Hartenstein’s massive deal has a team option after next season, and they likely will struggle to afford him along with the extensions that will be owed to Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. Jaylin Williams will also be owed an extension by next summer, too, meaning they could easily be in the market for another big.
16. Orlando Magic
Nique Clifford | 6-6 guard | 23 years old | Colorado State
Clifford had about as strong of a close to the season as a player can have, leading Colorado State from the middle of the Mountain West in January to the cusp of the Sweet 16 if not for a Derik Queen game-winner as time expired in the Round of 32. From Feb. 8 onward, Clifford averaged 21.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, five assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 51 percent from the field, 47 percent from 3 and 80 percent from the line.
Orlando could use another player who is smart and can knock down shots from the perimeter. Clifford’s defensive play might also appeal to coach Jamahl Mosley. It is worth noting that they took a player similar to this in Tristan da Silva last year, but you can’t have enough big wings who can shoot and defend.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET)
Thomas Sorber | 6-10 big | 19 years old | Georgetown
The Timberwolves have some questions forthcoming in the frontcourt over the next couple of years. Julius Randle has starred in the playoffs but has a player option this summer. Naz Reid is a free agent. Rudy Gobert turns 33 in June. Sorber is an absolutely massive body that I think would tick some boxes for head of basketball operations Tim Connelly. He’s fluid and coordinated at 6-9 to 6-10, but moreover possesses a mammoth wingspan that I wouldn’t be stunned to see land in the 7-4 range. His frame is massive with broad shoulders.
Beyond that, he has this innate feel for the game as a passer and playmaker that Connelly has tended to value in his big men going back to even Denver, when he selected Nikola Jokić. It’s easy to see Minnesota valuing Sorber as a big man with real feel for the game as a developmental project next year who could hopefully step into a more substantive role in his second and third seasons.
18. Washington Wizards (via MEM)
Egor Demin | 6-9 guard | 19 years old | BYU
Dawkins comes from the Oklahoma City Thunder school, and he’s tended to select players with similar attributes to what the Thunder value. They love players with plus positional size, skill level, processing ability and character attributes. This is the same organization that selected bigger guards in Josh Giddey and Nikola Topić over their time, with Topić coming after Dawkins departed. Demin fits the billing. He’s a 6-9 guard who can play the point and is the best passer in the class. His vision is sublime. But he struggled to score this year. He struggled to get paint touches because his handle is not particularly developed yet, and he doesn’t have the threat of the jumper to fall back on, having made under 30 percent from distance. Still, many teams think they can fix the jumper, and if so, it would open up the rest of his game as a passer and playmaker. I’m a bit lower on Demin than this, but I’d put his range from the late lottery to No. 22 or so.
19. Brooklyn Nets (via MIL)
Asa Newell | 6-11 forward/big | 19 years old | Georgia
This strikes me as a perfect fit for Newell. He’s an all-energy big who was extremely productive at Georgia this year, averaging 15.4 points and seven rebounds as a freshman. However, his skills aren’t exactly tailor-made for the NBA. He’s a bit stuck positionally between the four and the five; scouts question whether he’ll measure to his listed height of 6-11, and he doesn’t possess a ton of length. However, he’s also not all that skilled as a shooter or ballhandler at this stage on the perimeter. The Nets would be able to develop him a bit more slowly in terms of his skill set while also giving him some playing time to let his energy wreak havoc on opposing teams.
The Nets will likely just be talent searching here with their late first-round picks.
20. Miami Heat (via GSW)
Jase Richardson | 6-3 guard | 19 years old | Michigan State
Richardson is a good bet from a talent perspective. Over his final 15 games, he averaged 16.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists versus only 0.7 turnovers. The reason those games are important is that’s the moment when Richardson entered the starting lineup after a terrific first half of the season. Richardson has great touch as a shooter and scorer but is still developing his lead guard skills. He’s not all that great of a passer, but more than that, he’s not all that great with his right hand at this stage. Most of Michigan State’s actions got the ball into his left hand and put him in advantageous actions. Teams will want to put him through several different situations during his meetings and workouts to learn more about how he can grow and develop over the next few years.
21. Utah Jazz (via MIN)
Liam McNeeley | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | Connecticut
McNeeley had an impactful freshman season for the Huskies, but his role wasn’t all that actualized for what he’s capable of doing. McNeeley averaged 14.5 points but shot just 38 percent from the field and 32 percent from 3 this year despite a reputation that would make you believe he is a serious shooter. He often ended up playing on the ball when his best role — as seen by when he played with Flagg, Queen and a star-studded team at Montverde (Fla.) Academy in high school — is off the ball. McNeeley drilled 43 percent of his unguarded catch-and-shoot 3s for UConn. However, only about 40 percent of his attempts off the catch were open looks. He also only hit 13 percent of his pull-up 3s because he struggles to separate with his handle. NBA teams love McNeeley’s competitiveness and his character. There’s a real belief that once a team gets him into the right role, you’ll see the jumper get back to the elite level it was in high school.
22. Atlanta Hawks (via LAL)
Cedric Coward | 6-6 wing | 21 years old | Washington State
Coward is my bet for this year’s riser into the first round. This might not be high enough. Coward only played six games this year, but he was lights out in those appearances, averaging 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and shooting 56 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3 and 84 percent from the line before a shoulder injury knocked him out. I saw Coward work out in Los Angeles in April, and it’s hard to overemphasize just how impressive he was. His balance and fluidity athletically are special for a player who is 6-6 with a 7-1 or so wingspan. Everything in the kinetic chain with Coward is perfect. Everything is in one motion and clean with the jumper, with easy, repeatable mechanics to pair with touch. He seems to have added some explosiveness, too. He’s a real upside swing for a team in the back half of the first round that wants to bet on his current trajectory.
Coward committed to Duke earlier this week and is a perfect fit there if he chooses to attend. But my opinion is that he will prove himself worthy of staying in the draft.
23. Indiana Pacers
Joan Beringer | 6-10 big | 19 years old | Cedevita
Indiana loves these athletic big men and could use another player to develop into a backup role this summer, even if Myles Turner decides to stick around. The Pacers need a long-term backup center solution. Beringer might not be ready to step into that role from day one, but he possesses the kind of tools necessary to turn into a tremendous running partner out in transition for Tyrese Haliburton down the road. He’s a tremendous leaper who can sky for the basketball, but more than that, his hands are phenomenal. He catches everything both in and outside of his area with ease. He fits the archetype of a rim-running, shot-swatting big man who will have low offensive usage but be able to play in versatile situations on defense if his game develops well over the next three years.
24. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LAC)
Noah Penda | 6-8 forward | 20 years old | Le Mans
The Thunder have a pretty significant roster crunch to the point that it will be difficult to bring two rookies onto the team next season. I would expect them to look to either stash or trade one of these players; otherwise, they will need to make significant movements near the end of their roster to dump a few of their recent draft picks. Given that I’m not projecting trades here, I’ve gone with Penda, who I’m not convinced would even agree to be a stash.
Penda ticks a lot of the developmental dribble, pass, shoot and defend boxes that the Thunder has tended to value at 6-8, 245 pounds. He’s averaging nearly 10 points per game to go with five rebounds and three assists. I think his defense is slightly overrated by his counting stats, as he can gamble from time to time, but he’s physical and projects to be switchable on that end long-term as long as his footspeed stays at a solid level as he ages. He also rotates around the court well and knows where he’s supposed to be.
25. Orlando Magic (via DEN)
Walter Clayton Jr. | 6-3 guard | 22 years old | Florida
Clayton is this year’s big NCAA Tournament riser. The Florida guard was the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 18 points and four assists this year while shooting 45 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3 and 88 percent from the line. But more than that, the level of shot-making that Clayton can showcase at times is truly special. He can get to his shot from any footwork or any angle on the court, especially from distance. He’s comfortable using a change-of-pace dribble to get to a stepback, and then can also attack and drive off that to score around the rim. He’s a former high school quarterback and has real athleticism out there. The questions for me are twofold. First, his ball-screen reads weren’t always on point. He was terrific against Houston in the championship game, but the picture often looked a bit cloudy in terms of his decision-making. Then, on defense, the real question is if he’s a bit too far in-between positions. He got better this year as a senior but wasn’t always reliable throughout his college career. That’s concerning for an older, undersized player. Still, teams love Clayton’s toughness, and I would expect to hear his name called in the first round.
26. Brooklyn Nets (via NYK)
Hugo González | 6-6 wing/forward | 19 years old | Real Madrid
Gonzalez is a tremendous athlete playing in Spain for Real Madrid and has started to get some playing time here and there for the senior team as a teenager. He plays with an exceptional motor and just consistently plays incredibly hard all of the time. He’s one of those dudes who always gives second and third efforts across the board, both on offense and defense, to get loose balls. From a skill perspective, Gonzalez shows some on-ball ability, but it’s going to take time for him to get to NBA level with it. The swing skill here will be the jumper. He’s good enough to be an impactful defender and off-ball player. However, he’s going to have to make 3s. So far this year, he’s only made 29 percent, and it’s never been consistent.
27. Brooklyn Nets (via HOU)
Rasheer Fleming | 6-9 forward | 20 years old | Saint Joseph’s
Fleming very much looks the part at 6-9 with a 7-4 wingspan. He’s also a very real athlete with leaping ability as well as a chiseled frame that allows him to play with force and strength on both ends. He averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, then on top of it drilled 39 percent from 3. The idea here is a 3-and-D forward who can potentially be switchable and guard across the positional spectrum while also drilling 3s. But he doesn’t yet process things happening around him on the court all that quickly and needs to keep getting experience. But any team that values looking the part as well as the potential to shoot it will definitely have interest in Fleming.
28. Boston Celtics
Labaron Philon | 6-4 guard | 19 years old | Alabama
NBA teams are excited to see Philon up close during the pre-draft process after a breakout freshman season at Alabama that didn’t necessarily answer all the questions about his potential as a one-and-done. On the plus side, he’s a terrific athlete who played whatever role Alabama asked of him this year. Sometimes he was on the ball, taking ball screens and running the offense. Other times, he was asked to be a secondary ballhandler and attack creases when they presented themselves, then make reads off that to either finish or kick the ball out. On defense, I liked his energy and activity. Philon’s draft range is pretty wide right now. He could immensely help himself during the pre-draft process and see himself spike far up the board, or he ends up more in the late-first, early-second range.
29. Phoenix Suns (via CLE)
Ben Saraf | 6-6 guard | 19 years old | Ratiopharm Ulm
Saraf is on Ulm in Germany with Essengue and is a bit more decorated than his French teammate. He won MVP of the Under-18 European Championships this past summer while putting together one of the best scoring performances in the event’s history. Since then, he’s been a bit up and down. He’s averaging 12.1 points and 4.3 assists this season while shooting 45 percent from the field because he’s excellent with his gathers on drives and sharp with his midrange game, but he also has games when he’ll miss several shots and look out of sorts if teams fight to take away his left hand. He’s extremely dominant on that wing, and he needs to continue adding to his overall handle package.
The Suns could use more playmaking and ballhandling across the court, and Saraf’s combo-guard tendencies in addition to his passing vision would be a strong fit.
30. LA Clippers (via OKC)
Ryan Kalkbrenner | 7-1 big | 23 years old | Creighton
The Clippers could use another backup center option given that Ben Simmons is currently playing the role for them in the playoffs and is a free agent this summer. Kalkbrenner is massive at 7-1 and is an expert in drop coverage with his angles and length. His presence would allow the Clippers to experience less of a dropoff when Ivica Zubac, one of the best centers in the NBA this season, leaves the court. Kalkbrenner averaged 19 points and nine rebounds this year and has consistently been one of the best defensive players in the country over the last four years, winning the Big East’s Defensive Player of the Year award in each season.
Second round
31. Minnesota Timberwolves (via UTA): Will Riley | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | Illinois
32. Boston Celtics (via Washington): Tahaad Pettiford | 6-0 guard | 19 years old | Auburn
33. Charlotte Hornets: Yaxel Lendeborg | 6-8 forward | 22 years old | UAB
34. Charlotte Hornets (via NOP): Kam Jones | 6-5 wing | 22 years old | Marquette
35. Philadelphia 76ers: Johni Broome | 6-10 big | 22 years old| Auburn
36. Brooklyn Nets: Drake Powell | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | North Carolina
37. Detroit Pistons (via Toronto): Tyrese Proctor | 6-6 guard | 21 years old | Duke
38. San Antonio Spurs: Adou Thiero | 6-8 wing | 21 years old | Arkansas
39. Toronto Raptors (via Portland): Darrion Williams | 6-6 wing | 22 years old | Texas Tech
40. Washington Wizards (via Phoenix): Milos Uzan | 6-4 guard | 22 years old | Houston
41. Golden State Warriors (via Miami): John Tonje | 6-5 wing | 23 years old | Wisconsin
42. Sacramento Kings (via Chicago): Maxime Raynaud | 7-0 center | 22 years old | Stanford
43. Utah Jazz (via Dallas): Alex Toohey | 6-7 wing/forward | 21 years old | Sydney Kings
44. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Atlanta): Bogoljub Markovic | 6-11 forward | 19 years old | Mega
45. Chicago Bulls (via Sacramento): Rocco Zikarsky | 7-3 big | 19 years old | Brisbane Bullets
46. Orlando Magic: Micah Peavy | 6-7 wing | 23 years old | Georgetown
47. Milwaukee Bucks (via Detroit): Sion James | 6-5 guard | 23 years old | Duke
48. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Milwaukee): Dink Pate | 6-7 guard | 19 years old | Mexico City Capitanes
49. New York Knicks (via Memphis): Chaz Lanier | 6-5 wing | 24 years old | Tennessee
50. Memphis Grizzlies (via Golden State): Hansen Yang | 7-1 center | 20 years old | Qingdao
51. LA Clippers (via Minnesota): Yanic Konan Niederhauser | 7-0 big | 22 years old | Penn State
52. Utah Jazz (via LA Clippers): Max Shulga | 6-5 guard | 23 years old | VCU
53. Phoenix Suns (via Denver): Alijah Martin | 6-2 guard | 23 years old | Florida
54. Indiana Pacers: Koby Brea | 6-7 wing | 23 years old | Kentucky
55. Los Angeles Lakers: Izan Almansa | 6-10 forward | 20 years old | Perth Wildcats
56. Memphis Grizzlies (via Houston): Hunter Sallis | 6-5 guard | 22 years old | Wake Forest
57. Orlando Magic (via Boston): Ryan Nembhard | 6-0 guard | 22 years old | Gonzaga
58. Cleveland Cavaliers: Vladislav Goldin | 7-1 center | 22 years old | Michigan
59. Houston Rockets (via Oklahoma City): Amari Williams | 6-11 big | 23 years old | Kentucky
(Note: The New York Knicks have forfeited their 2025 second-round pick because of free-agency shenanigans.)
(Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos of, from left, Dylan Harper, Cooper Flagg and Tre Johnson: Patrick Smith /Getty Images; Craig Strobeck and Maria Lysaker /Imagn Images)