NBA mock draft 2025: Perfect picks for each team in the first round

June 12, 2025

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Evaluating the 2025 NBA Draft class has been the ultimate rollercoaster. This group entered the year looking like it could potentially be one of the strongest classes in recent memory, but much of that optimism faded by the midway point in the season. We are left with a draft class that has a generational No. 1 overall pick, a strong No. 2 overall pick, and then a bunch of high-upside prospects with enough flaws to tank their careers if things play out poorly.

Cooper Flagg is a lock to go No. 1 overall the Mavericks. Dylan Harper will be the No. 2 pick, to the San Antonio Spurs, unless they make a surprise decision to trade out. After that, things get murky. The Philadelphia 76ers have a number of good choices at No. 3 overall, but no clear answer. The Brooklyn Nets reportedly want to move up from No. 8, but will anyone ahead of them make their pick available?

Less than two weeks out from the draft, I always like to think about what would make for a perfect pick when a team comes on the clock. This mock is a combination of my own player rankings (which will be published in the days to come) and team need. Here are the picks that would draw an A-grade on draft night.

1. Dallas Mavericks – Cooper Flagg, F, Duke

Flagg checks every box for a No. 1 overall pick, and he has a legitimate case as the best American basketball prospect since LeBron James. Flagg put up monster production in leading Duke to the Final Four as the youngest player in this draft class with a Dec. 2006 birthday. He has an ideal combination of positional size, athleticism, IQ, and burgeoning skill. The Maine native developed his reputation as an off-ball playmaker on both ends of the floor, but his lone season of college proved that he’s an elite offensive engine in the making with the ball in his hands. It’s still hard to believe the Mavericks jumped up in the lottery to land the No. 1 overall pick after their awful Luka Doncic trade in Feb. I still think the Mavs should fire Nico Harrison, trade Anthony Davis, and reset for the future around Flagg. He’s going to be an impactful two-way player right away, but he’s still years away from hitting his prime, and that’s when Dallas really needs to be loading up.

2. San Antonio Spurs – Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers

Harper has had a stranglehold the No. 2 pick in this draft, and I have no qualms with that. Every team in the NBA is looking for big guards who can generate paint touches at will, and finish with soft touch or kick out to teammates as the defense rotates. That’s Harper’s game in a nutshell. He’s massive for a lead ball handler at 6’6 with a 6’10.5 wingspan, and he uses his length defensively by applying impressive ball pressure against smaller guards. He showed an incredible combination of downhill driving and finishing despite not exactly having nuclear hops around the basket. Harper’s three-point shot is a question mark, and that makes him a bit of an odd fit in San Antonio with two other shaky shooters in De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle already entrenched in the backcourt. I think there are some interesting trade scenarios here whether the Spurs swing for a superstar or trade down to acquire more future picks while staying in the top-10, but ultimately it’s hard to pass on a prospect with Harper’s upside.

3. Philadelphia 76ers – Kon Knueppel, G, Duke

I keep going back-and-forth between Knueppel and VJ Edgecombe for this pick. Neither is a perfect fit positionally for a Sixers team that already has two smaller guards in the backcourt in Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain, but a team picking in the top-three ultimately needs to prioritize taking the best available player. Knueppel was Duke’s unsung hero next to Flagg during his freshman season, providing knockdown shooting and pinch of pick-and-roll playmaking that should serve him well in the NBA. He should offer immense shooting gravity with a three-year track record of elite three-point shooting dating back to high school, and I think his feel for the game and toughness are impressive enough to help him overcome his average length and athletic explosiveness. No matter what the futures of Joel Embiid and Paul George hold, Knueppel is a winning player who fits into any number of lineup constructions.

4. Charlotte Hornets – VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor

Edgecombe might be the most explosive athlete in the class, and his spot-up shooting and defensive playmaking are appealing enough to make him a candidate for the third overall pick. Charlotte should be thrilled if he’s still on the board at No. 4. Edgecombe should be an ideal fit in an uptempo offense led by LaMelo Ball, and his ability to force turnovers on defense should get the team out and running. He still needs plenty of refinement in his offensive game, particularly as a pull-up shooter and rim finisher. Edgecombe’s elite athleticism paired with his ability to avoid turnovers and contribute on the glass gives him a safer floor, and he still could have an All-Star ceiling if he develops more craft offensively. He fits nicely between Ball and Brandon Miller, and could help Charlotte find the identity it badly needs.

5. Utah Jazz – Khaman Maluach, C, Duke

I’m buying Maluach’s upside because of his ridiculous length, skilled rim finishing, defensive paint protection, and shooting potential. The Duke freshman measured at nearly 7’1 barefoot with a wingspan a tick under 7’7 and a 9’6 standing reach, which will make him one of the tallest and longest players in the league. He was a hyper-efficient scorer in a narrow role for Duke with 73.6 percent true shooting bouyed by 77 percent finishing at the rim. Maluach put up only pedestrian block and rebounding rates for someone with his size, but Duke switched him a lot on the perimeter and he looked comfortable defending in space. I like that he makes his free throws (76.6 percent) and showed a willingness to take threes before arriving in Durham. The Jazz are so far away from being competitive that they need a high upside swing, and to me Maluach has the highest ceiling in the class after Flagg and Harper.

6. Washington Wizards – Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina

Here’s my first curveball of this mock. The Wizards have gone for tools over production in the last two drafts with Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly, and now I think it’s time for them to go the other way. Murray-Boyles will invite obvious skepticism from front offices as an undersized big man who can’t shoot threes yet, but he’s so strong in almost every other area that he still has a pathway to high-level impact. The South Carolina sophomore is the best defensive player in this class with an impressive combo of strength and length (7’1 wingspan). He’s a plus ball handler and passer for his position offensively, and he can take opposing bigs off the dribble as a bully-ball scorer. With Sarr preferring to float to the perimeter to take threes, Murray-Boyles is a fascinating fit here who could serve as an offensive hub while providing some much needed defensive backbone for a young team. His leadership qualities and intangibles seem off the charts, and if his three-point shot ever comes around, he could be one of the biggest steals of this class.

7. New Orleans Pelicans – Tre Johnson, G, Texas

The Pelicans would be thrilled to see the board break like this with Johnson, Jeremiah Fears, and Ace Bailey all still available at No. 7 — a highly unlikely scenario in reality. I’m going with Johnson as a quick-trigger shooting guard who wouldn’t take the ball out of Zion Williamson’s hands and could help fix the three-point issues that doomed the Pelicans’ offense this year. If Williamson is going to be part of New Orleans’ long-term future, he needs shooters around him, and Johnson has a case alongside Knueppel as the top shooter in the class. His game is more well-rounded than it gets credit for, with some decent flashes of passing and on-ball defensive intensity. Johnson can takeover a game as a scorer when he gets hot, and that’s a nice complement to have playing off Zion’s scoring gravity. If the Pelicans keep Trey Murphy and Herb Jones around, suddenly there’s a nucleus for a competitive team if everything comes together, starting with Williamson’s health.

8. Brooklyn Nets – Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma

There are plenty of rumors that the Nets want to move up to draft Fears, and in this scenario he falls to them with the eighth pick. Fears is a true upside swing with impressive production in a tough conference at a super young age (he won’t turn 19 until Oct.). He has the best combination of speed and ball handling in the class, which allows him to get wherever he wants on the floor. The issue with Fears right now is that he was a poor rim finisher (53 percent) and a shaky three-point shooter (28 percent) as a freshman with the Sooners. There should be hope that his finishing can improve as he gains strength and craft, and there’s reason to believe in his shooting development given his touch from the free throw line and mid-range, combined his flashes of deep range this season. Fears needs plenty of physical and skill development, but he does some things that can’t be taught, and his production against SEC teams was impressive given his youth.

9. Toronto Raptors – Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers

Bailey likely won’t be on the board at No. 9, but this would have to be his absolute floor. The Raptors have an affinity for players like Bailey, a 6’9 wing with an elite high school pedigree who is still growing into his body and his game. Bailey’s talent is obvious from the moment he walks into the gym as a tall wing scorer with fantastic shot-making ability and elite physical tools. It’s hard to find players with this combination of length (7-foot wingspan), athletic explosiveness, and shooting touch, and Bailey checks all three boxes. The issue with Bailey is he doesn’t really know how to play basketball yet: he showcases poor court vision and an inability to get his teammates involved as a passer. He can make some awesome recovery plays defensively, but his initial mental lapses can compromise a team defensive structure. I don’t see star upside on Bailey until his handle and all-around awareness improves, but he should still have a high-floor with his physicality and shooting. This would be a home run pick for the Raptors at No. 9.

10. Houston Rockets – Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois

The Rockets were named as one of five teams interested in Kevin Durant, and this pick is likely going out in any trade package. If Phoenix were picking here, Jase Richardson would be the odds-on favorite given the Suns’ glaring Michigan State bias. Should Houston keep this pick, Jakucionis would give them a dimension they don’t currently have on the roster. The Lithuanian point guard is one of the most gifted passers in this class, whether he’s running pick-and-roll in the halfcourt or getting his team out in transition with hit-ahead passes. His stepback three can be a deadly weapon, and he showed an ability to get to the foul line at Illinois. Jakucionis isn’t a very good athlete, and he had massive turnover problems when teams started to blitz him this year. I’m worried about his ability to score from two-point range, and if he can even get to neutral defensively. Still, Jakucionis’ passing can be special, and if his pull-up three is falling, he can really stress an opposing defense. He’s worth a shot in the late lottery or middle part of the first-round.

11. Portland Trail Blazers – Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State

It’s a common refrain that you can’t teach size and athleticism. Can the same be said for feel? If so, Jase Richardson is an easy lottery pick in this class with razor-sharp IQ matched with elite three-point shooting ability. Richardson took off as soon as Michigan State finally inserted him in the starting lineup in Feb., turning into a deadly off-ball scorer who rarely turned the ball over. If only the son of Jason Richardson had his father’s size. The freshman guard measured at 6-foot at the combine, but his 6’6 wingspan does give him solid length. It will be interesting to see if Richardson can scale up after a low-usage role in college, but even if he can’t, his skill set still feels like a good fit for a Blazers team that needs shooting and connective passing. Even scarier than his lack of size might be his injury history: Richardson had a hole in his femur that required a bone graft in high school. If the injury is no longer a concern, Portland could easily cover Richardson on defense with monsters like Donovan Clingan and Toumani Camara on the floor. His ability to find soft spots in the opposing defense could help their offense take off. It’s hard for a small guard to make it in today’s league, but Richardson’s skill set gives him a great chance to do it.

12. Chicago Bulls – Noa Essengue, F, Ulm

Essengue’s combination of size, athleticism, and production in a pro league at an extremely young age makes up the basis for his case as a lottery pick. The 6’10 French forward is the second youngest player in this draft behind Flagg with a Dec. 2006 birthday, and he’s already been stuffing box scores all season long in the top German league for Ulm. His scoring efficiency has been undeniably impressive with 62.7 percent true shooting, and he’s done well to hit the glass (20.1 percent defensive rebound rate) and find his ways into blocks and steals defensively. Essengue just doesn’t have a very polished dribble, pass, and shoot skill set at this point, and that makes his projection a little bit tricky. He’s only made 28 percent of his threes this season on 122 attempts, his 8.4 percent assist rate is super low, and while his handle looks good in the open floor, it can easily be disrupted by ball pressure. Still, Essengue’s switchable defense on the perimeter and length at the rim is an appealing combination, and the fact that he’s been scoring well without a good jump shot yet is impressive. The Bulls need to draft for ceiling, and Essengue’s is high given his tools and production.

13. Atlanta Hawks – Carter Bryant, F, Arizona

The Hawks have sought to surround Trae Young with length, athleticism, and defensive upside, and Bryant would be another perfect fit for that mold. The Arizona freshman put up big-time defensive playmaking numbers and flashed spot-up shooting potential this year. He has a great frame for a pro wing at 6’8 with a 7-foot wingspan, and he looked like an explosive athlete at both ends. Bryant can’t really create his own shot yet and he isn’t much of a passer, but as long as he continues knocking down shots as a floor spacer, his defense should get him on the floor and give him a long career.

14. San Antonio Spurs – Derik Queen, F/C, Maryland

There’s a case for Queen as one of the highest upside players in this draft class. The freshman big man was a powerful and efficient inside scorer who flashed the potential to grow as a passer during a fantastic season at Maryland. Queen is impossible to contain in the middle of the floor with surprising ball handling ability, an innate knowledge of how to get his defender off balance, and soft touch near the rim. The team that takes Queen has to believe in his star outcomes, because his role player translation is a way bigger question mark. Queen is undersized for a center, and showed poor defensive habits and conditioning. He only made four three-pointers all year, and isn’t a reliable floor spacer. The questions about his defense and shooting are scary for a top-10 selection, but Queen is such a good scorer that he should be able to overcome it. This would be a dream haul for the Spurs with Harper and Queen, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see this pick traded for Kevin Durant.

15. Oklahoma City Thunder – Thomas Sorber, C, Georgetown

Sorber is a throwback big man who can protect the paint, rebound, screen, and make some impressive passing reads. He has one of the best combinations of length and strength in this class, with a monstrous +9 wingspan offsetting some concerns about his lack of height at 6’9.25 without shoes. Sorber isn’t an explosive athlete off the ground, but he knows where he be defensively and he takes up a lot of space. He can play a little heavy at times and doesn’t provide any shooting or spacing value yet. It feels like the Thunder have targeted traits like the ones Sorber possesses, and he could give the team a long-term replacement for Isaiah Hartenstein if he needs to be moved in a trade.

16. Orlando Magic – Walter Clayton Jr., G, Florida

The Magic need shooting in the worst way possible, and Clayton Jr. gave a convincing pitch that he should be an option to fill it during March Madness. The Florida guard went on a nuclear run as a scorer and shot-maker to lead the Gators to the national championship, and his deep range and ability to create his own shot could translate well to the next level. Clayton isn’t very big at 6’2 barefoot with a 6’4 wingspan, and he’s more of a solid passer than a spectacular one. Orlando has plenty of length elsewhere on the roster to insulate him defensively, and his greatest skill is a perfect match for Orlando’s biggest weakness.

17. Minnesota Timberwolves – Nique Clifford, F, Colorado State

Clifford will be 24 years old as a rookie and doesn’t have a signature skill to hang his hat on, but he impacts the game in so many areas without taking much off the table. Clifford was a defensive ace early in his career before expanding his shooting range and finally growing as an on-ball engine this year for Colorado State. He hit 37.5 percent of his threes on 279 attempts across his final two years in college. His growth as a playmaker was just as impressive this year, with a 26.8 percent assist rate while still being an efficient volume scorer. Clifford isn’t overly impressive with his length/strength/athleticism and he’ll be in a much smaller usage role in the NBA, but he has a way of filling in the cracks that feels perfect for a contender like the Wolves.

18. Washington Wizards – Cedric Coward, F, Washington State

Coward is this year’s mystery man in the draft. He started his college career at the D3 level, spent two years at Eastern Washington, and played just six games at Washington State before a torn labrum ended his season. He had Duke and Alabama in a bidding war for his services in the transfer portal, but NBA teams were so impressed by his measurements, interviews, and shooting stroke that he’s now a possible lottery pick. Coward’s 7’2+ wingspan and 40 percent shooting stroke from three has obvious appeal. He struggled against top competition throughout his college career, and it’s hard to project if he can create his own shot at all against NBA defenses. At this point in the draft, taking a swing on a wing with length and shooting seems like a fine bet for the Wizards.

19. Brooklyn Nets – Noah Penda, F, Le Mans

Penda is a strong and long wing with playmaking ability on both ends of the floor. Measuring at 6’7.25 barefoot and 242 pounds with a 6’11.5 wingspan, the French wing has tons of length and strength while exhibiting a strong feel for the game on both ends. Penda is one of the better defensive wing prospects in this class with a keen understanding of how to rotate to fill in the gaps and muck up driving lanes. On offense, he keeps the ball moving around the perimeter and has shown good instincts as a cutter. Penda isn’t a good shooter right now, and it’s possible he’ll be a little slow in the NBA. He’s a good swing for a team like Brooklyn with multiple picks.

20. Miami Heat – Adou Thiero, F, Arkanas

Thiero rivals Edgecombe as the most explosive athlete in the class. He hammered home 45 dunks in 27 games this year, shot 68 percent at the rim, and flew by opponents in the open floor. Thiero leverages his mix of length (7-foot wingspan) and explosiveness to wreck havoc defensively, where he’s great at the getting into the passing lanes and can provide some secondary rim protection. The issue for is that he’s a terrible outside shooter after making 28.4 percent of his threes on only 74 attempts across three seasons of college ball. Miami feels like a perfect place to unleash his physicality and help him hone in skill set.

21. Utah Jazz – Rasheer Fleming, F, St. Joseph’s

Fleming’s length and strength combination is unassailable with a wingspan over 7’5 and a 232-pound frame. He caught the NBA’s attention with a significant shooting leap as a junior at St. Joe’s, where he knocked down 39 percent of his threes on 159 attempts. Fleming struggles to create his own shot and I worry he could be a little slow defensively, but his size and shooting projection gives him a safe floor for a role player. Utah’s length would be scary if they were to land Fleming and Maluach like they do in this mock.

22. Atlanta Hawks – Asa Newell, F, Georgia

Newell will probably go higher than this, and he could make sense for the Hawks’ first pick at No. 13, too. The Georgia freshman is an explosive play finisher who dunked 57 times in 33 games, and shot 73 percent at the rim. There’s some shooting upside here too, but Newell’s shot still has a long way to go after hitting only 29.2 percent on 89 attempts. He’s a bit caught between positions in the NBA, not big enough to play the five and potentially not quick enough to play the four. Still, Newell could run with Trae Young and finish plays when he’s set up.

23. Indiana Pacers – Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton

Kalkbrenner was a five-year college player at Creighton who won three Big East Defensive Player of the Year awards for his tremendous rim protection. He’s a massive center at 7’1 barefoot with a 7’6 wingspan, and should be able to walk into a role as a reserve shot blocker. Kalkbrenner also started to stretch out his shooting range this past season by knocking down 21 threes at a 34.4 percent clip. His awesome rim finishing should translate to the next level even if the shot doesn’t. The Pacers’ front court has looked shaky at times on this magical playoff run when its starters are off the floor, and it’s possible Kalkbrenner could be a stabilizing force in a smaller role if he could keep up with the pace.

24. Oklahoma City Thunder – Egor Demin, G, BYU

I gave my take on Demin already, but at some point his intersection of size and passing is worth a swing. The Thunder love big passers, and they’ve developed shooting ability in many players before. A deep team like OKC that could allow Demin to work on his body before he needs to play big minutes could be an ideal landing spot.

25. Orlando Magic – Will Riley, G, Illinois

Riley is a walking bucket. The Illinois freshman scored in the 90th percentile on isolation possessions with an endless array of moves for creating separation and soft touch as a shooter. Riley showed the ability to get three-pointers up with volume even if his 32 percent accuracy leaves a lot to be desired. He needs some time to add strength to his frame and go from shot-maker to shooter, but Riley’s scoring upside and flashes of passing ability make him a worthy target for Orlando at either No. 16 or No. 25.

26. Brooklyn Nets – Joan Beringer, C, KK Cedevita Junior

Beringer is a long-and-mobile French big man who could get looks in the lottery if the recent buzz is to be believed. He brings a ton of length (7’5 wingspan) and mobility to any front court, which helps him swat shots and catch lobs near the rim. The rest of his offensive game is underdeveloped, but Beringer knows his role and usually plays with energy at both ends.

27. Brooklyn Nets – Kam Jones, G, Marquette

Jones was always known as a good shooter during his first three years at Marquette, but he turned into one of the best playmakers in college basketball as a senior. The 6’4 guard can generate paint touches with tight ball handling ability and sudden burst, and his passing vision is a legitimate strength now. As Jones’ point guard duties ramped up, his shot fell off (31.1 percent), and his four-year struggles from the free throw line cloud his shooting projection a bit. It feels like he has a safe floor as a bench guard and some upside to be more than that, which makes him a worthy first-round pick in a thin class.

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament - Sweet Sixteen - Atlanta

28. Boston Celtics – Danny Wolf, F, Michigan

Wolf has the size of a center and the skills of a point guard. Watching him run a supersized pick-and-roll at Michigan was one of the true joys of the college basketball season, but his significant turnover problems makes me skeptical he’ll stay in an on-ball role in the NBA. Wolf moves his feet well enough defensively to give himself a chance, and Boston feels like a good spot to develop his shooting. The Celtics could have plenty of minutes available next year with Jayson Tatum sidelined, and Wolf has enough upside if everything comes together to make this a worthy swing.

29. Phoenix Suns – Nolan Traore, G, Saint Quentin

Traore was hyped as a potential top-5 pick going into the year before really struggling with his outside shot and scoring efficiency. He’s still one of the fastest players with the ball in his hands in this class, and his pass-first approach would pair well next to Devin Booker. Getting this type of talent so late in a thin draft would be a huge win for Phoenix.

30. Los Angles Clippers – Liam McNeeley, F, UConn

McNeeley was an elite shooter in high school before struggling with his shot (31.7 percent from three) during his one year at UConn. He’s limited athletically and will have to work to avoid being targeted defensively, but his positional size and off-ball scoring will be enticing at a certain point. The Clippers can use more shooters, and McNeeley is still promising in that area despite a poor college season.