With the 2025 NBA Draft lower than a month away, there are nonetheless many inquiries to reply and plenty of potentialities stay unrevealed. We handle 5 burning questions on this yr’s draft.
The 2025 NBA Draft is ready for June 25.
1. Is Cooper Flagg the Actual No. 1 prospect on this Draft?In a nut shell, sure. Flagg has established himself as a prime prospect, significantly after his excellent senior yr at Montverde (Fla.), the place his workforce gained the FAB 50 nationwide title and he was named Mr. Basketball USA. Whereas at Duke, he guided the Blue Devils to the Closing 4 and acquired quite a few accolades as effectively. Flagg averaged 19.2 ppg with taking pictures splits of 48 p.c total and 38.5 p.c from 3-point vary, demonstrating constant effectivity. On the defensive facet is the place he’s a difference-maker, he led Duke in blocks and steals, averaging 1.4 per recreation. Much like Anthony Davis, Flagg is a particular two-way prospect, as is capacity, assured method and large play capacity place him as this draft’s most NBA-ready prospect.
2. Who’s the Second Greatest Prospect?Dylan Harper has emerged because the projected No. 2 total choose within the draft. His taking part in fashion has drawn comparisons to Cade Cunningham, resulting from his scoring mindset and dimension, and James Harden, for his capacity to influence video games by way of playmaking and scoring. This season Harper excelled alongside fellow projected prime 5 choose Ace Bailey, as Harper led the workforce in scoring, averaging 19.4 ppg, and recorded a team-high 4 assists per recreation, showcasing his playmaking capacity. Harper is an NBA-ready combo guard able to entering into a big position, whether or not on or off the ball. A big concern surrounding the second choose is whether or not the San Antonio Spurs will commerce it as an asset or incorporate the choose into their plans. However, Harper holds essentially the most worth at No. 2 no matter which groups holds the rights to that choice on draft evening.
3. Is This the Deepest Draft in Latest Reminiscence?Just a few months in the past, the 2025 draft was anticipated to be one of many deepest drafts in historical past, however that hypothesis has diminished not too long ago. This draft is robust on the prime, as the highest 4 to 5 projected picks of 2025 all would have been picked No. 1 in 2024. Over the previous few weeks, a handful of projected first-round picks and high-level second spherical picks have pulled out, making this draft a little bit of a wild card exterior of the lottery. Regardless of a few of the depth being depleted, I see a handful of future NBA all-stars on this crop.
4. Can Upperclassmen Impression This Draft Down the Line?Sure, seniors and different upperclassmen can influence this draft. Older gamers have extra expertise and often a extra NBA-ready physique than one-and-done gamers. Additionally they have a clearer understanding of their strengths and weaknesses as they enter the league, due to the challenges they confronted in school basketball and these days from numerous teaching staffs. As coaches and scouts wish to say, “they’ve gotten over themselves.” Two gamers I like and would control that fall into the class of potential influence gamers are Washington State’s Eric Coward and Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier. The 21-year outdated Coward began out school as a D3 participant, starred at Jap Washington and seemed to have a monster yr for the Cougars earlier than tearing his labrum. NBA scouts love his dimension and size (7-foot-2 wingspan) and appears like he can defend his place within the league. Lanier is 23 and a half years outdated, so you understand he can take teaching, and has a piece ethic that groups may need to take an opportunity on. Lanier shot 39.5 p.c from 3-point vary and is aware of how you can make the most of his taking pictures in each pull up and catch and shoot conditions.
5. Who’s the Most Underrated Projected First Rounder?Walter Clayton Jr. of Florida, and I really feel he can be a lottery choose if he was youthful (turned 22 in March). Clayton is a winner and probably the greatest shooters on this draft. Clayton shot over 40 p.c from lengthy vary this season for the Gartors and 39 p.c for his collegiate profession. With good measurements on the mix and stable numbers this previous yr, Clayton will immediately profit any workforce that selects him due to his shot making capacity in numerous on ball conditions and clutch tendencies. His versatility enhances his worth, as he can play on and off the ball as a playmaker or scorer. Clayton can operate as a secondary guard alongside the starters or present a prompt the bench because the chief of the second unit as a result of he can gentle it up in a rush.
