2025 NBA Mock Draft: Jazz get Cooper Flagg, Raptors get Traore and Hornets pick up Bailey
The NBA season has arrived and the college basketball season is right around the corner. That means it’s time for another 2025 NBA Mock Draft, placing the stars of tomorrow in their possible future homes. I’ll base these picks on what I would do at each spot, as it’s impossible to predict how the draft will shake out this far away.
We’ll be running a Tankathon simulation to determine the order for this mock. Because the season is young, some of these results may not hold up as the year progresses. For the moment, let’s enjoy the chaos.
1. Utah Jazz - Cooper Flagg, F, Duke
In this universe, the Utah Jazz capture the Flagg, hopefully providing some direction going forward. Utah would be lucky to land this high in the order given Will Hardy’s floor-raising abilities and the roster talent. But a two-way talent like Cooper Flagg would change the course of the Jazz’s outlook. He projects as a legitimate superstar, capable of developing into one of the NBA’s best defenders and a versatile offensive piece.
2. Toronto Raptors - Nolan Traore, PG, Saint Quentin
The Raptors will have plenty of options for their long-term lead guard of the future atop the 2025 draft loaded with guard talent. Nolan Traore’s ceiling as a true primary initiator is the highest on account of his elite burst and advantage creation skill. To begin his season with Saint Quentin, Traore has shot the ball well off of the dribble and is defending his tail off. This version of Traore looks like a future star franchise point guard, something the Raptors are still searching for.
3. Washington Wizards - Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers
Washington has constructed a promising young core, headlined by Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr. Drafting Harper could help complete the group, adding a star upside guard with positional versatility on both ends. With elite strength, poise and vision, Harper can run a team’s offense, function off of the ball and defend the point of attack. He’s a no-brainer selection here for the Wizards.
4. Charlotte Hornets - Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
Bailey follows his Rutgers teammate Dylan Harper, landing in a wing-needy Hornets organization. He’d help complement Charlotte’s promising backcourt talent, adding another scorer to release pressure for LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Tre Mann. Developing as a defender, driver and decision-maker will help Bailey reach his ceiling as a star shotmaking wing at the NBA level.
5. Detroit Pistons - Rocco Zikarsky, C, Brisbane
To begin the 2024-25 season, Jalen Duren still processes the game slower than the Pistons would like on the defensive end. The Pistons could turn to Zikarsky, adding a gigantic, 7’3 center with imposing size and rim protection skills. Zikarsky’s low playing time to begin the NBL season is disappointing given his flashes, however, the Aussie big has the size, skill and movement flashes to develop into a defensive anchor.
6. Indiana Pacers - VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor
Indiana likely won’t pick this high in the draft unless their season completely unravels. If that does happen, adding VJ Edgecombe to this defensively-challenged Pacers team would be a dream scenario. Edgecombe might be the best defender in the class behind Flagg, providing elite rim protection, steal creation and point-of-attack defense at the guard spot. Progressing as a creator and decision-maker would turn Edgecombe into a two-way force, helping improve the Pacers’s shoddy defense.
7. Brooklyn Nets (via MIL) - Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois
A talent-barren Nets team should draft the best talent available and that’s Jakucionis at this stage of the draft. The Lithuanian floor general blends high-level pull-up shooting and pick-and-roll passing to form a star initiator package. He should pair well with Cam Thomas, in theory, balancing his score-first playstyle with more playmaking from the other guard spot.
8. Portland Trailblazers - Will Riley, G/F, Ilinois
The Blazers are still in the bottom 10 teams in terms of threes attempted and bottom five in three-point efficiency. Adding a dynamic shooter like Riley would bring more valuable shooting; the 6’8 Canadian boasts a ridiculous shotmaking touch off of the dribble from deep range. Riley’s flashes of ball-handling, passing and intermediate scoring help fuel his creation upside. Defense could be a challenge early on, but the Blazers have the defensive talent to insulate him.
9. San Antonio Spurs - Boogie Fland, G, Arkansas
San Antonio will continue searching for their long-term lead guard to pair with Victor Wembanyama. Chris Paul won’t be around for long and Stephon Castle likely will end up as a primary wing. Fland is an elite advantage creation prospect, blending elite quickness, shift and handling to create space for his shots and passes off of the dribble. Wembanyama’s defensive presence makes it easier for the Spurs to justify Fland’s defensive limitations more than some teams could.
10. Sacramento Kings - Collin Murray-Boyles, F/C, South Carolina
Murray-Boyles’s interior defensive strengths would help the Kings bolster their currently poor frontcourt defense. On a team lacking defensive game-changers on the interior. Murray Boyles’s strength, shot blocking and off-ball feel would boost Sacramento’s defense immediately. The 6’7 big must improve as a shooter, but he should slot in Sacramento’s smoothly given his comfort handling and passing the basketball.
11. Orlando Magic (via DEN) - Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
The Magic roster has three solid centers, but a true star in the middle would help elevate them to new heights. Maluach’s development will take time, as his feel for the game, defensive technique and touch are all raw. But Maluach’s physical tools are freakish, suggesting serious upside as a mobile seven-footer with some perimeter skill. Orlando must be patient with Maluach, but the reward could be well worth the time.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via PHI) - Flory Bidunga, C, Kansas
There’s a chance Bidunga doesn’t play as much as he should this season at Kansas given their frontcourt depth. That would be a shame, as Bidunga’s special vertical explosion, instincts and movement skill form an electric shot-blocker and highlight dunker. The Thunder could still use more long-term frontcourt depth and they have no problems drafting unorthodox players. Despite his lack of height for a center, Bidunga’s athletic tools and flashes of feel are worth betting on.
13. Memphis Grizzlies - Kon Knueppel, F, Duke
Knueppel has been a standout for the Blue Devils in the pre-season, showcasing his elite shotmaking and deep scoring toolkit. It would be easy to argue Knueppel as the draft’s best shooter from all spots on the floor. Knueppel counterbalances that shooting with a snappy reactive passing feel and enough defensive ability. He’d add another dynamic offensive piece to an already dangerous Memphis team.
14. Oklahoma City Thunder (via HOU) - Hugo Gonzalez, G/F, Real Madrid
The Thunder continue to stack defensive-minded athletes, supercharging an already elite defense with Bidunga and Gonzalez. The Spanish wing always plays with high intensity and an incessant motor, resulting in sticky on-ball defense and rim protection as a helper. His offense is still raw outside of power slashing, but the Thunder have as much time as they need to wait on his development.
15. Brooklyn Nets (via NYK) - Liam McNeeley, F, UConn
Brooklyn badly needs more shooting on the wing in their long-term core. Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith will remain in trade talks until the deadline. McNeeley’s shooting track record is stellar, converting his threes at an efficient clip despite the high volume and some movement shooting versatility. Dan Hurley should position McNeeley to succeed as he does with most players he coaches.
16. Brooklyn Nets - Noah Penda, F, Le Mans
With four picks in the first round, the Nets will likely trade one or more of the picks. If they don’t, selecting a potential draft-and-stash prospect makes sense. Penda’s unique blend of size, wingspan, high feel and defensive aptitude all make him an intriguing upside swing. Brooklyn can take a swing on Penda.
17. San Antonio Spurs (via ATL) - Jalil Bethea, G, Miami
Jalil Bethea’s audacious shooting off of movement and off of the dribble make him an intriguing shooting prospect at the very least. His flashes of ball-handling and playmaking will help determine Bethea’s ceiling. The Spurs continue to add dynamic, versatile floor spacers next to Wembanyama, helping boost the long-term ceiling of their offense.
18. San Antonio Spurs (via CHI) - Noa Essengue, F, Ulm
After spending their first two picks on guards, the Spurs add a defensive-minded forward in Essengue. The youngest player in the class has been productive to begin his season with Ulm, swarming defenders with his rare hip fluidity and lateral quickness for his size. Essengue’s offense needs plenty of work, but his defensive upside is worth a first-round pick alone.
19. Golden State Warriors - Tre Johnson, G, Texas
Johnson may not fit the Warriors’ needs exactly, but they snatch up a talented player falling in the draft. He adds to this draft’s crop of elite shooters, specializing as a deep-range pull-up shooter with some pick-and-roll passing chops. He’ll need to improve as a driver, finisher and decision-maker to reach his ceiling as a high-octane scoring guard.
20. New Orleans Pelicans - Nique Clifford, F, Colorado State
Clifford’s defensive skillset will help replace the perimeter lost with Dyson Daniels and Naji Marshall. Clifford moves fluidly in space and changes directions without trouble, rendering him a versatile point of attack and ball screen defender. His passing skill also fills a void on New Orleans’s roster, manipulating defenders to open up passing angles.
21. Dallas Mavericks - Ian Jackson, G, North Carolina
The Mavericks will always look for scalable combo guard/wings as long as Luka Doncic is leading the team. Jackson isn’t an elite self-creator, specializing as a secondary off-ball attacker who makes great decisions and can score some at all levels. His energy, skill level and length make Jackson an intriguing complementary guard bet for Dallas.
22. Los Angeles Clippers - Paul McNeil, G, NC State
During the offseason, the Clippers bolstered their perimeter defense with the additions of Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn and Nicolas Batum. McNeil’s high-level shooting pairs well with those players, as he’s capable of sprinting off of movement and attacking closeouts to score with touch. If McNeil can add muscle and improve on the defensive end, he brings the notable three-and-D potential to LA in the long term.
23. Oklahoma City Thunder (via MIA) - Juni Mobley, G, Ohio State
The Thunder have made a point of shooting more threes this season, especially off of the dribble. Adding Mobley, one of the high school’s best pull-up shooters, makes sense. Often pulling from the parking lot, Mobley’s range paired with improving ball skills and playmaking all render him an intriguing upside swing at guard. The Thunder’s elite defense will help compensate for Mobley’s lack of size on that end.
24. Utah Jazz (via MIN) - Derrion Reid, F, Alabama’
Reid’s athletic and defensive tools will entice a still defensively limited Jazz team, especially after Taylor Hendricks’s major injury. Reid’s fluidity and explosion are rare for his size despite his general rawness on both ends. His flashes of handling creation, though uncommon, suggest some creation upside in his future,
25. Atlanta Hawks (via LAL) - Ben Saraf, G, Ulm
Atlanta’s lack of ballhandling in the backcourt, especially with Bogdan Bogdanovic injured, pressures Trae Young to an extreme extent. Drafting Saraf would help bolster the backcourt on the offensive end, as Saraf has already shown the ability to run a pro team’s offense. He’s an improving shooter and a versatile pick-and-roll passer, hopefully, capable of running second units for the Hawks.
26. Orlando Magic - Egor Demin, G/F, BYU
Demin’s comfort operating pick and rolls as a 6’8 guard will intrigue NBA teams. To maximize his ball skills, Demin must find consistency as a shooter and continue developing as an athlete, finisher and defender. The Magic could use more ballhandling help on the perimeter, making Demin a logical upside swing.
27. Houston Rockets (via PHX) - Owen Freeman, C, Iowa
Outside of Alperen Sengun, Houston lacks viable big-man depth in the short and long term. Freeman is a sound, skilled big, capable of protecting the rim with great verticality and scoring on the interior. This won’t be the flashiest pick of all time, but Freeman would contribute valuable frontcourt minutes for a smaller Houston team.
28. Brooklyn Nets (via OKC) - Brandon Garrison, C, Kentucky
Garrison may not play much for a crowded Kentucky frontcourt, but his talent is that of a first-round pick. His mobility and shot-blocking, efficient finishing and playmaking flashes all hint at his upside as a modern, two-way wing. The Nets can afford to wait on Garrison’s development as they rebuild.
29. Utah Jazz (via CLE) - Labaron Philon, G, Alabama
Philon’s defense should help him carve a niche in Alabama’s offensively-slanted backcourt. His size, foot speed and agility allow Philon to rip through screens, hound ballhandlers and contribute off-ball. His experience playing both on and off of the ball on offense should help him assimilate however the Jazz see fit.
30. Boston Celtics - Tucker DeVries, F, West Virginia
DeVries has starred at the mid-major level for years now and will have the chance to do the same at West Virginia this season. The 6’7 wing has a long track record of pro-level shooting off of the bounce and off of the catch. DeVries could likely contribute early in his career as a low-usage wing for the defending champs.
The final order of 2025 NBA Mock Draft: First round