2025 NBA Mock Draft 3

Every year, I release 3 mock drafts prior to the NBA Draft, and this is the third!  This has been considered an elite class due to the projected top-2 picks, but how polarizing players are starting at the potential 3rd pick will make this a very interesting draft cycle.  On top of that, several college players with eligibility returned to school due to NIL.

All of my drafts are aggregates of several drafts and are intended to give an idea of what the draft is looking like at this point in time (while I would love it if I am right on several picks in the mock, there’s movement that I won’t know about until during the draft).  While I account for need in certain picks (more so in the first round, especially the lottery), these are not a reflection of what I think of each pick or how I would rank the prospects.  The picks are divided into three sections:  for the lottery, I provided vitals, in depth analysis, comparison, and the fit with the team.  For the remaining first round picks, I provided vitals, brief analysis, and comparison (I didn’t include fit with the team since many of these picks get traded on draft night).  For the second round, I provided vitals.  The comparison is based on project style if all goes well in the NBA with their potential; this does not indicate what their careers will be.  Lastly, note that I am doing this as a hobby and will almost certainly miss something that professionals will see; take my analysis with a grain of salt in that regard, and please do not think my opinions should supersede any other scouting reports, especially in a draft that contains so many different opinions.

This is the third mock draft and is meant to give an overview what teams are rumored to be doing and where players could be drafted.  For information about each player’s strengths and weaknesses as a player, I discussed these in more depth in the first two mock draft.

All measurements use their measured Combine results.  The heights are without shoes, so every player could realistically be viewed as about inch taller.  If anybody does not have Combine measurements, they don’t have a wingspan listed.  Some international players were measured after the fact, and those measurements are listed.

If a player has an (I) next to their name, this means they were one of 24 players who were invited to the Draft.

 

 

1:  Dallas Mavericks – Cooper Flagg (I)

Duke, Fr, 18, SF/PF, 6’7.75, 221 lbs., 7’0 Wing

Style Comp:  Jayson Tatum if all works, Andrei Kirilenko

Previous:  1

Flagg will be drafted first overall, and I don’t expect the pick will be traded.

2:  San Antonio Spurs – Dylan Harper (I)

Rutgers, Fr, PG/SG, 6’4.5, 213.2 lbs., 6’10.5 Wing

Style Comp:  On sale version of Cade Cunningham

Previous:  2

While it’s possible the pick gets traded if Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes available, Harper is considered San Antonio’s selection, and there are reports that San Antonio has shown no interest in trading the pick.

3:  Philadelphia 76ers – VJ Edgecombe (I)

Baylor, Fr, 19, PG/SG, 6’4, 193.2 lbs., 6’7.5 Wing

Style Comp:  Jalen Suggs, Derrick White

Previous:  4

One to watch

This is where the draft starts.  While it was widely expected that Philadelphia would draft Ace Bailey for a while, there are sudden reports that Bailey cancelled a meeting with Philadelphia and hasn’t attended a workout with teams.  I don’t think Bailey can be ruled out yet since Darryl Morey doesn’t care that much about intel related to rumors or character; it would just depend on if their owner/team is concerned and forces their hand.  There are also rumors that they could trade down; New Orleans reportedly has interest in Bailey and might trade up.  I also wouldn’t be shocked if they considered Kon Knueppel and Tre Johnson.  I wouldn’t expect Edgecombe to last past the 4th pick.

4:  Charlotte Hornets – Kon Knueppel (I)

Duke, Fr, 19, SG/SF, 6’5, 219 lbs., 6’6.25 Wing

Style Comp:  Early career Khris Middleton, Sam Hauser with some playmaking

Previous:  6

One to watch

This pick could be fun since there are rumors that Charlotte have had struggles with getting guys in for a workout, with Jeremiah Fears and Ace Bailey in particular being reported as not having worked out in Charlotte while others have been rumored.  There is speculation that VJ Edgecombe is their favorite choice, though Knueppel makes sense if Edgecombe is off the board since they reportedly love draft intel, and Knueppel has the best intel out of the remaining players.  I wouldn’t be shocked if they selected Tre Johnson as well; it’s possible that they still end up taking Bailey or Fears.  If Knueppel doesn’t go here, I would expect Utah would take him, though I don’t think he falls past 7.

5:  Utah Jazz – Tre Johnson (I)

Texas, Fr, 19, SG/SF, 6’4.75, 190.4 lbs., 6’10.25 Wing

Style Comp:  Slightly bigger Cam Thomas

Previous:  5

There’s a little bit of uncertainty about what Utah will do here, especially since they just brought in Austin Ainge to make the decision, bringing up the question about how many current players they will want to keep.  Johnson and Jeremiah Fears are the players that have been mentioned the most here; while Ace Bailey could be a great fit, there has been speculation regarding if he wants to go to Utah.  If Kon Knueppel is still available, I would expect that they will take him.  I see Johnson going 4-6, but at worst he could go 7th.

6:  Washington Wizards – Ace Bailey (I)

Rutgers, Fr, 18, SG/SF, 6’7.5, 202.8 lbs., 7’0.5 Wing

Style Comp:  Pre-injury Michael Porter Jr., Jabari Smith Jr.

Previous:  3

One to watch

How much will Bailey end up falling?  I don’t think he ends up going past New Orleans unless another player falls too.  I don’t think he ends up going past 7 since New Orleans has been linked to him, though Brooklyn could also be a possibility at 8.  I could see Bailey wanting to go to a team that can provide him more opportunities to develop his on-ball scoring, as this could give him more money on a second contract.  Teams like Philadelphia and Charlotte might not provide as many opportunities for this given their current rosters.

7:  New Orleans Pelicans – Jeremiah Fears (I)

Oklahoma, Fr, 18, PG, 6’2.5, 179.6 lbs., 6’5.25 Wing

Style Comp:  Tre Mann, Monte Ellis

Previous:  7

Something to watch with this pick is if New Orleans trades up; they just acquired the 23rd pick in the draft, which could end up being enough to move up to the 4th or 5th pick (3rd pick might need a little more).  If they are able to trade, look out for them taking Ace Bailey.  Otherwise, they will likely take the best of the top-7 available.  Fears has been logically linked to them quite a bit as a scoring point guard (I don’t think the Jordan Poole changes this), though there has been some recent question if they would consider taking another big man.

8:  Brooklyn Nets – Khaman Maluach (I)

Duke, Fr, 18, C, 7’0.75, 252.8 lbs., 7’6.75 Wing

Style Comp:  Myles Turner, Rudy Gobert, JaVale McGee (depending on how his skills develop)

Previous:  8

Maluach has suddenly been linked along with the other guys in the 3-7 range, as New Orleans has been considering him.  I have no idea what Brooklyn will do, though it’s possible they end up taking a high upside guy, especially if they like one of the international prospects.  Maluach is really enjoyed by a lot of teams and will likely be the first big man off the board.

9:  Toronto Raptors – Derik Queen (I)

Maryland, Fr, 20, C, 6’9.25, 247.8 lbs., 7’0.5 Wing

Style Comp:  Smaller raw Domantas Sabonis, maybe Thaddeus Young?

Previous:  11

One to watch

Nobody seems to know what Toronto will do, though it might make sense to draft a center with Jakob Poeltl on the last year of his contract.  As for Queen, opinions are all over the place regarding him, as some have been high on him, but others are low on him after his workouts (which isn’t surprising given he isn’t the best athlete in the traditional sense, so some owners would probably see him and not be high on him).  While most are predicting that 10 is the earliest he could go, I think he could go as early as 9 due to the fact that he could be the second big man to go after Khaman Maluach.

10:  Phoenix Suns – Kasparas Jakucionis (I)

Illinois, Fr, 19, PG/SG, 6’4.75, 205.2 lbs., 6’7.75 Wing

Style Comp:  Early career Lonzo Ball without the defense

Previous:  9

I have no idea what Phoenix is going to do with this pick after acquiring it in the Kevin Durant trade.  While they will still be trying to compete, they really don’t have a particularly good roster and are now overloaded on traditional shooting guards and wings, so they likely won’t choose one of those.  I don’t love the Jakucionis fit there since I think he is still a raw point guard, but I have him as the highest player remaining in terms of draft position.  ESPN listed his draft range as 11-14.  If they don’t take Jakucionis, I’d guess that they’d go with either a big or a guard; two in particular that I’ve seen mentioned are Collin Murray-Boyles and Egor Demin (Derik Queen could also be the one if he is still available).

11:  Portland Trail Blazers – Collin Murray-Boyles (I)

South Carolina, So, 20, PF, 6’6.5, 239.2 lbs., 7’0.75 Wing

Style Comp:  Small Zach Randolph, ideally Aaron Gordon if he adapts his playing style

Previous:  12

I’m not quite sure who Portland is going for since they have a bright future with their team.  If Murray-Boyles is available, I could see him being drafted here, though I could see his draft range being from 10th to 20th.  It’s interesting since I think there are several teams that will be a bit of a clunky fit with him, but he will still be a popular pick.  I also have heard Carter Bryant mentioned here a bunch; most of the players that keep being mentioned as possible are wings and forwards.

12:  Chicago Bulls – Carter Bryant (I)

Arizona, Fr, 19, SF/PF, 6’6.5, 214.8 lbs., 6’11.75 Wing

Style Comp:  Keegan Murray, Tari Eason, Cody Williams

Previous:  14

More than likely, Chicago will be interested in frontcourt players since they don’t have a big who would be a part of their long-term future; while I wouldn’t be surprised if Khaman Maluach and Derik Queen are gone before then, some others who have been suggested are Joan Beringer and Thomas Sorber (Danny Wolf is a slim possibility, though I think teams will be lower on him).  That said, I think Chicago will take whomever they view as the best player available since there’s no way they feel optimistic about their short-term future after trading Zach LaVine.  As for Bryant, I’m low on him, but he could be drafted as early as 10th.  I think teams will view his potential role as a low-maintenance 3-and-D player in a positive light.

13:  Atlanta Hawks – Noa Essengue (I)

Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany), 18, SF/PF, 6’10, 203.9 lbs., 7’0.75 Wing

Style Comp:  Jeremy Sochan, Al-Farouq Aminu

Previous:  10

One to watch

This will sound counterintuitive and will sound like I don’t trust my method for this, but I believe that Essengue will be drafted before this; while his range could be huge, I expect he will be in the top-10, potentially as early as 8.  The reason that I think several mock drafts had him drop slightly is because he hasn’t been able to do a workout for any team due to his team’s playoff run still going on (I don’t think teams will worry about that as much since they can see what he looks like at this moment in a game, but it shows that some writers/analysts are overreacting to that).  As for Atlanta, they have been linked to Joan Beringer and multiple players who have already been taken in this mock, including Carter Bryant and Collin Murray-Boyles.  I think they can go with whomever they think is best available since they don’t have any bit holes in their roster, though they could favor a big rim protector to replace the likely departing Clint Capela, even if that hole was plugged slightly with Kristaps Porzingis (I still think it might be worthwhile to draft a young rim protector given Porzingis’s injury history).  Something else to note is that the trade for Porzingis caused them to move the 22nd pick in the draft, so they are less likely to try to trade up.

14:  San Antonio Spurs – Egor Demin (I)

BYU, Fr, 19, PG/SG, 6’8.25, 199.2 lbs., 6’10.25 Wing

Style Comp:  OKC Josh Giddey

Previous:  13

Demin might not make any sense at this spot given that San Antonio already has plenty of guards, but I think that San Antonio will explore trades with this pick.  If they don’t, there are several bigs who could be selected in this range, including Thomas Sorber, Asa Newell, Joan Beringer, and possibly Danny Wolf (I’m not sure the latter would be drafted in this range, but he has his supporters).  As for Demin, his stock is all over the place, and there are reports that he has worked out for almost every team in the top-20.  I would expect him to be selected in the lottery, but this isn’t a lock.

 

15:  Oklahoma City Thunder – Thomas Sorber (I)

Georgetown, Fr, 19, PF/C, 6’10, 250 lbs.

Style Comp:  Roy Hibbert, Jonas Valanciunas

Previous:  17

Despite injuries, Sorber has continued to rise in the process.  Due to how many teams are interested in big men, I don’t believe that he will fall much further past Minnesota.  OKC is expected to look for a big man who can eventually replace Isaiah Hartenstein, so I would predict that they would either take either Sorber (the guy who my aggregate mock predicts) or Joan Beringer (the guy I think they would take if he’s available).

16:  Memphis Grizzlies – Cedric Coward (I)

Washington St., RS Jr, 21, SF, 6’5.25, 2013 lbs., 7’2.25 Wing

Style Comp:  Mike Bridges, Terance Mann

Previous:  21

One to watch

The rise of Coward, who has played just 6 games at a school that was once a Power 5 school, is continuing to rise rapidly, with him having worked out with several teams with picks in top-20 (as early as Phoenix) and many teams in the 20’s not expecting him to be available by then.  I’m not really sure what Memphis is going to target in the draft given the fact that this pick was acquired late and have been interested in several players, but it is known that they brought Coward in for a workout.

17:  Minnesota Timberwolves – Asa Newell (I)

Georgia, Fr, 19, PF, 6’9, 223.8 lbs., 6’11.25 Wing

Style Comp:  DeAndre Jordan

Previous:  15

One to watch

Like a few other teams in the teens, Minnesota is expected to look for frontcourt help given the uncertainty of both Julius Randle and Naz Reid.  While Thomas Sorber is the player I keep seeing linked to them if available, I could also see them drafting Joan Beringer or Danny Wolf.  As for Newell, his draft stock is all over the place, likely in part due to questions about if he is big enough to play the 5; I wouldn’t be shocked if he goes anywhere between the late lottery and mid-20’s.

18:  Washington Wizards – Joan Beringer (I)

Cedevita Olimpija (Slovenia), 18, PF, 6’11, 234.8 lbs., 7’4.5 Wing

Style Comp:  Clint Capela

Previous:  26

One to watch

I expect Beringer will be gone by this time, since the downside about my way of calculating the aggregate is that it usually undersells a late rapid riser.  That said, his range is considered right now as 8-19.  I don’t know what Washington is thinking about with this pick, but I don’t think their trade that they made with Jordan Poole/CJ McCollum will have any impact on that.

19:  Brooklyn Nets – Nique Clifford (I)

Colorado State, RS Sr, 23, SG, 6’5.25, 202 lbs., 6’8 Wing

Style Comp:  Jaime Jacquez, Royce O’Neale with some passing

Previous:  20

For each of Brooklyn’s remaining first round picks (they also have 22, 26, and 27), I don’t think any of them can be assumed to be selected by Brooklyn since that would mean they would have 5 players selected in the first round (as well as another in the 30’s).  The other possibility is that they select a couple international players who are willing to wait before coming over to the NBA.  As for Clifford, I expect his range could be mid-teens (the earliest team reportedly interested in him is Memphis) to the mid-20’s.  He could be appealing to a team looking to win immediately due to his skillset being easy to slide in as a supporting cast member.

20:  Miami Heat – Liam McNeely (I)

UConn, Fr, 19, SF, 6’6.75, 214.6 lbs., 6’8.5 Wing

Style Comp:  Bojan Bogdanovic

Previous:  16

One to watch

While my aggregate has continued to be generous to McNeely, his difficult freshman year could cost him some support (there has been some unofficial reporting/rumors that there are scouts that don’t know why he was invited to the Green Room since they think he will go in the second round).  That said, there are other reports that he has done well in workouts, so I’d say his stock is all over the place, possibly ranging from mid-first round to early second-round.  Nobody is really sure what Miami is going to do in the draft and if they would go with a point guard instead given their need for one.

21:  Utah Jazz – Jase Richardson

Michigan State, Fr, 19, PG, 6’0.5, 178.4 lbs., 6’6 Wing

Style Comp:  Cason Wallace with less defense, less athletic Eric Gordon

Previous;  16

One to watch

Richardson continues to fall in the draft, as he wasn’t invited to the Green Room.  While I still think he will be a first-round pick (reportedly Memphis has been linked to him as a possibility), his lack of size and athleticism could result in him falling further.  I think what Utah does with this pick really depends on what they do with their first pick; I would guess that they select one guard and one wing.

22:  Brooklyn Nets – Nolan Traore (I)

Saint-Quentin (France), 19, PG, 6’3, 175 lbs., 6’8 Wing

Style Comp:  Kevin Porter Jr. (on the court, not off it), maybe Keyonte George?

Previous:  19

One to watch

Traore’s draft stock appears to be all over the place, but I think it comes down to one question:  do teams believe his horrible start to the season or his improvement as the season went on?  I still think he will be a first round pick since there will be a team with multiple picks that doesn’t find a satisfactory pick and doesn’t want to have so many rookies (coincidentally, he goes to Brooklyn after Atlanta traded this pick in this draft, who is the epitome of this description).

23:  New Orleans Pelicans – Danny Wolf (I)

Michigan, Jr, 21, C, 6’10.5, 251.8 lbs., 7’2.25 Wing

Style Comp:  Oso Ighodaro, Kelly Olynyk

Previous:  23

One to watch

Danny Wolf’s stock is all over the place, as he could end up going late in the lottery or late in the first round, though I expect he’ll go somewhere in between.  His skillset isn’t the cleanest fit on an NBA roster, but there are several teams in the teens and 20’s who could use a big, making Wolf a viable possibility by default.  I think what New Orleans does will depend on what they do with their earlier pick.  It is also possible that they package this pick with the 7th pick to move up in the draft.

24:  Oklahoma City Thunder – Walter Clayton Jr. (I)

Florida, Sr, 22, SG, 6’2, 199 lbs., 6’4 Wing

Style Comp:  Discount Monte Morris, maybe Gabe Vincent without the defense

Previous:  27

In most season, there is a guy who ends up being a huge risers due to playing for the NCAA Champions (which makes sense due to owners being more likely to watch that game than a random regular season game); this year, Clayton has clearly been that guy due to his clutch shot making and shooting.  Clayton reportedly has fans in front offices in the top-20, so it wouldn’t be shocking if he is drafted before this.  I don’t expect OKC will be drafting this pick due to their roster situation.

25:  Orlando Magic – Will Riley (I)

Illinois, Fr, 19, SF/PF, 6’8.25, 185.6 lbs., 6’8.75 Wing

Style Comp:  Early career Aaron Gordon, Larry Nance Jr. (when focused)

Previous:  22

One to watch

While Riley has some fans in the top-20, I think he could be one of the most likely players to fall out of the first round due to how raw he is.  With a lot of teams outside of the lottery looking for either shooting, size, or playmaking, Riley might be the odd man out as he has none of those skills.  Ironically, I have him going to a team that is perpetually looking for guards and shooting in Orlando; while a shooting wing would be the intuitive, there really isn’t anyone who fits the bill at this point, so they could just go with who they feel is the highest player available instead.

26:  Brooklyn Nets – Rasheer Fleming

St. Joseph’s, Jr, 20, PF, 6’8.25, 232.4 lbs., 7’5.25 Wing

Style Comp:  Taylor Hendricks, ideally Jaden McDaniels

Previous:  23

After not getting invited to the Green Room, there is uncertainty about what Fleming’s draft range is; while I think he will end up being a first round pick, his draft ceiling might be a little lower than previously indicated.  The good news for him is that most teams are looking for shooting and defense, though I think it will depend on how much teams believe how real his breakout last year was.

27:  Brooklyn Nets – Maxime Raynaud

Stanford, Sr, 22, PF, 7’0.25, 236.8 lbs., 7’1.25 Wing

Style Comp:  Quinten Post, backup version of Brook Lopez

Previous:  28

With several teams looking for a big in the first round, Raynaud could go even higher if a team trades a pick or a team not expected to take a big ends up taking one.  Boston is expected to look for a big with either 28 or 32, so I would guess that he doesn’t go further past 32 (unless Boston prefers another big in this range, like Ryan Kalkbrenner or Yanic Konan Niederhauser).

28:  Boston Celtics – Hugo Gonzalez

Real Madrid (Spain), 19, SF, 6’65, 222.7 lbs., 6’10.75 Wing

Style Comp:  Bruce Brown, Donte DiVincenzo

Previous:  31

One to watch

Gonzalez didn’t play much at Real Madrid because they’re one of the best teams in Europe and don’t usually play younger players a ton of minutes; the issue is that there is uncertainty about where he will be drafted.  I have read mock drafts where scouts and analysts think he is a lock to go in the first round (I’ve seen as early as the low-20’s), but others have him falling into the mid-late 30’s.  Given the fact that Boston made two trades over the last 24 hours at the time of writing, I don’t know what they’re going to do in the draft.  It makes sense that they would use a pick to select a big, but they also have the 32nd pick, so they might use that pick to select one.  Another late addition is that there are some reports that Boston has interest in Drake Powell.

29:  Phoenix Suns – Noah Penda

Le Mans Sarthe (France), 20, SG/SF, 6’7.25, 241.8 lbs., 6’11.5 Wing

Style Comp:  KyShawn George with less ball skill

Previous:  26

I’m not sure where Penda will be drafted, but I could see him ending up in the 20’s at best and the mid-30’s at worst.  The reason that I think he could go higher than this is that I could see Brooklyn having a couple leftover picks that they can’t move and would need a draft-and-stash pick while convincing Penda to wait before coming over.  I expect Phoenix will use this selection, and while it might not make sense to take another wing, I think Penda’s skillset might be more appealing than some other bigs due to the fit with the team.

30:  Los Angeles Clippers – Drake Powell

UNC, Fr, 19, SG, 6’5.25, 200.4 lbs., 7’0 Wing

Style Comp:  Isaac Okoro, Keldon Johnson

Previous:  29

I believe Powell could be a first round pick after showcasing his athleticism at the Combine, though he could also slip a bit.  Something to note in particular is that Boston has interest in him, so he could end up going 28th.  As for L.A., I’m not sure whether they would be looking for cheap additions to their rotation or upside picks for the future.  In this case, I wasn’t sure about one NBA-ready player that was a clean fit in L.A., but Powell was next to be selected in the aggregate and has high upside.

 

31:  Minnesota Timberwolves – Ben Saraf

Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany), 19, PG/SG, 6’6, 199 lbs., 6’8.75 Wing

Previous:  30

32:  Boston Celtics – Ryan Kalkbrenner

Creighton, RS Sr, 23, C, 7’1, 270 lbs.

Previous:  33

33:  Charlotte Hornets – Adou Thiero

Arkansas, Jr, 21, SG, 6’6.25, 218.4 lbs., 7’0 Wing

Previous:  32

34:  Charlotte Hornets – Chaz Lanier

Tennessee, RS Sr, 23, PG/SG, 6’3.75, 205.8 lbs., 6’9 Wing

Previous:  35

35:  Philadelphia 76ers – Hansen Yang

Qingdao Eagles (China), 19, C, 7’1, 252.6 lbs., 7’2.75 Wing

Previous:  36

36:  Brooklyn Nets – Yanic Konan Niederhauser

Penn State, Jr, C, 6’11.25, 242.6 lbs., 7’3.25 Wing

Previous:  41

One to watch

Niederhauser has continued to rise due to his athleticism and upside.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up in the late first round, especially if a team is looking for a big and all others were selected prior.

37:  Detroit Pistons – Bogoljub Markovic

Mega Basket (Serbia), 19, PF, 6’10.5, 213.2 lbs., 6’11.5 Wing

Previous:  34

38:  San Antonio Spurs – Kam Jones

Marquette, Sr, 23, PG/SG, 6’3.25, 202.4 lbs., 6’6 Wing

Previous:  38

39:  Toronto Raptors – Tyrese Proctor

Duke, Jr, 21, PG, 6’4.25, 183.2 lbs., 6’7.25 Wing

Previous:  40

40:  New Orleans Pelicans – Johni Broome

Auburn, RS Sr, 22, PF/C, 6’9.25, 249.4 lbs., 7’0.25 Wing

Previous:  37

41:  Golden State Warriors – Alex Toohey

Sydney Kings (Australia), 21, SF, 6’7.75, 222.8 lbs., 6’10.75 Wing

Previous:  39

42:  Sacramento Kings – Sion James

Duke, RS Sr, 22, SG, 6’4.5, 217.6 lbs., 6’6.5 Wing

Previous:  42

43:  Utah Jazz – Koby Brea

Kentucky, RS Sr, 22, SG, 6’5.75, 201.8 lbs., 6’5.25 Wing

Previous:  43

44:  Oklahoma City Thunder – Jamir Watkins

Florida State, RS, 23, SG/SF, 6’5, 214.6 lbs., 6’11.25 Wing

Previous:  45

45:  Chicago Bulls – Rocco Zikarsky

Brisbane Bullets (Australia), 18, C, 7’3, 257 lbs., 7’4.75 Wing

Previous:  46

46:  Orlando Magic – John Tonje

Wisconsin, RS Sr (6), 23, SF, 6’4.75, 211.8 lbs., 6’9 Wing

Previous:  44

47:  Milwaukee Bucks – Javon Small

West Virginia, Sr, 22, PG, 6’1, 190 lbs., 6’4.75 Wing

Previous:  47

48:  Memphis Grizzlies – Eric Dixon

Villanova, RS Sr, 24, PF, 6’7.5, 258.6 lbs., 6’11.5 Wing

Previous:  49

49:  Cleveland Cavaliers – Micah Peavy

Georgetown, RS Sr, 23, SG/SF, 6’6.25, 211.6 lbs., 6’7.25 Wing

Previous:  52

50:  New York Knicks – Hunter Sallis

Wake Forest, Sr, 22, SG, 6’3.75, 181.4 lbs., 6’10 Wing

Previous:  48

51:  Los Angeles Clippers – Alijah Martin

Florida, RS Sr, 23, SG, 6’1.5, 208.4 lbs., 6’7.5 Wing

Previous:  55

52:  Phoenix Suns – Amari Williams

Kentucky, RS Sr, 23, PF/C, 6’11, 250 lbs.

Previous:  54

53:  Utah Jazz – Ryan Nembhard

Gonzaga, Sr, 22, PG, 5’11, 175 lbs., 6’2.25 Wing

Previous:  59

54:  Indiana Pacers – Kobe Sanders

Nevada, RS Sr, 22, SG, 6’7, 203.2 lbs., 6’8.25 Wing

Previous:  Undrafted

55:  Los Angeles Lakers – Vladislav Goldin

Michigan, RS Sr, 24, C, 7’0, 253.4 lbs., 7’5.25 Wing

Previous:  57

56:  Memphis Grizzlies – RJ Luis

St. John’s, Jr, 22, SG, 6’5.75, 210 lbs., 6’10.5 Wing

Previous:  58

57:  Orlando Magic – Tamar Bates

Missouri, Sr, 22, SG, 6’3.75, 191.4 lbs., 6’10.25 Wing

Previous:  56

58:  Cleveland Cavaliers – Lachlan Olbrich

Illawarra Hawks (Australia), 21, C, 6’8.75, 230.2 lbs., 6’11.25 Wing

Previous:  Undrafted

59:  Houston Rockets – Dink Pate

Mexico City Capitanes (G-League), 19, SG, 6’6.25, 200.8 lbs., 6’9.75 Wing

Previous:  48

One to watch

The fall of Pate has continued even further due to how raw he is.  I personally am much higher on him than most people, but none of his tools appear polished.  In particular, I think a lot of people were hoping that he would be better in the G-League last season than he was.  I hope he gets drafted since I think he makes sense as a 2-Way player, but he’s not moving in the right direction.

 

 

Fell Out

  • Michael Ruzic (47, withdrew)
  • Neoklis Avdalas (51, withdrew)

 

Next 10

  1. Brice Williams, Nebraska, RS Sr, 23, SF, 6’5.25, 205.8 lbs., 6’10.75 Wing
  2. Mark Sears, Alabama, RS Sr, 23, PG, 5’10.75, 183.4 lbs., 6’2 Wing
  3. Izan Almansa, Perth Wildcats (Australia), 20, PF, 6’9.25, 220.4 lbs., 7’1.75 Wing
  4. Jaxson Robinson, Kentucky, RS Sr, 22, SG/SF, 6’6, 190 lbs.
  5. Max Shulga, VCU, RS Sr, 23, SG, 6’4.25, 206.4 lbs., 6’5.75 Wing
  6. Grant Nelson, Alabama, RS Sr, 23, PF, 6’10, 229.8 lbs., 7’0 Wing
  7. Will Richard, Florida, Sr, 22, SG, 6’5, 195 lbs.
  8. Caleb Love, Arizona, RS Sr, 23, SG, 6’4, 200 lbs.
  9. Chucky Hepburn, Louisville, Sr, 22, PG, 6’2, 211 lbs.
  10. Viktor Lakhin, Clemson, Sr, 23, C, 6’11, 228 lbs.

 

Biggest Risers

Calculated by % difference, minimum 4 spots changed

  1. Joan Beringer (25 to 18, 28.00%)
  2. Cedric Coward (21 to 16, 23.81%)
  3. Yanic Konan Niederhauser (41 to 36, 12.20%)
  4. Ryan Nembhard (59 to 53, 10.17%)
  5. Alijah Martin (55 to 51, 7.27%)

 

Biggest Fallers

Calculated by % difference, minimum 3 spots changed (There were only 2 players who dropped at least 4 spots, so I changed this to 3 spots)

  1. Ace Bailey (3 to 6, -100.00%)
  2. Jase Richardson (16 to 21, -31.25%)
  3. Noa Essengue (10 to 13, -30.00%)
  4. Nolan Traore (19 to 22, -15.79%)
  5. Will Riley (22 to 25, -13.64%)

 

International Players to Watch

Every year, multiple international players (those who played in a non-American league last year without being born in the U.S.) rise due to teams needing to use a draft pick but not having the roster or 2-Way spots to fit the player.  As such, I included the top-15 international players in my aggregate, including what country they played in last season and where I have them ranked in my aggregate.

  1. Noa Essengue (Germany, 13)
  2. Joan Beringer (Slovenia, 18)
  3. Nolan Traore (France, 22)
  4. Hugo Gonzalez (Spain, 28)
  5. Noah Penda (France, 29)
  6. Ben Saraf (Germany, 31)
  7. Hansen Yang (China, 35)
  8. Bogoljub Markovic (Serbia, 37)
  9. Alex Toohey (Australia, 41)
  10. Rocco Zikarsky (Australia, 45)
  11. Lachlan Olbrich (Australia, 58)
  12. Izan Almansa (Australia, 62)
  13. Mohamed Diawara (France, 70)
  14. Saliou Niang (Italy, 87)
  15. Eli Ndiaye (Spain, 88)

 

 

Others to highlight

There are 3 players who I have currently in the 70’s in my aggregate mock who will be interesting to watch.

 

Payton Sandfort (71)

The Iowa guard had a bit of a streaky jumper in college, though a big part of that was due to his shot selection in my opinion.  His free throw percentage and form indicate that he could be a high shooter in a more complimentary role, which makes me think that he will end up being drafted in the second round.

 

Jalon Moore (75)

The Oklahoma wing was far from a lock to be drafted, but he tore his Achilles during a workout with San Antonio.  While that would theoretically make him a lock to not be drafted, what if there is a team with a second-round pick who doesn’t have the 2-Way spots available, isn’t enamored by international picks available, and can’t find a worthwhile trade?  In that case, they could draft him and treat him as a draft-and-stash player while he recovers from his injuries.  I wouldn’t predict it, but keep an eye out for this once we reach the 50’s.

 

Arthur Kaluma (76)

While the Texas forward wasn’t expected to be on a lot of draft boards, some publications have reported that Kaluma is suddenly making his way on big boards.  Rafael Barlowe provided some insight as to why on the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast, which he hosts, by discussing that Kaluma has dominated several workouts to such an extent that Barlowe has heard from coaches who are wondering why he isn’t on their draft boards.  Even though the aggregate wouldn’t reflect this, I predict that Kaluma will be a mid-late second round pick.

 

 

Who do you like in this draft?  Any picks you are hoping to see?  Let me know in the comments!

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