The NBA Draft lottery has shaken the basketball world, and the appetite of many regarding professional basketball. With the Dallas Mavericks receiving the rights to a franchise savior via the number one pick, the San Antonio Spurs claiming a valuable asset through the second pick, and the Utah Jazz sliding all the way down to the fifth spot, basketball is in an awkward spot.
the NBA Draft is a machine of inevitability, of course, and will proceed as planned. So let's kick off speculation season with a mock draft certain to draw more question marks and raised eyebrows than nods of confirmation.
After Cooper Flagg is off the board, anything could happen, and I'm losing my mind with excitement. Call a therapist.
2025 NBA Mock Draft version 2.0
The Dallas Mavericks select: Cooper Flagg
...because of course they do. Flagg is a worthy prize of this year's draft class -- a draft class far superior at face value to the one previous. Quickly, if you can name the second pick of the draft, I'll personally shake your hand via the internet.
But back to Flagg. A perfect competitor bred in a basketball lab in Maine, he has the size, length, athleticism, and pure basketball talent to deliver the Mavs a perfect piece to their championship contention puzzle. Don't overthink it, Nico, just pick the best player and move on.
The San Antonio Spurs select: Dylan Harper
Though rumors continue to circulate around the Spurs' intentions with the second round pick (specifically if they're using it to allure a certain Greek behemoth before draft time), but assuming they retain the pick, this selection is a bit of a tricky one. Picking Harper means selecting the best available player, irrespective of team fit.
Harper is a bully in the paint. A bruising, brilliant, and wickedly athletic guard who specializes in attacking the perimeter defense and forcefully discovering the best shot -- for himself or a teammate. San Antonio picks the best player available. Next.
The Philadelphia 76ers select: VJ Edgecombe
A controversial pick, maybe, but the Sixers already believe they have a championship-level core (delusional or not) with Embiid, Maxey, and George. Philly doesn't need a rookie who's coming in to rock the boat, they need a strong contributor who plays great defense, knocks down the 3-ball, and elevates the floor of his squad. Philly grabs Edgecombe.
The Charlotte Hornets select: Ace Bailey
A no-brainer for the yet directionless Hornets, Bailey is another Rutgers alum with unquestionable star potential. A potent scorer who flexes his athleticism on both ends of the floor is a great consolation prize at the fourth spot. A bit of overlap with Brandon Miller never hurt anyone.
The Utah Jazz select: Tre Johnson
Sure, everyone expects Utah to pick up Kon Knueppel because he's white, but the Jazz are desperate for something to go right in this rebuild. Their past two lottery selections have either suffered a major injury or mercifully caught mono at the end of one of the worst rookie seasons for a top ten pick in history.
Tre is a pure scorer, with the potential to become something akin to Bradley Beal (a player much better in his prime than people remember) or Devin Booker. He's no guarantee, but Johnson is a fascinating pickup at the fifth spot.
The Washington Wizards select: Kon Knueppel
A relatively safe selection, but a good one for a Wizards team that is finally drafting well and building an intruiging young core. Barrel-chested with a smooth release from the outside, Kon could become a very good player in the NBA, though his ceiling is likely lower than those selected above him.
The New Orleans Pelicans select: Khaman Maluach
The Pels are a team bursting with length on the wings; why not add a touch of length to their interior? Maluach had a great season at Duke with great defensive instincts, a winner's mentality, and fascinating potential as an outside scorer. New Orleans happily grabs Khaman at this spot.
The Brooklyn Nets select: Jeremiah Fears
Brooklyn is another lottery team without any apparent plan at the moment, and they swing for the fences with Fears, an SEC guard whose only major weakness is his outside shooting capability. He's a walking paint touch, and if he proves to be willing and capable of hitting his teammates for open looks, his scoring ability could lift him to becoming one of the better players in his class.
The Toronto Raptors select: Egor Demin
As no slight to Immanuel Quickly, what do the Raptors have going for them in the backcourt? Jamal Shead? No, this international squad sees Egor as a potential Luka-lite with playmaking touch that could melt your face off and the foundation of a capable scorer after a very strong NBA Combine that catapulted his draft stock beyond initial expectations.
Egor might not be a popular pick at first, but his professional chapter could be absolutely terrific.
The Houston Rockets select: Derik Queen
This might be an odd idea, but how would Houston like to have two Alperen Sengun's on the roster? Take the first one off the floor and swap him with Queen, a heavier, quicker, and equally smart center capable of tearing up a defense with his crafty flow. A disciple of Sengun, Queen could become, and a fascinating backup plan if the Rockets begin slowing down next season.
The Portland Trail Blazers select: Kasparas Jakucionis
Though he's a bit of an uneven prospect after a very strong start to the season, Portland bets on Jakucionis' upside as a scorer-facilitator and rolls the dice.
The Chicago Bulls select: Collin Murray-Boyles
Speaking of rolling the dice. Murray-Boyles is a bit of a basketball limbo-man, as his size and skill set don't quite match. With skills of a big, but the frame of a wing, Collin may find trouble carving out a role for himself. Then again, the modern NBA is "positionless", so maybe he finds a way to do his own thing in Chicago.
The Atlanta Hawks select: Carter Bryant
Nobody tell Atlanta that they're stuck in the middle, but picking Bryant here is a long-term decision that may take years to pan out as hoped. He could become the NBA's premier 3-and-D guy if it all shakes out right for him, but there's likely a reason why Bryant didn't get a ton of involvement with his Arizona squad as a freshman. Untapped potential.
The San Antonio Spurs select: Noa Essengue
Noa is one of my favorite prospects in the draft, and a fascinating specter of length, athleticism, and pure basketball ability. Joining forces with fellow Frenchman, Victor Wembanyama, should have the Spurs' front office salivating, and I expect them to snag him at 14 if he's still available.