My assessment of the 2025 NBA draft for all 30 teams, which concluded on Thursday night, focuses purely on the process, not the eventual outcomes. Factors beyond a team`s control, such as player health, will ultimately determine the success of these picks.
Considering this, we are evaluating each selection based on the information available at the time they were made, focusing on value and how well the player fits the team`s needs. My analysis heavily utilizes stats-based prospect projections, alongside insights from ESPN`s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo.
Trade evaluations are also included. Generally, teams tend to overpay to move up in the draft, often overestimating their ability to scout talent better than others. This year, the trade by the New Orleans Pelicans to move from pick 23 to 13 was notably risky, resulting in the lowest grade. Conversely, the Atlanta Hawks, who traded down with the Pelicans, are tied for the highest grade.
Here`s a breakdown of my grades for each team:
Atlanta Hawks: A
Round 1: Asa Newell (No. 23)
Atlanta`s grade was strong regardless of their pick after acquiring an unprotected 2026 first-round selection (the better of Milwaukee`s and New Orleans`) from the Pelicans to drop back 10 spots. I would have considered this trade even without receiving pick 23. The fact that they drafted Asa Newell, ranked 13th in my projections, makes it even better.
It remains to be seen if Newell will quickly earn rotation minutes alongside the newly acquired Kristaps Porzingis, but their fit appears excellent. Porzingis` strengths complement the areas where Newell is still developing, particularly his forward/center tweener status.
Boston Celtics: C+
Round 1: Hugo Gonzalez (No. 28)
Round 2: Amari Williams (No. 46), Max Shulga (No. 57)
Hugo Gonzalez seemed like a more suitable “stash” prospect for Boston, someone to develop overseas before joining the NBA. However, Brad Stevens indicated plans to bring him over next season.
Comparisons were made to Denver`s Christian Braun on the broadcast, but a significant difference is shooting; Braun hit 38% from three in college, while Gonzalez shot 27% at Real Madrid.
Amari Williams is an interesting prospect with solid skills in rebounding, rim protection, and passing from the elbow. His 54% career shooting on two-pointers is poor for a non-floor-stretching center. Max Shulga, Boston`s final pick, profiled best in my model due to his career 39% three-point percentage.
Brooklyn Nets: C+
Round 1: Egor Demin (No. 8), Nolan Traore (No. 19), Drake Powell (No. 22), Ben Saraf (No. 26), Danny Wolf (No. 27)
The Nets` unprecedented number of first-round picks is perhaps more noteworthy for the strategic asset acquisition (for which I previously gave high marks) than for the specific players chosen.
Brooklyn is investing heavily in developing a large group of young players, many with similar skill sets. Demin and Traore, for instance, are both strong playmakers with size who need to improve their shooting and scoring efficiency. They can potentially play together defensively, but spacing the floor offensively could be difficult.
Drafting so many raw prospects aligns with the Nets` potential strategy to land in the lottery again in 2026, the last year they control their first-round pick before it conveys to Houston in 2027.
Charlotte Hornets: B
Round 1: Kon Knueppel (No. 4), Liam McNeeley (No. 29)
Round 2: Sion James (No. 33), Ryan Kalkbrenner (No. 34)
While jokes about the Hornets drafting players from the Research Triangle area might abound, Kon Knueppel was second in my projections and perfectly addresses Charlotte`s need for a shooting guard.
Compared to Tre Johnson, who also fit that need, Knueppel was a much more efficient scorer at Duke and performed better by my metrics in a higher on-ball role in the Nike EYBL.
Selecting Liam McNeeley, who has a similar profile, seemed like a best-available pick after he fell past his expected range in the early 20s. I`m less enthusiastic about drafting Sion James, another Duke player, early in the second round. James was strictly a role player throughout his five college seasons, never exceeding a 17.1% usage rate.
Following the trade of starting center Mark Williams, there might be an opportunity for Ryan Kalkbrenner to contribute immediately if his pick-and-roll defense is ready for the NBA level.
Chicago Bulls: A-
Round 1: Noa Essengue (No. 12)
Round 2: Lachlan Olbrich (No. 55)
The fit between Noa Essengue and 2024 lottery pick Matas Buzelis, another young combo forward, is intriguing. If they develop consistent shooting to play together at forward, or if Buzelis can add enough strength to play center occasionally, they would provide Chicago with athleticism and length.
Credit to the Bulls for prioritizing the best player available and continuing to draft young talent, despite their reluctance to fully rebuild and secure higher lottery picks.
Cleveland Cavaliers: B
Round 2: Tyrese Proctor (No. 49), Saliou Niang (No. 58)
The Cavaliers didn`t pick until late on Night 2 and still managed to land an interesting prospect in Tyrese Proctor. Proctor improved after his initial one-and-done hype, shooting 40.5% from three last season and showing potential as an on-ball defender, though his steal rate could be higher. Saliou Niang, a stash pick, faces longer odds due to his shooting (26% career on 3s, 71% free throws).
Dallas Mavericks: B
Round 1: Cooper Flagg (No. 1)
The duration of the front office`s debate over this pick is likely zero. From the moment Dallas unexpectedly won the lottery, it was clear Flagg would be the pick, and rightly so.
From a process standpoint, the Mavericks don`t get credit for winning the lottery, only for making the obvious, correct selection.
Denver Nuggets: Incomplete
Expect to see `incomplete` grades for the Nuggets often. They held no future second-round picks until acquiring their 2032 second-rounder at the draft`s conclusion and still owe two protected first-round picks starting in 2027.
Detroit Pistons: B
Round 2: Chaz Lanier (No. 37)
Similar to fellow former Tennessee standout Dalton Knecht, Chaz Lanier blossomed late, increasing his scoring from 4.7 points at North Florida in 2022-23 to 18 points in the SEC last season. He`s a potent shooter (40% career on 3s) with good size, providing the Pistons with depth or potential insurance if they cannot re-sign free agents Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Golden State Warriors: B
Round 2: Alex Toohey (No. 52), Will Richard (No. 56)
Alex Toohey`s shooting is still developing after hitting 31% in the Australian NBL last season, but his defensive engagement stood out with good steal and block rates. I`ve long rated Will Richard highly; he ranked in the top 30 of my projections due to his excellent 2-point percentage.
Houston Rockets: Incomplete
The Rockets used both of their 2025 picks to acquire Kevin Durant in a trade that cannot be finalized until July 6. As a result, they are considered winners based on the overall transaction, despite their strong draft track record in recent years.
Indiana Pacers: A
Round 2: Kam Jones (No. 38), Taelon Peter (No. 54)
The Pacers have made one of my favorite second-round selections for the second consecutive year. Unlike 2024 second-rounder Johnny Furphy, who played limited minutes as a 20-year-old rookie, Kam Jones, at 23, has more potential for immediate impact. Indiana could benefit from guard help, especially with Tyrese Haliburton recovering from his Achilles injury suffered in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
Taelon Peter, who spent most of his college career at Division II, is a fascinating, high-upside pick. He`s a guard who averaged just 1.0 assist as a fifth-year senior at Liberty, but his remarkable shooting percentages (76% on 2s and 45% on 3s) are intriguing. At the No. 54 pick, this is a low-risk, high-reward swing for Indiana.
LA Clippers: C-
Round 1: Yanic Konan Niederhauser (No. 30)
Round 2: Kobe Sanders (No. 50)
Taking Yanic Konan Niederhauser, a late-blooming, outstanding shot blocker who developed into a scoring threat after transferring to Penn State, could be justified as a second-round value pick.
However, selecting him in the first round is questionable. Niederhauser is a below-average defensive rebounder and recorded more assists than turnovers (twice as many), which is unusual. His overall profile is somewhat reminiscent of Daniel Oturu, whom the Clippers drafted 33rd in 2020.
Kobe Sanders also blossomed late, not averaging double-figure scoring until his fourth college year. My projections weigh earlier college performance more heavily as a better indicator of future success.
Los Angeles Lakers: B+
Round 2: Adou Thiero (No. 36)
Kudos to the Lakers for using cash to move up from pick 55 to 36 after already making two trades. Adou Thiero`s steal and block rates indicate defensive potential, provided he can develop a consistent outside shot (career 28% college 3-point shooter) to stay on the court.
Memphis Grizzlies: C-
Round 1: Cedric Coward (No. 11)
Round 2: Javon Small (No. 48), Jahmai Mashack (No. 59)
It wouldn`t be a Grizzlies draft without a trade up – their fourth in the first round since 2019. Moving up two spots for Brandon Clarke worked well. Giving up more value for Jake LaRavia and Ziaire Williams did not.
In this instance, Memphis sent one of the unprotected Orlando first-round picks acquired in the Desmond Bane trade to move up five spots, which offers questionable value at best. This isn`t necessarily an indictment of Cedric Coward, who ranked 13th in my stats-only projections. But waiting until either Coward or Carter Bryant (No. 14) was off the board before trading up would have been wiser.
I liked the value with Javon Small, who is undersized but scored efficiently given his 28% usage rate as a senior at West Virginia. Jahmai Mashack, who peaked at 6.0 PPG as a senior at Tennessee, fits the “Grit n` Grind” defensive mold.
Miami Heat: A-
Round 1: Kasparas Jakucionis (No. 20)
Kasparas Jakucionis is an imperfect prospect. His steal and block rates are concerningly low, and he struggled with turnovers in his single season at Illinois.
However, selecting him at pick 20 feels like an overcorrection by the league for a player who was ranked much higher (top 10) for most of the year. Miami capitalized on this to make one of the draft`s best value selections.
Milwaukee Bucks: B
Round 2: Bogoljub Markovic (No. 47)
No prospect available at pick 47 was going to significantly alter Giannis Antetokounmpo`s future in Milwaukee. Bogoljub Markovic scored efficiently in his first full Adriatic League season (61% on 2s, 37% on 3s), though his low steal and block rates raise defensive questions.
Minnesota Timberwolves: B-
Round 1: Joan Beringer (No. 17)
Round 2: Rocco Zikarsky (No. 45)
The Timberwolves` vision for Joan Beringer, a low-usage center and elite rim protector in Slovenia, is clear. While it`s unrealistic to expect him to become Rudy Gobert (a premier finisher with a longer wingspan), Beringer has the potential to fill a similar defensive anchor role as Gobert ages.
In the second round, Minnesota reinforced this role by selecting 7-foot-3 Rocco Zikarsky. The two players have remarkably similar projections, making their simultaneous development an interesting dynamic to watch.
New Orleans Pelicans: F
Round 1: Jeremiah Fears (No. 7), Derik Queen (No. 13)
Round 2: Micah Peavy (No. 40)
It is possible for a trade like the one the Pelicans made to draft Derik Queen at pick 13 to work out. The Phoenix Suns gave up an unprotected future first-rounder in 2018 to move up six spots for Mikal Bridges and never regretted it.
However, New Orleans is making a significant bet on their evaluation that Queen, despite being rated lower than Fears, was worth trading up for. The downside is substantial, as their own 2026 pick is potentially involved in the trade. Bridges was a top-tier prospect (ranked 6th in my projections), whereas Queen was outside the top 30.
I initially liked New Orleans` willingness to pass on taking Fears at No. 7, where he was widely considered the best prospect available. But in hindsight, they would have been better off potentially drafting Queen with their original pick than making the trade to get both players.
Micah Peavy had a breakout fifth-year senior season at Georgetown, averaging 17.2 points and 2.3 steals. His jump to 40% three-point shooting gives him potential as a 3-and-D player, though his free throw shooting (66%) didn`t show similar improvement.
New York Knicks: C+
Round 2: Mohamed Diawara (No. 51)
Mohamed Diawara hasn`t yet become an impactful player in France, averaging only 5.8 points for Cholet last season. Stashing him overseas to continue his development might be a better option than using a valuable roster spot.
Oklahoma City Thunder: B
Round 1: Thomas Sorber (No. 15)
Round 2: Brooks Barnhizer (No. 44)
Similar to Beringer for Minnesota, the vision for Thomas Sorber is clear. He posted excellent defensive numbers at Georgetown and was a strong passer for a freshman center, recording more assists than turnovers.
He profiles somewhat similarly to Isaiah Hartenstein, who is likely to become expendable as Oklahoma City`s young core gets more expensive.
Given their lack of roster spots for multiple first-round picks, the Thunder smartly deferred the No. 24 pick to Sacramento. While this trade (protected top-16) lacks high-end upside (OKC can`t pick higher than 17), it better fits the timeline for the reigning champions.
Brooks Barnhizer is expected to be on a two-way contract. He was an inefficient college scorer (.500 true shooting percentage) but showed defensive upside with high steal and block rates at Northwestern.
Orlando Magic: B+
Round 1: Jase Richardson (No. 25)
Round 2: Noah Penda (No. 32)
There`s a nice connection with Jase Richardson joining one of his father Jason Richardson`s former teams, and I also like the value here. Richardson was projected in the lottery before measuring just over 6 feet barefoot at the combine. Such drastic drops based on minor measurements often confuse me, as Richardson was productive at Michigan State.
Orlando doesn`t need Richardson to contribute immediately, allowing him time to develop into a rotation player when the team feels the impact of giving up four first-rounders for Desmond Bane.
The Magic then paid a significant price (picks 46, 57, plus two future second-rounders) to trade up for Noah Penda. Penda`s shooting is still a work in progress; he shot under 70% from the free-throw line last season.
Philadelphia 76ers: B+
Round 1: VJ Edgecombe (No. 3)
Round 2: Johni Broome (No. 35)
While Kon Knueppel was slightly higher in my projections, I likely would have chosen VJ Edgecombe here as well. I appreciate his defensive foundation, highlighted by a very high steal rate at Baylor, and his athleticism offers potential as a shot creator.
Knueppel might have fit more seamlessly with Joel Embiid, but given Embiid`s health concerns, focusing on that specific fit might not be Philadelphia`s top priority anymore.
Johni Broome, a consensus first-team All-America last season, could immediately help the Sixers` center rotation. He offers more offensive skill than the backups who struggled when Embiid was out last season (Andre Drummond and Adem Bona).
Phoenix Suns: B
Round 1: Khaman Maluach (No. 10)
Round 2: Rasheer Fleming (No. 31), Koby Brea (No. 41)
A Duke center fell to the Suns, a team in need of frontcourt depth, who also strangely traded for former Duke center Mark Williams in a separate deal. It`s fair to question if Phoenix could have made more impactful trades down, as teams immediately behind them did. However, with Khaman Maluach being the highest-rated prospect on the board at their pick, standing pat made sense.
Phoenix used future picks to move up to the top of the second round and pick 41. Teams were competing to select Saint Joseph`s forward Rasheer Fleming, who ranked 12th in my stats-only projections. Fleming provides the Suns with another capable shot blocker, this time with more shooting range. Although Koby Brea adds to a crowded shooting guard position, his elite shooting ability (highest skill projection in my database) could be valuable, particularly if Grayson Allen is traded.
Portland Trail Blazers: C-
Round 1: Yang Hansen (No. 16)
Yang Hansen has the potential to become an All-Star and lead the Blazers to contention. What is certain is that other teams did not value Hansen as highly as Portland, meaning the Blazers are heavily betting on their ability to scout better than the market.
To Portland`s credit, they acquired an extra first-round pick by trading down. However, they would have been far better off executing a trade similar to Atlanta`s, had it been available.
Sacramento Kings: C
Round 1: Nique Clifford (No. 24)
Round 2: Maxime Raynaud (No. 42)
Having traded the No. 13 pick to Atlanta in the Kevin Huerter deal, the Kings re-entered the first round using an extra pick from the De`Aaron Fox trade. Sacramento mitigated risk by placing top-16 protection on the pick, which has only a one-year window to convey.
My model was lower on Nique Clifford than scouts because he didn`t emerge as a serious NBA prospect until his fifth college year at age 23. Time will tell if this was genuine skill improvement or benefiting from an experience advantage that won`t translate.
Scouts were higher on Maxime Raynaud, largely overlooking his subpar block rate for a center. However, my model missed on Quinten Post last year, and Raynaud brings a similar skill set, hitting 67 three-pointers as a senior.
San Antonio Spurs: A
Round 1: Dylan Harper (No. 2), Carter Bryant (No. 14)
Dylan Harper was the consensus No. 2 pick, so aside from potential blockbuster trade discussions, San Antonio`s work at that spot was straightforward and done early.
The Spurs earn more credit for their other lottery pick, waiting patiently for Carter Bryant to fall to them. I am high on Bryant`s potential as a 3-and-D wing, making him an ideal fit on a team already abundant with shot creation from Harper, Fox, and Victor Wembanyama.
Toronto Raptors: B
Round 1: Collin Murray-Boyles (No. 9)
Round 2: Alijah Martin (No. 39)
I believe Collin Murray-Boyles` unconventional game can succeed in the NBA, although Toronto wasn`t an ideal landing spot. To thrive as a power forward, Murray-Boyles needs shooting around him, and the Raptors have a non-shooting center in Jakob Poeltl and only adequate perimeter shooting.
If 2024 second-round pick Jonathan Mogbo develops a three-point shot after shooting 24% as a rookie, the two undersized big men could form an interesting, high-impact defensive frontcourt pairing.
Alijah Martin is undersized for a shooting guard at 6-foot-2 but was productive in college, ranking 26th in my stats-only projections.
Utah Jazz: B+
Round 1: Ace Bailey (No. 5), Walter Clayton Jr. (No. 18)
Round 2: John Tonje (No. 53)
I`ve previously compared Ace Bailey to the Celtics` duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in terms of joining a potentially contending team where they would need to refine their shot selection. This comparison is particularly relevant as the same executives who drafted those wings (Austin and Danny Ainge) selected Bailey to join a Utah team still far from contention. The value proposition for Bailey, fifth in my model, makes sense here, and his reported preference not to land here doesn`t concern me.
However, the Jazz will need to carefully manage his development to help him become a perimeter star, similar to how the Celtics handled Brown and Tatum. Adding Walter Clayton Jr., an NCAA champion and potent outside shooter, could assist in this process. Utah`s backcourt is crowded, but veterans Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton might not be long-term fixtures, creating opportunity for Clayton.
At 24, John Tonje was the oldest player selected. His ability to get to the free-throw line often (nearly seven times per game) at Wisconsin as a sixth-year senior is notable, though his 91% free-throw rate and 38% three-point shooting are more likely to translate effectively to the NBA.
Washington Wizards: B-
Round 1: Tre Johnson (No. 6), Will Riley (No. 21)
Round 2: Jamir Watkins (No. 43)
Similar to the Nets, the Wizards are heavily leaning into young talent, adding two more teenagers to the four they acquired (including AJ Johnson at the deadline) from the 2024 first round.
I was initially skeptical of Tre Johnson as a top-five prospect due to poor defensive metrics and a low 2-point percentage. Outside that range, his potential as a shooter justifies the selection. Will Riley went slightly higher than I projected and will also need to improve his defensive engagement.
Jamir Watkins, who turns 24 in July, brings more experience. His defensive potential is unquestionable, but he needs to improve his career 3-point shooting (32.5%).