With only five days left until the beginning of the 2025 NBA Draft, we are finally starting to get a decent sense for how things might play out at the top of the board – but not entirely.
The first two picks appear to be locked in. There is reportedly a "leader in the clubhouse" at No. 3 overall, where the Sixers are set to make a selection. After that, who knows?
Time will tell whether or not this is our final mock draft before Wednesday, but once again we will project the first 35 picks to account for the Sixers' second-rounder and include some trades.
Consider this your periodic reminder that these are merely guessed based on team needs, salary cap constraints and rumors, but not sourced information of any kind:
No. 1 overall: Dallas Mavericks select Cooper Flagg, F, Duke
Not even the Mavericks can mess this up. Flagg is a generational prospect given his skill and production at such a young age. Somehow, Dallas committing the ultimate basketball sin has been rewarded.
No. 2 overall: San Antonio Spurs select Dylan Harper, PG, Rutgers
San Antonio could have difficult decisions down the line with De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle already in their backcourt rotation, but having three stellar guards is a great problem to have. They will figure it out eventually.
No. 3 overall: Philadelphia 76ers select VJ Edgecombe, SG, Baylor
No change here, as the more word emerges out of Philadelphia and Camden the stronger the sense gets that Edgecombe will be the pick at No. 3. Late on Wednesday night, news broke that Ace Bailey had called off his visit and workout with the Sixers at the last minute. There should be real skepticism about this preventing the Sixers from drafting him if they view the Rutgers star as the best player available, though.
At this point, all indications are that they believe Edgecombe makes the most sense. He is a terrific athlete, a strong defensive playmaker and a lethal transition scorer, but only a decent shooter who will also need to make substantial improvements as a ball-handler if he wants to consistently score against set defenses and become a true star.
In some ways, this situation could be ideal for Edgecombe: the Sixers can ask him to focus on filling in the gaps and leaking out in transition on offense and causing chaos on defense without needing him to experience major growing pains as an on-ball player. However, at some point the Sixers will need to see how much offensive upside actually exists for Edgecombe if they draft him.
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No. 4 overall (TRADE): New Orleans Pelicans select Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
Trade terms: Charlotte Hornets trade No. 4 overall pick, No. 33 overall pick, DaQuan Jeffries to New Orleans Pelicans for No. 7 overall pick, No. 23 overall pick, Jose Alvarado.
Many have speculated that Bailey's camp believes a team will come trade up for him if the Sixers do not want him. With whispers in recent weeks that the Pelicans and new front office leader Joe Dumars are interested in the polarizing 18-year-old shot-maker, a deal like this could make sense, bolstering Charlotte's depth without gutting that of New Orleans.
No. 5 overall: Utah Jazz select Tre Johnson, SG, Texas
Johnson is the best shooter in this draft, and Utah has a strikingly limited amount of young talent given the length of their rebuild to date. They need to hit on this pick, and after Flagg and Harper, Johnson has the clearest path to offensive stardom in the NBA.
No. 6 overall: Washington Wizards select Kon Knueppel, SG/SF, Duke
Washington's most significant draft picks in the early stages of its rebuild have given the organization a sturdy defensive infrastructure; now the Wiizards can go get someone to raise their capabilities on offense. Knueppel is just that, an excellent shooter with underrated on-ball chops.
No. 7 overall (TRADE): Charlotte Hornets select Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
Trade terms: Charlotte Hornets trade No. 4 overall pick, No. 33 overall pick, DaQuan Jeffries to New Orleans Pelicans for No. 7 overall pick, No. 23 overall pick, Jose Alvarado.
Charlotte clearly does not view Mark Williams as its no-doubt center of the future, as evidenced by the trade to send him to the Los Angeles Lakers at the trade deadline, which was eventually nixed due to Williams' mysterious medical situation. So after moving back and acquiring an additional first-round pick plus a quality backup point guard, they take Maluach to be their center of the future.
No. 8 overall: Brooklyn Nets select Jeremiah Fears, PG, Oklahoma
New Orleans moving up clears the runway for Brooklyn to end up with Fears, a dynamic point guard prospect who has been one of the winners of this year's pre-draft process. But the Nets quickly get right back to work...
No. 9 overall (TRADE): Brooklyn Nets select Noa Essengue, F, France
Trade terms: Toronto Raptors trade No. 9 overall pick, RJ Barrett to Brooklyn Nets for No. 26 overall pick, No. 27 overall pick, Cameron Johnson.
The Nets use Johnson and their financial flexibility to package two picks at the end of the first-round for another lottery pick, while the Toronto Raptors dramatically improve at the top of their roster and create a pathway to adding depth. Brooklyn then selects Essengue, opting to draft a wing over a big and ending up with this year's top international prospect.
No. 10 overall (TRADE): Chicago Bulls select Derik Queen, C, Maryland
Trade terms: Houston Rockets trade No. 10 overall pick to Chicago Bulls for No. 12 overall pick, No. 45 overall pick.
Looking to secure their center of the future, the Bulls use their second-round pick to jump two spots and land Queen, while the Rockets add an asset and free up a bit of money. Queen can back up Nikola Vučević for a year and then step into a more featured role in the years ahead. The Bulls will give up a lot of points, but they will also do a whole bunch of scoring.
No. 11 overall: Portland Trail Blazers select Kasparas Jakucionis, PG, Illinois
Portland does not have any obvious positional need, which could lead to the Trail Blazers moving down the board. Here, they end up with Jakucionis, who provides ball-handling and playmaking but has the size to play alongside either of Anfernee Simons or Scoot Henderson.
No. 12 overall (TRADE): Houston Rockets select Carter Bryant, F, Arizona
Trade terms: Houston Rockets trade No. 10 overall pick to Chicago Bulls for No. 12 overall pick, No. 45 overall pick.
After moving back, the Rockets still end up with Bryant, who looks the part of the sort of 3&D wing that contending teams always covet. Unless the Rockets consolidate their depth in a Kevin Durant trade, this pick will be more of a luxury than most lottery choices.
No. 13 overall: Atlanta Hawks select Cedric Coward, SG/SF, Washington State
Atlanta's fascination with length on the wing has done them well for a few years, so they go back to the well with Coward, whose pre-draft rise might be the most significant of any prospect this year. Coward can step into a supporting role, joining a wing filled with defensive versatility and three-point shooting.
No. 14 overall (TRADE): Phoenix Suns select Thomas Sorber, C, Georgetown
Trade terms: San Antonio Spurs trade No. 14 overall pick, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson to Phoenix Suns for Kevin Durant.
Durant lands in San Antonio, and the Suns get two productive young players with the last pick of the lottery pick for his services. Then they take Sorber in an attempt to finally fill their gaping hole in the middle. Sorber's 7-foot-6 wingspan is special.
No. 15 overall: Oklahoma City Thunder select Joan Beringer, C, France
Oklahoma City almost certainly does not have roster space for two rookies, so they draft the best international prospect available with the earlier of their two first-rounders, who can presumably be stashed. Beringer, a French center still very early in his basketball journey, has exciting physical tools.
No. 16 overall: Memphis Grizzlies select Collin Murray-Boyles, PF, South Carolina
Now that Memphis has a pick in the middle of the first round, Murray-Boyles landing with the Grizzlies feels inevitable. He is an analytics darling – part of the mold that has produced tremendous draft results for the Grizzlies over the last several years – and to date it seems the NBA is just not as high on Murray-Boyles as some of his most fond supporters.
No. 17 overall: Minnesota Timberwolves select Will Riley, SG/SF, Illinois
Minnesota picks here and again at No. 31 overall, and it is imperative that at least one of these selections hits for a Timberwolves team that will need to consistently replenish cost-effective depth. Julius Randle, Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker all have the ability to become free agents this summer. Alexander-Walker appears to be the most likely departure of the three; Riley has a chance to help replace his minutes on the perimeter.
No. 18 overall: Washington Wizards select Asa Newell, PF/C, Georgia
Newell falls a bit here relative to projections, but ends up landing in Washington, where he should be able to play quite a bit. Suddenly, the Wizards have accumulated a pretty impressive collection of young talent as their rebuild continues.
No. 19 overall: Brooklyn Nets select Egor Demin, G, BYU
The Nets take another guard here, but Demin stands at 6-foot-9.5 as a jumbo-sized playmaker with remarkable court vision. More and more teams like playing with multiple initiators, and Brooklyn's rebuild is too young to worry much about long-term fit. They need to add talent.
No. 20 overall: Miami Heat select Liam McNeeley, F, UConn
McNeeley falls quite a bit here, and Miami takes advantage by nabbing him at No. 20. Ideally, Miami can add a reliable ball-handler at this spot to take some of the pressure off Tyler Herro, but the value is evident with a quality wing prospect projected by many to be a lottery pick.
No. 21 overall (TRADE): Boston Celtics select Danny Wolf, C, Michigan
Trade terms: Utah Jazz trade No. 21 overall pick to Boston Celtics for No. 32 overall pick, Sam Hauser.
Boston needs to trade Hauser this summer as part of their cost-cutting measures despite his elite three-point shooting and valuable contract. The most obvious solution is to use him to move up from one of their two top-32 picks, and Utah is now being run by former Celtics executive Austin Ainge. The Jazz seem to be looking to improve after posting the worst record in the NBA last season, and dropping 11 spots in this range to add a shooter of Hauser's caliber on such a team-friendly deal is an obvious win.
No. 22 overall: Atlanta Hawks select Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton
Looking to nail down their backup center spot behind Onyeka Okongwu, the Hawks select the NBA-ready, 7-foot-2 Kalkbrenner, who has a real chance at being a productive center right off the bat. Okongwu's experience playing in double-big lineups should come in handy if Kalkbrenner is even better than expected.
No. 23 overall (TRADE): Charlotte Hornets select Rasheer Fleming, PF, Saint Joseph's
Trade terms: Charlotte Hornets trade No. 4 overall pick, No. 33 overall pick, DaQuan Jeffries to New Orleans Pelicans for No. 7 overall pick, No. 23 overall pick, Jose Alvarado.
Charlotte continues adding immense length to its frontcourt, and if Fleming pans out he and Maluach could make for a stellar pairing for years to come. It is a bit surprising that Fleming's rare combination of length and three-point shooting have not translated to more pre-draft buzz.
No. 24 overall: Oklahoma City Thunder select Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State
If there is one thing Oklahoma City lacks on its 2025-26 roster, for better or worse, it is an offensive spark plug of sorts behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Anyone drafted by the Thunder will not need to play right away, but Richardson could be an interesting developmental prospect for a team that values his shooting and overall offensive skill.
No. 25 overall: Orlando Magic select Walter Clayton Jr., PG, Florida
In the aftermath of the Desmond Bane trade, Orlando still needs some ball-handling depth, and with the Denver Nuggets' first-round pick they find it with Clayton, who led the Gators to the national title and is projected by most to hear his name called during the first round as a result.
No. 26 overall (TRADE): Toronto Raptors select Yanic Konan Niederhauser, C, Penn State
Trade terms: Toronto Raptors trade No. 9 overall pick, RJ Barrett to Brooklyn Nets for No. 26 overall pick, No. 27 overall pick, Cameron Johnson.
With the first of two late first-rounders acquired in their previous trade, the Raptors take one of the draft's ultimate wild cards. Niederhauser went from relative unknown to borderline first-round pick in a matter of weeks.
No. 27 overall (TRADE): Toronto Raptors select Nique Clifford, SG/SF, Colorado State
Trade terms: Toronto Raptors trade No. 9 overall pick, RJ Barrett to Brooklyn Nets for No. 26 overall pick, No. 27 overall pick, Cameron Johnson.
Then they go with a much safer pick in Clifford, who is one of the oldest players in this class but should be able to step in and provide quality wing minutes right away.
No. 28 overall: Boston Celtics select Chaz Lanier, SG, Tennessee
Looking to replace Hauser's shooting, the Celtics take Lanier to add one of the most prolific snipers in college basketball this season. If he has a career anything like the one Hauser has enjoyed so far, this pick will pay off in spades.
No. 29 overall: Phoenix Suns select Nolan Traoré, PG, France
After trading Durant for a pair of swingmen and using a lottery pick on a big, the Suns now use this pick on a point guard in hopes of adding some quality ball-handling to a team that will once again be built solely around Devin Booker.
No. 30 overall: Los Angeles Clippers select Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas
The Clippers use the final pick of the first round to take a tough-minded wing who will need to make major strides as a three-point shooter but has the makeup of the sort of player that front office has liked in recent years.
No. 31 overall: Minnesota Timberwolves select Jamir Watkins, F, Florida State
Watkins is expected to be picked later than this, but for a Minnesota team likely hoping its picks can contribute right away, there is a case for the soon-to-be 24-year-old. Watkins has a unique skillset, including a stunningly strong knack for drawing fouls.
No. 32 overall (TRADE): Utah Jazz select Hansen Yang, C, China
Trade terms: Utah Jazz trade No. 21 overall pick to Boston Celtics for No. 32 overall pick, Sam Hauser.
Utah takes one of the other wild cards of the draft in Yang, who stands at over 7-foot-2 and will only be 20 years old as an NBA rookie. Yang has real passing chops for a player of his size and would benefit from landing with a team that affords him patience as he develops.
No. 33 overall (TRADE): New Orleans Pelicans select Maxime Raynaud, C, Stanford
Trade terms: Charlotte Hornets trade No. 4 overall pick, No. 33 overall pick, DaQuan Jeffries to New Orleans Pelicans for No. 7 overall pick, No. 23 overall pick, Jose Alvarado.
New Orleans adds a potential stretch five to its ranks early in the second round after hitting on the Yves Missi pick in the first round last year. If the Pelicans do end up with Ace Bailey, would they have an easier time moving Trey Murphy III or Herb Jones for a reliable ball-handler?
No. 34 overall (TRADE): Sacramento Kings select Kam Jones, PG, Marquette
Trade terms: Charlotte Hornets trade No. 34 overall pick to Sacramento Kings for Charlotte's 2026 and 2027 second-round picks
Sacramento needs depth badly, and Charlotte could be looking to trade this pick. That turns out to be an ideal match, as the Kings already own the Hornets' next two second-rounders. They return those to Charlotte and get an early second-rounder for their troubles.
No. 35 overall: Philadelphia 76ers select Drake Powell, SG/SF, North Carolina
This still feels like it is near the lower end of Powell's range, particularly after a jarring number of high-profile collegiate returners who would have otherwise been available in this region of the board. But Powell fits the Sixers' mold perfectly, from his dynamic athleticism to his significant pre-college pedigree.
MORE: Identifying targets for Sixers at No. 35 overall based on Daryl Morey's draft history
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