SALT LAKE CITY – It’s NBA Draft week, and with the Utah Jazz owning the fifth and 21st pick in Wednesday’s opening round, our NBA reporters Ben Anderson and Chandler Holt compiled a 30-selection mock draft.
The first round of the draft will be held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday, June 25, while the second round will be on Thursday.
Related: 2025 NBA Mock Draft Round Up
KSL Sports 2025 NBA Mock Draft
1. Dallas Mavericks – Cooper Flagg – Forward – Duke
The Mavericks were the big winners in the draft lottery, landing the top pick and freshman phenom Cooper Flagg.
Cooper Flagg coast to coast posterpic.twitter.com/sn0eVLZIE3
— Tankathon.com (@tankathon) January 8, 2025
Flagg may not have a singular skill that most number one overall picks showcase historically, but his well-rounded game, while being the youngest player in the draft, makes him an easy selection at number one.
2. San Antonio Spurs – Dylan Harper – Guard – Rutgers
While no team will ever begrudge moving up in the draft, the Spurs landing the second overall pick does not leave them with the easiest decision.
Harper is likely the best player available on most boards, but his questionable shooting is an awkward fit next to De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, both of whom joined the team in just the last 12 months.
San Antonio will likely take Harper and commit to developing him into their point guard of the future, but with superstar Victor Wembanyama already on the roster, the Spurs could shock the league by going in a different, potentially riskier direction on draft night.
3. Philadelphia 76ers – VJ Edgecombe – Guard – Baylor
If Edgecombe did any one thing better on the NBA floor, he might be getting real attention as the potential second overall pick.
However, outside of being the best athlete in the draft, the Baylor guard showed he’s good at most things, but not great at any.
Holy cow, VJ Edgecombe chasedown block pic.twitter.com/tBNTsbKfWf
— Ricky O’Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) March 9, 2025
Edgecombe is a good shooter, but not the best in the draft. He’s a good perimeter defender, but not the best in the top five. He’s only a freshman, but not the youngest in his class.
And, the list goes on.
Regardless, he’s a relatiavely easy fit in Philadelphia, especially for a team that doesn’t need him to be their future leading scorer.
4. Charlotte Hornets – Kon Knueppel – Guard – Duke
At worst, Knueppel is one of the three best shooters in the draft, and his upside as a playmaker and connector only raises his value as an offensive player.
While there are some (overblown) physical limitations, his motor runs as hot as anyone in the draft, and he’ll find a way to make plays that impact winning whenever he’s on the floor.
There are higher star upside swings here, but Charlotte needs to add long-term pieces, and Knueppel fits the bill.
5. Utah Jazz – Ace Bailey – Wing – Rutgers
Bailey’s workout process (or lack thereof) has been truly bizarre, and with the amount of misdirection surrounding his camp, combined with a tight-lipped Jazz front office, it’s difficult to discern what interest there is from either side in this hypothetical marriage.
Ace Bailey 39 points on 16-29 FG (4–8 3pt)
pic.twitter.com/Wx8xNziX8j
— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) June 20, 2025
Even before this rumored slide, Bailey was a mercurial player at Rutgers, recording gaudy scoring numbers, while racking up losses, and head-scratching lowlights.
However, the oversized wing has long been considered a top-three player in this class, a narrative that only seems to have changed in the last week due to mishandling the pre-draft process.
6. Washington Wizards – Tre Johnson – Guard – Texas
Like Bailey, Johnson’s ability to knock down difficult shots has placed him firmly in the top half of the lottery, even though his impact on winning wasn’t always apparent in college.
The guard is a poor defender and needs to improve his ability to get to the rim if he wants to be a star in the NBA, but in a league that’s built on great offensive players making impossible shots over good defenses, Johnson’s value is very high.
7. New Orleans Pelicans – Khaman Maluach – Center – Duke
Maluach entered the year as a projected top-five pick, and while it’s difficult to say he did anything to hurt his stock, he didn’t cement himself as an obvious future All-Star.
The center’s catch radius and finishing are superb as a roll man, and his free-throw shooting shows some promise for his ability to eventually space the floor.
However, if the shooting doesn’t evolve, his archetype as a rim-running big man tends to be available much later in most drafts, as the Pelicans learned with Yves Missi last year.
8. Brooklyn Nets – Jeremiah Fears – Point Guard – Oklahoma
Fears carried a shockingly large role at Oklahoma as a freshman, despite reclassifying as a high schooler, meaning he’s a year younger than most players in this class.
While the Sooners did qualify for the NCAA Tournament with Fears as their best player, there are legitimate concerns about how he translates to the NBA.
Just finished a new film school scouting report on Jeremiah Fears and I could not be more in. He’s so much fun. pic.twitter.com/jpWLCtWNkJ
— Tyler Metcalf (@tmetcalf11) June 13, 2025
In a league that prioritizes shooting on one side of the ball, and eliminating space on the other, Fears is not yet a great (or even good) shooter, nor big enough to be an impactful defender.
Still, he shined brightest at the biggest moments of the season as a freshman, and his ability to get anywhere on the floor with the ball in his hands is unique for this class.
9. Toronto Raptors – Derik Queen – Center – Maryland
Queen has truly jaw-dropping offensive potential with his ability to use his powerful frame to abuse smaller defenders, and his speed to blow by slower bigs.
He’s also a tantalizing passer and a very productive rebounder.
However, he’s an unproven shooter, doesn’t appear to have taken his pre-draft conditioning seriously, and shows a real lack of effort at times on the court.
Alas, the Raptors could use another potential difference maker on offense, and Queen is the best bet at this spot in the draft.
10. Phoenix Suns – Kasparas Jakucionis – Guard – Illinois
The board hasn’t broken particularly well for the Suns who could use a big body down low to ease the burden on a backcourt featuring Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and now Jalen Green.
Illinois freshman Kasparas Jakucionis has declared for the NBA Draft.
The Lithuanian guard is a projected top-10 pick. pic.twitter.com/Q05EfAw2gd
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) April 14, 2025
However, Booker has been at his best when playing next to a true point guard, and Jakucionis’s ability to handle the playmaking duties while knocking down open shots is a good value at 10, even if it’s not at a position of biggest need.
11. Portland Trail Blazers – Noa Essengue – Wing – France
Essengue’s need for a long runway to develop isn’t ideal for every team, but on a roster that has plenty of youth and no pressing needs, the Trail Blazers seem like an ideal fit.
The wing’s athletic fluidity and length match Portland’s preferred strategy in recent years, as does his upside as a multi-position defender.
12. Chicago Bulls – Thomas Sorber – Center – Georgetown
The Bulls had the 19th-ranked defense in the NBA, and the 20th-ranked offense last season, meaning they could use an upgrade on either side of the ball.
Luckily, Sorber does a little bit of both due to his soft touch around the rim, shooting upside, and strong steals and blocks numbers.
Sorber has terrific feel on both ends, and could be a great big man to pair with Matas Buzelis in future seasons.
13. Atlanta Hawks – Joan Beringer – Center – France
The Hawks are rumored to want to trade up to grab Maluach higher in the lottery, but may not be willing to pay the price necessary to do it.
From hedge twice to post defense and block all in the one possession, it really showed Joan Beringer’s motor and mobility to cover the ground. 🤔 pic.twitter.com/MtjlOLvQkw
— Sarahbaby (@Cuteghost_0725) June 21, 2025
Beringer is not on Maluach’s level at the moment, but playing next to a pick-and-roll ace like Trae Young would only help expedite his development, while covering up the raw edges of his game.
14. San Antonio Spurs – Collin Murray-Boyles – Forward – South Carolina
Murray-Boyles’s lack of shooting may be a tough sell in San Antonio, but he’s as strong as Wembanyama is long, and his solid basketball IQ could allow him to see the floor earlier than some other rookies in this class.
The forward may be able to guard enough front-court players to allow Wembanyama to roam off the ball, which may further unlock the superstar’s defensive potential.
15. Oklahoma City Thunder – Carter Bryant – Wing – Arizona
Bryant had one of the lowest scoring outputs of any player projected to be selected in the first round, but he’s a promising shooter and should be able to defend multiple positions in the NBA.
He wouldn’t get many touches or minutes on the floor in Oklahoma City, but they don’t need him to be good right away, which might make it an ideal landing spot.
16. Memphis Grizzlies – Nique Clifford – Guard – Colorado State
The Grizzlies have made a killing in recent years by drafting productive upperclassmen and allowing them to flourish next to Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant.
Nique Clifford #ColoradoState
Hit The Music! pic.twitter.com/3fmdKENrox
— Tyler Rucker (@tyler_rucker) June 20, 2025
After trading Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies might be excited to add youth without pushing their timeline too far down the road, and Clifford offers just that.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves – Asa Newell – F/C – Georgia
At some point, the Timberwolves have to start thinking about how to replace Rudy Gobert in the frontcourt, and at this point in this mock draft, Asa Newell is a great value.
He needs to get stronger, and he won’t hit his full potential unless he begins to knock down threes at a rate higher than the 29 percent he shot in college, but he seems like a safe bet to carve out a long NBA career, even on a very good team.
18. Washington Wizards – Will Riley – Guard – Illinois
The Wizards have exciting youth at every position on the court, but may lack a true star on the roster.
Though there may be some positional overlap between the earlier selected Tre Johnson, their skill sets are almost entirely different.
While he was billed as a tough shot maker, Riley is at his best getting downhill, making plays at the rim, while Johnson is a true floor spacer.
Ideally, their skills would rub off on one another, but if not, they should still be able to share the court in Washington.
19. Brooklyn Nets – Maxime Reynaud – Center – Stanford
The Nets have some decent depth in their frontcourt in Nic Claxton, Day’Ron Sharpe, and Noah Clowney, but none of the three are true scoring options.
Maxime Reynaud in a win over SMU yesterday.
26 points
4 rebounds
4 blocks
11-20 FG
2-5 3PT
The 21 year old continues to raise his stock as the year progresses. pic.twitter.com/kMhhGVSMwE
— The Hoops Addict (@TheHoopsAddict) March 2, 2025
Reynaud can both operate in the post, finish lobs, and space the floor, and is a better passer than he gets credit for.
20. Miami Heat – Egor Demin – Guard – BYU
The Heat were a bottom-10 offense in the NBA last season due in part to a lack of a true point guard on the roster.
Demin would pair nicely with breakout rookie Kel’el Ware, and would simply make life easier for Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, and Andrew Wiggins.
The BYU guard isn’t a high-level self-creator, but he wouldn’t need to score early to be successful in Miami.
21. Utah Jazz – Jase Richardson – Guard – Michigan State
Richardson is an undersized two guard who hasn’t proven he can play the point guard yet in his career, but he’s a statistical darling and a difference maker when he’s on the floor.
Related: 2025 Utah Jazz Draft Prospects
The Jazz have plenty of shot takers, but not enough shot makers, and Richardson simply puts the ball in the hoop, without overstepping his role.
22. Atlanta Hawks – Liam McNeeley – Wing – UConn
McNeeley had a truly underwhelming season at UConn, but he was one of the best shooters in the nation in high school, and was miscast in his role in college.
At this point in the mock draft, McNeeley’s combination of size, processing, and shooting is a worthwhile gamble for a Hawks team that utilizes spacing well under Quin Snyder.
23. New Orleans Pelicans – Rasheer Fleming – Forward – St. Joseph’s
Fleming’s shooting really blossomed in his final season at St. Joe’s, and the Pelicans have a recent track record of hitting on oversized floor spacers who can offer something on the defensive end.
Rasheer Fleming
Motor ✅
Physical tools (7’5 wingspan) ✅
Sniper (39% from 3-point range) ✅
Versatile defender ✅
Athletic 3&D wing who has proven he can be an efficient finisher at the rim. pic.twitter.com/NBUBkzucDS
— DraftCentral (@draftcentralnet) June 23, 2025
If Fleming were to follow suit, New Orleans would have significant roster flexibility with Herb Jones and Trey Murphy as centerpieces in future blockbuster moves.
24. Oklahoma City Thunder – Danny Wolf – Center – Michigan
While Wolf might not match the current personnel on the Thunder roster, they haven’t been afraid of drafting outside the box with players like Aleksej Pokuševski or Ousmane Dieng in the past.
Wolf has some spice to his game as a huge playmaker, and if it all clicks, he could be a major steal this late in this mock draft.
25. Orlando Magic – Cedric Coward – Wing – Washington State
The Magic traditionally love length in the draft, but enter another offseason in desperate need of shooting.
Coward would fill both needs in Orlando and is a nice value at the end of the first round.
26. Brooklyn Nets – Noah Penda – Forward – France
Penda has impressive physical tools with his ability to slide his feet as quickly as he does at 225 pounds.
His offense remains a work in progress, but he can do some of the dirty work in Brooklyn alongside a slew of other rookies.
27. Brooklyn Nets – Drake Powell – Wing – North Carolina
There were long stretches where Powell simply disappeared on the court during his freshman season at North Carolina.
Good luck trying to create against Drake Powell 1v1 pic.twitter.com/eo6c23eLtp
— Chris Keesee (NBA Scouting) (@HoopKeesee) June 22, 2025
But, for a team hoping to uncover value this late in the draft, Powell’s three-point shooting, defense, and physical profile are worth a swing.
28. Boston Celtics – Ryan Kalkbrenner – Center – Creighton
Drafting Creighton products in back-to-back years might be too cute for Boston, but Kalkbrenner could conceivably replace some of the rim protection and floor spacing left vacant if the team moves on from Kristaps Porzingis this summer.
With Jayson Tatum likely to miss most of next season, the Celtics may prefer a higher upside option here, but simply finding an NBA player with the 28th pick would be a success.
29. Phoenix Suns – Hugo Gonzalez – Wing – Spain
Gonzalez has been a name in international draft circles for the last several years, but hurt his stock after getting buried on a deep and talented Real Madrid roster this last season.
Had he attended an American college, he might have been in discussions to be drafted well above this, but this is a solid value for the Suns at 29.
30. Los Angeles Clippers – Walter Clayton – Guard – Florida
Clayton is one of the best shooters in the draft, but doesn’t have the purest point guard skills for a 6-foot-four backcourt player.
Playing next to James Harden early in his career, allowing him to learn the tricks of the trade as a playmaker, while spacing the floor off the ball might be an ideal situation for Clayton who projects as a steal this late in this mock draft.
How To Watch The NBA Draft
The 2025 NBA Draft takes place on Wednesday and Thursday, June 25 and 26. Both rounds begin at 6 p.m. (MT).
The first round will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN. The second round will be exclusively on ESPN.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone . Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.