SALT LAKE CITY – With the Utah Jazz owning two selections in the first round of the 2025 NBA draft, we’ve combined a list of the NCAA Tournament draft eligible players that fans should keep an eye on.
Not only do the Jazz have a top-five pick likely headed their way, but they also have a mid-to-late first-rounder en route courtesy of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
With that in mind, here are a handful of names Jazz fans should keep an eye on during the NCAA Tournament, and when they play.
Note: Neither projected top-three picks Dylan Harper nor Ace Bailey will be on this NCAA Tournament draft list after Rutgers failed to qualify for the postseason.
Enter To Win: KSL Sports Basketball Mayhem
Potential Top Five NCAA Tournament Draft Picks
Cooper Flagg – SF/PF: Duke vs. TBD – Friday 3/21 12:50 PM CBS
All eyes will be on Flagg’s availability in Duke’s opening-round game on Friday. The presumptive number one overall pick suffered an ugly ankle injury during the ACC tournament and missed the last two games of the Blue Devils.
COOPER FLAGG JUST WENT COAST-TO-COAST AND POSTERIZED THE DEFENDER 😱🔥
ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Z5jcZ756ew
— ESPN (@espn) January 8, 2025
Coach Jon Scheyer said he expects Flagg to be available as Duke opens Tournament play on Friday.
Bonus Viewing: Kon Knueppel – SG/SG Duke
While watching Flagg, Jazz fans should also keep an eye on Duke freshman Kon Knueppel.
Should the Jazz slip to the 5-7 range in the lottery, Knueppel could be in play as a sharp shooting, complimentary ball handler who has been a statistical darling throughout the season.
Bonus Viewing: Khaman Maluach – C Duke
Maluach is the third of the Duke freshman triumvirate, and the least likely to end up in Utah in this year’s draft.
Though Maluach is likely to hear his name called in the middle of the lottery, his overlapping skillset with Walker Kessler makes him an awkward fit in Utah.
VJ Edgecombe – SG/SF: Baylor vs. Mississippi St – Friday 3/21 10:15 AM CBS
Edgecombe has had a terrific season at Baylor and should be firmly in play for the Jazz if they fall outside of the top two selections in June’s draft.
VJ Edgecombe is the most explosive athlete in this class, but shows quite a bit of skill as well. He’s an event-creator defensively who hit 39% of his 3s in Big 12 play with improving shot-creation and passing prowess that bodes well for his long-term development. pic.twitter.com/aIwf9EGLS4
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) March 13, 2025
The 6-foot-4 freshman is a stellar defender and athlete, who shows promise as a go-to scoring option in the NBA.
Tre Johnson – SG: Texas vs. Xavier – Wednesday 3/19 7:10 PM truTV
Like Knueppel, Johnson likely will only be in play if the Jazz slip to the 5-7 on lottery night.
Johnson is a prolific shooter and scorer on the perimeter who will provide an immediate offensive boost wherever he’s drafted but will need to improve defensively in the NBA.
Kasparas Jakucionis – PG/SG: Illinois vs. TBD – Friday 3/21 7:45 PM CBS
Jakucionis is the draft’s second-best point guard behind Dylan Harper and will be in play for the Jazz if they drop to five on lottery night.
“From Lithuania with love.” 🧡 Kasparas Jakucionis MASSIVE three for @IlliniMBB pic.twitter.com/qUewRP5S3U
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 8, 2025
The Illinois guard’s play tailed off beginning in February but could establish himself as the obvious fifth pick in the draft with a strong showing in the tournament.
Bonus Viewing: Will Riley – SG/SF Illinois
Riley has terrific size for a wing player at a reported 6-foot-8, though his ideal role in the NBA remains in question.
The freshman showed flashes as a shooter but cooled off considerably after a red-hot start to his college career.
With a solid tournament run, Riley could be firmly in play for the Jazz with the Timberwolves first-round pick.
Mid First-Round NCAA Tournament Draft Names
Egor Demin – PG: BYU vs. VCU – Thursday 3/20 2:05 PM TNT
Among NCAA tournament draft hopefuls, Demin has one of the wider draft ranges in this year’s class. After opening the season on a tear, the guard’s play varied wildly in Big 12 play, but remains arguably the best passer in the draft.
There are only a handful of players on the planet capable of making the type of pick-and-roll reads Egor Demin effortlessly executes, making the game easy for teammates throwing high-velocity skips, touch passes, over the shoulder feeds and no-look live-dribble darts. pic.twitter.com/qF7MHR0PnZ
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) January 20, 2025
With the Jazz’s close proximity to BYU both geographically and within the front office, they’ll have better intel on Demin than any team in the draft.
Demin would have to slip on draft night to fall to the Jazz with their second first-round pick.
Danny Wolf – C: Michigan vs. UCSD – Thursday 3/20 8:00 PM TBS
With Kessler on board, the Jazz might not be anxious to add another center to the mix, but Wolf’s potential as a playmaker and floor-spacer may be hard to pass on late in the first round.
Paired with Kyle Filipowski, the Jazz would have one of the most highly-skilled second-unit frontcourts in the NBA.
Nique Clifford – SG: Colorado State vs. Memphis – Friday 3/21 12:00 PM TBS
Few players have helped their stock during the conference tournament as much as Nique Clifford at Colorado State.
GET IN THERE NIQUE!!!!!!!!!#Relentless x #TeamTogether pic.twitter.com/OFln9bc4Ro
— Colorado State Men’s Basketball (@CSUMBasketball) March 1, 2025
The guard is a super-senior and simply dominates younger college players with his advanced physique and developed skill set, but his NBA readiness could be a plus for an already young Jazz team.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports, the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone, and the author of the Jazz Mailbag. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.