The men's edition of the 2025 NCAA tournament kicked off Tuesday with the First Four, but the full slate of March Madness gets underway Thursday with the Round of 64. Amidst the Cinderella runs and bracket-busting upsets, NBA scouts will be paying close attention to a number of prospects in this year's Big Dance.
Duke forward Cooper Flagg is a virtual lock to go No. 1 in the 2025 NBA draft, but he isn’t the only future lottery pick who’ll be suiting up in March Madness this year. A pair of his teammates might also be top-10 picks, as could a half-dozen other prospects throughout the tournament.
Rutgers, which has presumptive top-five picks Dylan Haper and Ace Bailey, did not qualify for March Madness after posting a disappointing 15-17 record this season. However, NBA scouts and fans will have plenty of other players to monitor over the next few weeks, starting with Flagg and his fellow Blue Devils.
Cooper Flagg, Duke
Flagg entered the season as the early front-runner to go No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA draft, and nothing he did throughout his freshman season changed that opinion. If anything, he only further solidified it.
Flagg led the 31-3 Blue Devils in points (18.9), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.1), steals (1.5) and blocks (1.3) per game. He's also shooting 36.8% on 117 three-point attempts on the year to date. As Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman recently noted, his 15.0 box plus-minus trails only Zion Williamson and Anthony Davis—both of whom were No. 1 overall picks in their respective drafts—among one-and-done freshmen.
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Health is the biggest question with Flagg heading into the tournament. He suffered a nasty ankle sprain during the ACC tournament and missed the final two games of Duke's run to the ACC title, although head coach Jon Scheyer said he's hoping to be available for the Blue Devils' Round of 64 game on Friday.
Duke should make quick work of Mount St. Mary’s in the opening round, but a Round of 32 showdown against Baylor and potential top-five pick VJ Edgecombe would be appointment viewing for NBA scouts and fans alike.
VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
Like Flagg, Edgecombe entered his freshman season with a ton of hype. He was the fourth-ranked prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings, trailing only Flagg, Bailey and Harper. And like Flagg, he cemented that reputation with a dynamic freshman season that could result in a top-five selection on draft night.
Edgecombe was not nearly as consistent as Flagg, who scored at least 10 points in 21 straight games before he left early against Georgia Tech in the ACC tournament. Edgecombe has scored eight or fewer points in three of his last nine games alone. However, he's averaging 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and a team-high 2.1 steals while shooting 43.5% overall and 34.5% from three-point range on the year.
Although Edgecombe ran hot-and-cold as a scorer throughout the season, his explosiveness and athleticism should appeal to plenty of NBA teams. If Baylor can get past Mississippi State in the opening round, a likely Round of 32 showdown against Flagg and Duke could give Edgecombe an opportunity to cement himself as a top-five pick.
Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois
Whereas Flagg and Edgecombe figure to be high lottery picks in this year's draft, Jakucionis' draft range could be wider. The freshman led Illinois with 15.0 points and 4.6 assists per game, but his mediocre shooting efficiency (44.8% overall, 32.9% from deep) and turnover issues (3.6 per game) muddle his draft outlook.
"I think he's got potential, he’s got some scoring ability, actually, he reminded me a bit of Tyrese Haliburton," an NBA scout told HoopsHype's Cyro Asseo de Choch earlier this year. "That said, I don't fully trust his shot creation the way I trusted Haliburton's, though their college numbers are surprisingly similar."
Jakucionis will have a chance to make a final on-court impression on NBA decision-makers starting with Friday’s Round of 64 matchup against No. 11 seed Xavier. If the Fighting Illini survive that game, they're likely headed for a showdown with Otega Oweh and No. 3 seed Kentucky on Sunday.
Kon Knueppel, Duke
Knueppel wasn't as hyped as Flagg heading into college, but he was a 5-star prospect in his own right and the No. 19 overall player in his recruiting class. He's second on the team with 14.4 points per game, trailing only Flagg, and he's chipping in a well-rounded 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.2 three-pointers per game while shooting 47.2% overall and an impressive 39.2% from deep.
When Flagg went down early against Georgia Tech in the ACC tournament, Kneuppel took over with 28 points on 7-of-14 shooting, eight assists and five rebounds. He chipped in a combined 35 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, three triples and three steals over Duke's wins over UNC and Louisville en route to the ACC title.
Most of the focus heading into Duke’s first game Friday will be on Flagg's ankle and overall health. If he's less than 100% physically, Knueppel could have a larger-than-expected opportunity to guide Duke through the early rounds of March Madness.
Khaman Maluach, Duke
Maluach is another of Flagg's less-heralded teammates who's nevertheless caught the eye of NBA scouts. He's averaging only 8.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 21.0 minutes per game, but the 7'2", 250-pound center is an imposing presence under the basket on both ends of the floor.
Maluach is shooting 69.3% from the field, although a majority of his shot attempts come near the basket. He’s only 3-of-15 from three-point range on the season, but his ability to knock down an occasional triple is encouraging from an NBA perspective. Either way, his size and defensive ability alone will likely earn him looks in the top 10.
If Flagg is hampered by his injured ankle and Malauch and Knueppel help keep Duke afloat regardless, that could do wonders for both of their draft stocks.
Derik Queen, Maryland
Maluach isn’t the only center prospect who’s drawing lottery looks. Maryland freshman Derik Queen might be the biggest threat to supplant him as the top center in the draft in June.
The 6'10", 246-pound freshman is leading the Terrapins in both points (16.3) and rebounds (9.0) per game. Like Maluach, he isn't much of a threat beyond the arc—he's shooting 4-of-28 from three-point range on the year—but his 31-point eruption against Michigan in the Big Ten tournament undoubtedly turned some heads.
Queen isn’t as much of a defensive presence as Maluach, which could turn some teams off in the mid-lottery. If he can help Maryland stave off an upset bid against Grand Canyon in the Round of 64 and get past the winner of Memphis/Colorado State in the Round of 32, a likely showdown against No. 1 seed Florida in the Sweet 16 could help answer some questions for NBA scouts.
Honorable Mentions
Flagg, Edgecombe, Jakucionis, Knueppel, Maluach and Queen are the top NBA prospects suiting up for March Madness this year, but the following players could also challenge for spots in the top 10/late lottery.
Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma: Fears leads Oklahoma with 17.0 points per game and has scored at least 28 in three of his past four outings. If the Sooners knock off two-time defending champion UConn in the opening round, they’ll likely draw No. 1 seed Florida in the Round of 32.
Asa Newell, Georgia: Like Fears, Newell was named to the SEC All-Freshman team after averaging a team-high 15.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 54.1% overall. And like Fears, Newell will likely have a date with a No. 1 seed in the Round of 32 if he can guide the Bulldogs past Gonzaga on Thursday.
Jase Richardson, Michigan State: Richardson was an up-and-down scorer off the bench for the first few months of the season, but since joining the Spartans’ starting lineup in early February, he's averaging 17.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 threes and 1.7 assists per game. His 6'3", 185-pound frame might limit his NBA ceiling, but carrying his late-season momentum into March Madness could send his draft stock soaring even higher.
Liam McNeeley, UConn: McNeeley is shooting only 39.1% from the floor as a freshman, although nearly half of his shot attempts are coming from three-point range (5.2 of his 11.2 per game). If he knocks down shots to help topple Fears and Oklahoma in the Round of 64, he should have a golden opportunity to improve his draft stock with an upset over No. 1 seed Florida on Sunday.
Egor Demin, BYU: Demin is leading BYU with 5.4 assists per game this season, although his 10.3 points on 41.0% shooting (including 27.1% from deep) are far less impressive. BYU faces a tough test against No. 11 seed VCU in the Round of 64 before a potential matchup with Wisconsin, who just made it to the Big Ten tournament final this past weekend.
Unless otherwise noted, all stats viaNBA.com,PBPStats,Cleaning the Glass orBasketball Reference. All salary information viaSpotrac and salary-cap information viaRealGM. All odds viaFanDuel Sportsbook.
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