2025 NBA Draft: Early Pro Comparisons for Projected Lottery Picks
2025 NBA Draft: Early Pro Comparisons for Projected Lottery Picks0 of 14
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NBA comparisons are used by scouting departments to paint a picture for their front offices of how a prospect will look in the pros.
The goal is to find a player who represents both a realistic ceiling outcome and the most accurate style or archetype.
Usually, it’s difficult to identify just one comparison, particularly for the 2025 draft when there are so many unique players. In some cases, we used a mix of two players to cover all strengths and weaknesses at both ends.
Cooper Flagg (Duke, SF/PF, Freshman)1 of 14
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Pro comparison: Andre Kirilenko/Paolo Banchero
Kirilenko has been a popular Cooper Flagg comparison for years due to their special shot-blocking instincts and defensive versatility at 6’9″. Flagg flies around, anticipates and gets to spots with remarkable speed for a player his size.
Duke will be able to use its star freshman guarding the point of attack or protecting the basket as a 5 man.
The gradual development and evolution of Flagg’s on-ball skill set have changed and raised the trajectory of his offensive role and scoring potential. He’s improved his creation and isolation game to the point where they now resemble Paolo Banchero’s.
Like Banchero, the only NBA power forward last season to log at least six pick-and-roll ball-handling possessions per game, Flagg could also initiate offense, drive, play-make or pull up. Both are excellent passers, and though shooting isn’t a strength, they’ve become capable shotmakers from the mid-range out to the arc.
Quicker and more explosive than Banchero, Flagg will also score plenty around the basket off his size, athleticism, effort and improvisation. Aside from possessing All-Defensive Team physical abilities and instincts, Flagg’s elite play-finishing tools, budding perimeter offense and secondary playmaking skills create one of the most complete scouting reports and highest ceilings in recent memory.
Dylan Harper (Rutgers, PG/SG, Freshman)2 of 14
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Pro comparison: Coby White
Dylan Harper’s positional size (6’6″), ball-handling and shotmaking creativity combine to a form a scoring combo guard archetype like Coby White’s, James Harden’s or Jamal Murray’s.
He may not be a traditional passing point guard, but he’s too effective with the ball not to allow the offense to consistently run through him.
Harper may wind up drawing comparisons to Jalen Brunson for his ability to use strength, footwork, instincts and shotmaking improvisation to compensate for limited athletic pop. But Harper is also 6’6″, 215 pounds. With strong wing size, he gets to his spots off the dribble, shields defenders with his body, finishes in different ways, sets up teammates and continues to show growth with his jump shot.
Ace Bailey (Rutgers, SG/SF, Freshman)3 of 14
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Pro comparison: Brandon Miller
Ace Bailey has a clear archetype that’s also highly enticing, given the certainty tied to shotmaking at 6’10”, plus the number of NBA players who’ve used that perimeter size, shooting and handle to become stars.
Bailey fits the same big-wing scorer mold as Brandon Miller, or even Paul George and Tracy McGrady.
He possesses special shotmaking capabilities, from 30 feet off the dribble down to the post, falling away. That ability and confidence remain a gift and a curse, with Bailey prone to rushing low-percentage jumpers. But at this age, you buy the talent and skill over the decision-making.
Like Miller, George and McGrady, Bailey has advanced self-creation dribble moves, which can also translate to secondary playmaking.
VJ Edgecombe (Baylor, SG, Freshman)4 of 14
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Pro comparison: Shaedon Sharpe/Victor Oladipo
Quickness, explosiveness and shotmaking fuel VJ Edgecombe’s scoring.
He has Sharpe’s body type, fluidity in the open floor and hang time around the rim. There is room for improvement to Edgecombe’s shooting, but he’s demonstrated shotmaking and the ability to get hot in enough settings to feel confident in his perimeter game’s trajectory.
Ideally, he starts to evolve into more of a combo playmaker like Oladipo, whose athleticism was far ahead of his creation at Indiana.
Regardless, in the short term for Baylor and whatever team drafts Edgecombe, he will be a scoring 2-guard who’ll give the lineup speed, rim pressure and streak shotmaking capabilities.
Drake Powell (North Carolina, SG, Freshman)5 of 14
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Pro comparison: Herbert Jones/Will Barton
Drake Powell’s physical profile should immediately pop to scouts at North Carolina. Strength, length and explosion will translate to physical driving, open-floor finishing and wing defense that’s reminiscent of Herbert Jones’.
Offensively, he’s closer to a three-level scorer like Barton, though shooting remains an area that needs to keep improving.
Powell can contribute in various ways with rim pressure, tough shotmaking, passing and defense. He may look more like a Swiss Army Knife early on, particularly for a Tar Heels roster that already has proven creators.
Nolan Traore (Saint-Quentin, PG, 2006)6 of 14
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Pro comparison: Tyrese Haliburton/Rod Strickland
Nolan Traore’s poise, pacing, decision-making, vision and limited explosion at the rim remind of Tyrese Haliburton.
The ability to facilitate offense, manipulate defenses and make passing reads separates them from other point guards.
Traore does have another gear of open-floor speed and half-court burst, while Haliburton relies more on spot-up and pull-up shotmaking.
While Rod Strickland’s prime was in the 1990s, he may be a better overall comparison with his craftiness, mid-range game, touch and playmaking, consistently averaging at least 8.0 assists per game.
Rocco Zikarsky (Brisbane, C, 2006)7 of 14
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Pro comparison: Walker Kessler
A 12.2 block rate highlights Rocco Zikarsky’s signature instincts and size in rim protection.
He and Walker Kessler both demonstrate technique, timing and the ability to slide in pick-and-roll coverage or anticipate off the ball as a weak-side shot-blocker.
Offensively, Zikarsky will occupy the role of play-finisher rolling off screens and putting back misses. But he has flashed short-range touch, as well as some athleticism/fluidity putting the ball down and attacking the basket in space.
We continue to see lottery teams willing to draft centers over 7’0″ who don’t possess a modernized skill set. Zikarsky could be the first one taken in 2025 to a team that’s looking for a defensive presence and more easy baskets.
Tre Johnson (Texas, SG, Freshman)8 of 14
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Pro comparison: Cam Thomas
Tre Johnson will earn his NBA paychecks off self-creation offense and tough shotmaking. Like Thomas, he’s a classic bucket-getter, capable of separating into makable jump shots from the mid-range/post to well beyond the arc.
The difficulty level in Johnson’s perimeter-oriented attack raises some questions about whether he’ll continue to be efficient. Building on the occasional flashes of live-dribble passes would create more versatility and margin for error as a shooter.
Regardless, teams will be drawn mostly to Johnson’s advanced scoring skill set, which allows coaches to use him on the ball for generating offense or off it for spacing/shooting.
Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois, PG/SG, Freshman)9 of 14
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Pro comparison: Spencer Dinwiddie
Coming off a U18 European Championships averaging 19.4 points, 5.3 assists and 2.1 threes, Kasparas Jakucionis will now arrive at Illinois with some extra hype. He’s gradually moved up our projections using 6’6″ size, three-level shotmaking and passing feel.
His game looks similar to prime Spencer Dinwiddie’s with how he leverages creativity into playmaking, improvises as a scorer and shoots off the catch or dribble. Jakucionis is crafty with his handle, change of speed and finishing package, and he demonstrates tough shotmaking skill from the mid-range and three-point land.
He’ll split time at both backcourt positions for Illinois.
Asa Newell (Georgia, PF/C, Freshman)10 of 14
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Pro comparison: Jalen Smith/Marvin Bagley III
Georgia should instantly get easy baskets, second-chance points and defensive activity from Asa Newell.
Visually, the 6’11” lefty’s game can look like Bagley’s with their athletic play-finishing, rebounding and face-up flashes into running hooks.
Newell’s three-point shot seems further along at 18 years old. His archetype should eventually mirror Smith’s with the ability to stretch the floor from the 4 or 5 positions, score out of the post and provide defensive toughness/energy.
Newell ultimately projects as a plug-and-play big who’ll produce from off the ball with spot-up shooting, straight-line driving, finishing, offensive rebounding and shot-blocking.
Hugo González Peña (Real Madrid, SF, 2006)11 of 14
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Pro comparison: Jonathan Kuminga
The Hugo González scouting report received an update after this month’s U18 European Championships, where he averaged 20.7 points and 4.7 stocks, shot poorly and turned the ball over often.
Together, his physical profile, on-ball attacking, off-ball athleticism, defensive playmaking, questionable decision-making and erratic three-ball can resemble Jonathan Kuminga’s.
González does have creation skill, using his handle and change of direction to get to spots and the rim. He’s a capable shotmaker but unreliable shooter. Some of his most impressive highlights are of his explosion driving to the rack or recovering and elevating for a block.
His NBA role will be determined by how much he improves his self-creation execution, or whether he can add a consistent three to pair with his D.
Kon Knueppel (Duke, SG/SF, Freshman)12 of 14
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Pro comparison: Max Strus/Saddiq Bey
Duke is getting a skilled scorer and dangerous shooter in Kon Knueppel. At 6’7″, 217 pounds, he measures closely to Saddiq Bey, a similarly talented shotmaker with athletic limitations.
While Knueppel was an obvious No. 1 option in high school, his role and usage will look more like Bey’s or Max Strus’ in the NBA. There is some debate about how well Knueppel will be able to create and separate from defenders at the next levels, but his shooting versatility and instincts are still well suited for off-ball scoring.
Even as a complementary piece for Duke, Knueppel will put up points right away with the variety of ways he can get a bucket from different spots on the floor.
Like Strus, Knueppel should also provide secondary playmaking with plus passing ability.
Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina, PF, Sophomore)13 of 14
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Pro comparison: Julius Randle/Grant Williams
There will be steady debate over Collin Murray-Boyles’ presumed production, style of play and his fit/pathway for NBA upside.
He has the wider, strong build like Randle and Williams. Inside 20 feet, his skill set and skill level mirror Randle’s. Murray-Boyles has impressive quick rip-through or back-to-the-basket moves that use power and physicality, counters and one-handed shotmaking.
A 17.2 assist percentage and 2.8 steal percentage also help highlight passing and defensive quickness as pluses for Murray-Boyles.
Scouts will still question Randle’s scoring potential and want to see gradual perimeter development.
Liam McNeeley (Connecticut, SF/PF, Freshman)14 of 14
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Pro comparison: Keegan Murray
Connecticut re-ups with one of the top shooters from high school in Liam McNeeley.
His scouting report, projected role and limitations are well-defined. Like Keegan Murray, McNeeley operates as an off-ball scorer who’ll do most of his damage spacing the floor and drilling threes off movement.
But he can also handle in the open floor and make passing reads in ball-screen situations. A high IQ is evident and translates to efficient, mistake-free offense and defensive anticipation.
Offense doesn’t run through Murray or McNeeley, who’s not a high-level creator or off-the-dribble scorer. But an easy-fit game with valued, translatable strengths should result in instant production and a high number of NBA suitors.
