NBA mock draft 2025: Updated projection with 2 March Madness prospects rising, 1 falling

March Madness is the first time a big section of NBA fans check in on the top prospects in college basketball. This is a good year to do it: 19 of the 30 first-round picks in our last mock draft made the 2025 men’s NCAA tournament, and a bunch of them are still playing as the field trims in the second weekend.

The Duke Blue Devils are rolling behind their three lottery picks, led by the clear No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. Flagg’s former high school teammate Derik Queen hit the defining shot of the tournament so far to lift Maryland to a round of 32 win over Colorado State at the buzzer. Even BYU’s Egor Demin has been playing his best ball of the season to help the Cougars reach the Sweet 16.

Queen and Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears are shooting up the draft board in our latest update. Meanwhile, Illinois point guard Kasparas Jakucionis finds himself falling out of the top-10 after a tough performance against Kentucky. Here’s our latest 2025 NBA mock draft.

1. Utah Jazz – Cooper Flagg, F, Duke
Flagg is the best player in college basketball despite being the youngest draft-eligible player in the sport, which is the basis of his case as the best American-born basketball prospect since LeBron James. Flagg has ideal positional size for a four (6’9, 7-foot wingspan), top-tier athleticism, an awesome motor, and a burgeoning offensive skill set. Flagg was widely acknowledged as a defense-first, off-ball prospect coming into this season, but he’s proven he’s growing into an elite offensive engine during his one season at Duke. He is a rare franchise-changing talent, and whoever wins the lottery to get him needs to start planning for contention in one year or less.

2. Washington Wizards – Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers
Every team in the NBA is looking for jumbo guard to act as their primary creator, and Harper is the best bet in this class to be exactly that. The 6’6 guard is a master at getting downhill in the pick-and-roll, where he combines efficient, self-created rim finishing (70 percent at the rim with only 17.6 percent assisted) with solid passing vision to kick out to teammates. Harper is good-not-great in terms of both his explosion and his three-point shooting (33.3 percent), but his shot mechanics should give teams confidence he’ll shoot it better in the pros. There are plenty of No. 2 overall picks in recent years who have been a bit of a disappointment, but Harper’s archetype and skill set make him a solid bet to hit.

3. Charlotte Hornets – VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor
Edgecombe is the most explosive athlete in the draft as a quick-twitch marvel with an unmatched combination of extreme speed and leaping. Edgecombe’s aerial hang-time is something to behold when attacking the basket, but his athleticism also shows up in his ability to force turnovers on defense. His spot-up three-point shot looks good, too, after hitting 36.7 percent of his triples on 120 attempts over the last 25 games of Baylor’s season. The catch with Edgecombe is he’s undersized for a two (6’4 with a 6’6 wingspan), and his ball handling, pull-up jumper, and finishing craft need a ton of work. Still, the tools are there for a high-upside player who should still have a high-floor even if he doesn’t hit his best outcomes.

4. New Orleans Pelicans – Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
Please don’t give Ace Bailey a Kevin Durant comp. The Rutgers forward is way too rough around the edges for that type of comparison, and has a long way to go with his awareness and feel for the game before he’s even a quality NBA starter, let alone a superstar. I like to view Bailey as a high-floor prospect rather than a high-ceiling one: at 6’10 with a 7-foot wingspan, Bailey is a big-time athlete who can finish plays above the rim on both ends of the floor, while also looking good as a spot-up three-point shooter (34.6 percent from deep). Bailey doesn’t have the handle or passing vision to be a play creator at this stage, and that’s the path to stardom. Even if he never gets there, Bailey being huge, athletic, and having a good jump shot at a super young age (he doesn’t turn 19 until mid-August) is appealing enough to make him a top-5 pick.

5. Philadelphia 76ers – Derik Queen, C/F, Maryland
Queen was already starting to feel like a top-10 lock before March Madness. After carrying Maryland to the Sweet 16 with a buzzer-beater for the ages against Colorado State, NBA evaluators will have to ask if he’s worth taking in the top-5. Queen lacks ideal size (6’10, 7’1 wingspan) and athleticism for an NBA center. He’s nothing close to an elite rim protector, and he doesn’t shoot threes (only four made threes all season). At the same time, focusing on what Queen doesn’t do detracts from the many skills he brings to the table. It’s rare to find a big man this comfortable putting the ball on the floor to make a play for himself and his teammates. He’s a bruising interior scorer, a workhorse on the glass, and a capable passer with either hand. Queen just has some special scoring ability to go along with terrific instincts to generate fouls and compromise the opposing defense. Philadelphia would be in a fascinating position to take him given Joel Embiid’s injury trouble, potentially giving them a player who could who could act as an offense hub while Embiid is out and limit his minutes in an attempt to prolong the former MVP’s career.

6. Brooklyn Nets – Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma
Fears feels like something of a boom-or-bust prospect who is certain to be among the most polarizing players in this draft class after Ace Bailey. The good: Fears is the second youngest American player in this draft with an Oct. 2006 birthday, and he just went through the SEC gauntlet with the highest usage in this class (32 percent) and still took Oklahoma to the NCAA tournament. He’s already an advanced ball handler who uses his combination of speed and change of direction to separate from defenders. On the flip side, Fears was terrible both as a rim finisher (53 percent), three-point shooter (28.3 percent), and he’s not a natural playmaker. Fears needs a lot of physical development and fine-tuning to his skill set, but he has the look of a high-ceiling creator if you believe in his talent.

7. Toronto Raptors – Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
Maluach didn’t start playing basketball until he was 13 years old, and his career has been on a meteoric rise ever since. The Duke freshman center has elite NBA size at 7’2, 250 pounds with a 9’9 standing reach. He should be impactful defensively on size alone even if he’s still learning about positioning and can be a bit of a slow leaper getting off the ground. His offense is even more exciting: Maluach is a phenomenal rim finisher who will be a huge lob target and putback threat on the offensive glass. He has two skills that could take his potential to the stratosphere: he’s quick laterally on defense, and he’s comfortable shooting threes even if Duke rarely lets him do it. Imagine a 7’2 center who can switch on defense, space the floor as a shooter, and touch the rim on his tippy-toes. That sounds like an easy top-5 pick to me. This should be his floor.

8. Miami Heat – Tre Johnson, G, Texas
Johnson has a case as both the best shooter and best takeover scorer in this draft class. The 6’6 off-ball guard led all DI freshmen in scoring (20.2 points per game) despite playing in the SEC, the best conference in America. Johnson shot 39.7 percent from from three on a high-volume of attempts (224), which is even more impressive considering he was the No. 1 name on every opposing scouting report. Johnson can get tunnel vision at times and doesn’t usually fill the box score in other categories, but he’s decent enough as a passer and on-ball defender to make him more than a specialist. Johnson often exhibits an intense on-court mentality that should make him a perfect fit in Heat Culture playing off Tyler Herro.

9. Chicago Bulls – Collin Murray-Boyles, F/C, South Carolina
Murray-Boyles was an advanced stats marvel during his sophomore season despite playing on a terrible South Carolina team as a 6’7 big man without a reliable jump shot. Murray-Boyles’ NBA translation will be a fascinating one with his limitations, but he brings so much to the table that he deserves top-10 consideration. Murray-Boyles has a long-and-strong frame (reportedly 235 pounds with a 7’2 wingspan) and low center of gravity that helps him defend bigger players when matched with his brilliant IQ. He is one of the very best defensive prospects in this class, showing elite instincts as an off-ball defender with some ability to wall up at the rim. On offense, he should be a good short-roll passer and hub in dribble-handoffs while also having a solid handle and finishing touch to create some of his own offense off the bounce. The hope is that CMB can vacillate between the four and five while providing excellent defense and enough offensive skills to give him positive value until he can improve as a shooter.

10. San Antonio Spurs – Kon Knueppel, G, Duke
Knueppel impressed scouts who flocked to Duke early in the season to check in on Cooper Flagg, emerging as a big wing shooter who can also run some action as a ball handler in the two-man game. Knueppel doesn’t really pass the eye test as an NBA prospect without plus length or explosion, but he’s a smart and skilled player who is always under control. His 39.3 percent three-point stroke and 90 percent mark from the free throw line gives him a case as the best shooter in this class, and he’s certainly not small at 6’7, 220 pounds. Knueppel’s athletic limitations could hinder him at the next level, but his shooting will play regardless of where he lands. Going to San Antonio would feel like a perfect landing spot for both the player and team.

11. Portland Trail Blazers – Noa Essengue, F, Ulm
Essengue is a super young forward who has already been productive in the German league. At 6’10, 200 pounds with a 9’3+ standing reach, Essengue combines positional size with a high motor and impressive productive for such a young player. Essengue is mostly a play-finisher at this point who wins with hustle and tools, helping him turn into an efficient scorer (61.4 percent true shooting), a solid rebounder, and a good events creator on defense. He’s not a good shooter yet and needs to add a lot of strength to his frame, but he already has some skills to impact the game despite being just two days older than Flagg.

12. Dallas Mavericks – Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State
Richardson had a small role for Michigan State until the second week of Feb., when he finally got his first start and immediately became the team’s best player. The freshman guard and son of former NBA veteran Jason Richardson doesn’t have his father’s height or hops, but he’s a smart and skilled player who consistently makes a big impact on winning. Richardson is a deadly shooter (40 percent from three) who has a sixth sense for how to find open pockets of space for his jumpers off the ball. He can change directions on a dime off the dribble, and shows good finishing touch in close. Richardson’s size will be a major question mark: he’s listed at 6’3 but that seems generous. He’s played with a smaller usage rate this year which could raise some questions about how high his ceiling really is. His injury history is also a bit scary. Still, Richardson rarely makes mistakes with the ball and his shooting will play anywhere. He’s worth a lottery pick, and deserves looks in the top-10.

13. Houston Rockets – Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois
Jakucionis was tracking as a potential top-5 pick earlier in the season, but his struggles in conference play and the postseason revealed some deeper issues about his game. The Illini point guard has tremendous passing vision, a strong 6’5 frame, and a go-to scoring move with his step-back three-pointer. The biggest issues for Jakucionis are his limited athletic explosiveness paired with his turnover problems. The Lithuanian is a below-the-rim player in every sense who relies more on strength than speed to get past defenders. That occasionally got him into bad spots on the floor, which led to major turnover issues for Illinois late in the season. Jakucionis is still a good prospect who adjusted quickly to American college ball, but the end of his freshman season was a bit sobering for evaluators. It feels like the Rockets have one of every type of player in their fast-tracked rebuild, but they still lack an elite passer, which is where Jakucionis can add value.

14. Atlanta Hawks – Carter Bryant, F, Arizona
Bryant is a very good athlete with an ideal frame for an NBA forward at 6’8, 225 pounds with long arms (reportedly a 7-foot wingspan). He’s played a low usage offensive role in his freshman season for Arizona, where he’s shown the ability to knock down spot-up threes (37.4 percent on 99 attempts) and finish effectively at the rim. Bryant’s offense is limited by his lack of ball handling ability and passing vision, but his strong defensive projection will keep him on the floor. Bryant has posted monster block rate (six percent) and steal rate (2.7 percent) numbers this year by using his length and athleticism to generate takeaways off the ball. His defensive upside and floor spacing potential gives him an easy NBA translation even if he’s not a great scorer yet.

15. Orlando Magic – Nolan Traore, G, Saint-Quentin
Traore entered the draft cycle with top-5 hype, but he’s had a tough year playing in a high usage role against pro competition in the top French league. Traore’s jump shot is a big issue, with a 27 percent three-point stroke limiting his scoring efficiency to just 50 percent true shooting. What’s more encouraging is that Traore has shouldered a big 30 percent usage rate while showing off great playmaking vision with a 42.5 percent assist rate. Just what the Magic need, another non-shooter! Well, Orlando should be looking for shooting in free agency, but grabbing a lightning-quick point guard who can generate paint touches would be a nice long-term addition next to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

16. San Antonio Spurs – Asa Newell, F, Georgia
Newell has all the makings of a killer interior finisher at the NBA level — and he has a projectable three-point shot, too. It will be interesting to see how the Georgia freshman measures at the combine with estimates ranging from 6’9 to 6’11 without long arms. The Gerogia freshman hammered home 57 dunks this year to help him finish 73 percent of his looks at the rim. He also made 26 threes, which should give teams confidence he can develop into a shooter even if he only made them at a 29 percent clip. One issue with Newell is he just doesn’t pass the ball or see the floor well at all. Another is that he’s a little short for a center. Newell’s measurements will be important during the process, but his leaping and strength to finish inside and clean the glass has appeal either way.

17. Minnesota Timberwolves – Nique Clifford, F, Colorado State
Clifford will be 24 years old as a rookie after five seasons in college, but age didn’t stop the Timberwolves from drafting Terrence Shannon last year. Clifford also has a ready-made NBA game has a 6’6 wing who can compete defensively, clean the glass, and play a well-rounded floor game offensively. He shot the ball really well this season (37.7 percent on 175 attempts) and showed off more creation ability than ever before with Isaiah Stevens no longer around at Colorado State. Clifford is true late bloomer with his offensive development over the last two years, and it could make him appealing to teams like Minnesota ready to compete right now.

18. Utah Jazz – Thomas Sorber, F/C, Georgetown
Sorber out-performed his recruiting ranking (No. 40 in the RSCI) during a productive freshman season at Georgetown. Sorber is a tad undersized for an NBA center at 6’10 with a 7’1 wingspan, but his interior scoring, passing vision, screening, rim protection potential, and plus rebounding gives him an NBA role. He might not have the flashiest skill set, but the things Sorber does well regularly contribute to winning.

19. Brooklyn Nets – Noah Penda, F, Le Mans
Penda is a big wing out of France who can thrive on defense, make advanced passing reads, and has an improving jump shot. Penda has a beefy 6’8 frame with long arms that he uses to block shots and get deflections. He has a good feel for the game on both ends, and a combination of length and strength that will compete at the next level. Penda is not an elite athlete or a great shooter (30.6 percent on 72 attempts), but he’s projectable enough in those areas that his instincts on both ends should help make him a versatile rotation piece.

20. Oklahoma City Thunder – Egor Demin, G/F, BYU
Demin looked like a potential top-5 pick when he was playing a cupcake schedule early in the season, but his flaws were exposed against better competition. Still, there’s reason to buy into Demin as an elite passer at 6’9 who can put the ball on the floor and doesn’t hesitate to shoot from deep. The Russian guard is limited athletically, turns the ball over a lot, is a shaky shooter (28 percent from deep), and badly needs to add strength to his frame to survive defensively. A team like the Thunder that could allow him to slowly develop for a few years without a lot of early on-ball reps might be an ideal landing spot.

21. Miami Heat – Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas
Thiero is a wrecking ball as a mismatch forward with explosive athleticism, but sadly he’s missed Arkansas’ Sweet 16 run with a knee injury. The junior has a great frame at 6’7 with a 7-foot wingspan and plenty of speed, strength, and power baked in. He flies around defensively getting blocks and steals, and always brings a lot of energy. Offensively, Thiero is a good cutter and interior finisher who hammed home 45 dunks in 26 games this season. He’s not much of a shooter or ball handler yet, but Thiero makes the most of his size and athleticism thanks to his hustle.

22. Indiana Pacers – Labaron Philon, G, Alabama
Philon doesn’t have a standout skill, but he’s a well-rounded and productive freshman guard playing a key role for an Alabama team in the Sweet 16. Philon is a connective guard who can get into the paint off the bounce, and either hit a floater or kick out to teammates. He’s solid defensively using his length, and he seems to have good instincts on that end too. Philon could really use a reliable three-point shot, but he still checks enough boxes as a complementary guard to draw first round looks.

23. Atlanta Hawks – Will Riley, G, Illinois
Riley fits a familiar mold of the microwave scorer, only most of them aren’t 6’8 like he is. The Illinois guard ran hot-and-cold during his freshman year, but when he was on he provided instant offense with his perimeter scoring. Riley is more of a shot-maker than a pure shooter at this point, hitting only 32 percent of his threes but showing good versatility in how he got them off. He can fall in love with his jumper a bit at this stage, but his finishing numbers were still solid and should only get better as he gets stronger. The real issue for Riley right now is his defense, which has a long way to go before he’s playable at the NBA level. Still, his long-term scoring potential is impressive enough to earn first round looks after the lottery.

24. Washington Wizards – Rasheer Fleming, F, Saint Joseph’s
Fleming’s comically large frame and breakout production during his junior season has put him firmly on NBA radars. At 6’9, 240 pounds with a 7’5 wingspan, Fleming has elite length and the potential to grow into a bully on the inside. He shot the ball well this year by making 39 percent of his 159 three-pointers. He also cleaned the defensive glass and added some impressive shot blocking for Saint Joe’s. Fleming can’t do much off the dribble and doesn’t make plays for his teammates, but his floor spacing and ability to compete defensively with his size gives him a pathway to success in a low usage role.

25. Orlando Magic – Liam McNeeley, F, UConn
McNeeley should be one of the premier shooters in this draft class, but somehow he only hit 31.7 percent of his threes on 145 attempts at UConn. His athletic limitations really hamper him at both ends of the floor. He’s likely to wear a target defensively, and he couldn’t even finish at the rim (48.6 percent) over college shot-blockers. Still, McNeeley has solid positional size (6’7) and moves well off the ball and he can be a rotation piece if the shot comes around again.

26. Brooklyn Nets – Joan Beringer, C, KK Cedevita
Beringer will probably go much higher than this given the NBA’s reported interested in him. A 6’10 big man with a 7’4 wingspan, Beringer is a bouncy leaper who can slam lobs as a roll man and help protect the rim. His movement skills, length, and youth are hallmark traits of a first-round pick.

27. Brooklyn Nets – Danny Wolf, F, Michigan
I’ve been holding off on projecting Wolf as a first-round pick, but that’s the way the wind is blowing after his breakout junior year at Michigan. Wolf is a true original as a beefy 7-foot point guard who wants to run pick-and-roll with the ball in his hands. Is any team going to let him have that role in the NBA? Wolf moves well enough defensively to hold his own on that end, which will put extra pressure on his shooting development. If his shot becomes a weapon, he could be a good connective piece.

28. Boston Celtics – Alex Condon, C, Florida
Condon will have a fascinating stay-or-go college decision following his breakout sophomore season at Florida. The 6’11 Australian runs the floor well in transition, flashes some tantalizing passing ability, and has shown the ability to hit some threes. On the flip side, Condon isn’t a powerful interior finisher, he’s a 60 percent free throw shooter, and his rim protection is more solid than spectacular. He feels like a late first-round if he enters.

29. Phoenix Suns – Kam Jones, G, Marquette
Jones took on primary ball handler duties at Marquette this year, and displayed a new level of passing vision scouts didn’t know was in him. While his assist percentage soared, Jones’ efficiency as a three-point shooter — historically one of the strongest parts of his game — dipped. With the ability to get to the rim at will and enough passing and shooting upside, Jones is a worthy flier in the late first.

30. Los Angeles Clippers – Johni Broome, F/C, Auburn
Broome has been arguably the best player in college basketball as a fifth-year senior. He’s a monster interior scorer, a good passer, a solid shot-blocker, and has some history of making threes. He’s also a bit undersized for a five and a bit slow for a modern four. At this point in the draft, you can bank his production and hope for a rotation piece.