Everything You Need to Know About the 2025 NBA Draft
The NBA Finals are over, which means it's officially the offseason. And while the party is probably still raging in Oklahoma City, the NBA is pushing full steam ahead toward next season.
Though the Finals just ended Sunday, the 2025 NBA draft is already upon us. Beginning on Wednesday night, we'll find out the landing spots for 59 prospects over the course of two days.
The Dallas Mavericks, who had only a 1.8 percent chance to win the lottery, defied the odds to claim the top pick in the draft, which gives them the opportunity to select Duke phenom Cooper Flagg. What happens after that is anyone's guess.
Here, we'll help you get ready for the draft with all the information you'll need, including where to watch, the full draft order, the top prospects, possible steals and more.
Where to Watch the 2025 NBA Draft
1 of 6
Gone are the days of the NBA draft happening all in one night. The draft is now a two-day affair, as the league is reprising the new format it instituted last year.
Day 1 of the draft on Wednesday will consist of the full first round live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn beginning at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN. Teams will have five minutes to make each pick.
Day 2 of the draft on Thursday will feature the second round beginning at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Like last year, teams will have four minutes to make their second-round selections. While that's shorter than the first round, that time limit is double what it had been in years prior when the draft was all on one night.
First Round Draft Order
2 of 6
1. Dallas Mavericks
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Philadelphia 76ers
4. Charlotte Hornets
5. Utah Jazz
6. Washington Wizards
7. New Orleans Pelicans
8. Brooklyn Nets
9. Toronto Raptors
10. Houston Rockets (from Phoenix via Brooklyn)*
11. Portland Trail Blazers
12. Chicago Bulls
13. Atlanta Hawks (from Sacramento)
14. San Antonio Spurs (from Atlanta)
15. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Miami via the LA Clippers)
16. Orlando Magic
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Detroit via New York, Oklahoma City, and Houston)
18. Washington Wizards (from Memphis)
19. Brooklyn Nets (from Milwaukee via New York, Detroit, Portland, and New Orleans)
20. Miami Heat (from Golden State)
21. Utah Jazz (from Minnesota)
22. Atlanta Hawks (from the LA Lakers via New Orleans)
23. Indiana Pacers
24. Oklahoma City Thunder (from the LA Clippers)
25. Orlando Magic (from Denver)
26. Brooklyn Nets (from New York)
27. Brooklyn Nets (from Houston)
28. Boston Celtics
29. Phoenix Suns (from Cleveland via Utah)
30. LA Clippers (from Oklahoma City)
There's been a whole lot of trading going on in the NBA. Sixteen of the top 30 picks have changed hands at least once, either via a direct trade or pick swap. The order above assumes that every team that holds the right to a pick swap actually exercises that right (which they all should).
The 10th overall pick has changed hands multiple times, going from Phoenix to Brooklyn to Houston...and now eventually back to Phoenix. The first time that pick moved, it was as part of the Kevin Durant trade from Brooklyn to Phoenix in 2023. Durant is involved in the latest transaction, too, as Phoenix will receive the pick back from Houston by sending Durant to the Rockets after the new league year begins in July.
Since that trade can't be completed immediately, though, the Rockets will be making the No. 10 pick for the Suns.
As a result of all of those trades, nine teams will enter the draft without a first-round pick. Those teams are the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings.
Second Round Draft Order
3 of 6
31. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Utah)
32. Boston Celtics (from Washington via Detroit and Brooklyn)
33. Charlotte Hornets
34. Charlotte Hornets (from New Orleans via San Antonio, Phoenix, and Memphis)
35. Philadelphia 76ers
36. Brooklyn Nets
37. Detroit Pistons (from Toronto via Dallas and San Antonio)
38. San Antonio Spurs
39. Toronto Raptors (from Portland via Sacramento)
40. Washington Wizards (from Phoenix)
41. Golden State Warriors (from Miami via Brooklyn and Indiana)
42. Sacramento Kings (from Chicago via San Antonio)
43. Utah Jazz (from Dallas)
44. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Atlanta)
45. Chicago Bulls (from Sacramento)
46. Orlando Magic
47. Milwaukee Bucks (from Detroit via Washington)
48. Memphis Grizzlies (from Golden State via Washington and Brooklyn)
49. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Milwaukee)
50. New York Knicks (from Memphis via Oklahoma City and Boston)
51. LA Clippers (from Minnesota via Atlanta and Houston)
52. Phoenix Suns (from Denver via Charlotte and Minnesota)
53. Utah Jazz (from the LA Clippers via the Los Angeles Lakers)
54. Indiana Pacers
55. Los Angeles Lakers
— New York (forfeited)
56. Memphis Grizzlies (from Houston)
57. Orlando Magic (from Boston)
58. Cleveland Cavaliers
59. Phoenix Suns (from Oklahoma City via Atlanta and Houston)
Back in 2022, the NBA levied a penalty against the New York Knicks, forcing them to forfeit their 2025 second-round pick after they were deemed to have impermissible discussions with Jalen Brunson ahead of free agency.
The Denver Nuggets are the only team that is entering the 2025 draft without a pick, as they traded both their first- and second-round selections. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets own five picks, including four first-rounders.
Top Prospects
4 of 6
Cooper Flagg, Duke, PF
Flagg has been the slam-dunk favorite to be the No. 1 pick since before he even played a collegiate game thanks in part to his incredible performances with the USA Select Team that scrimmaged against Team USA ahead of last summer's Olympics. When you add in his stat-stuffing, consensus National Player of the Year-winning season at Duke, it's impossible to imagine anyone else coming off the board first.
Dylan Harper, Rutgers, PG/SG
Harper's versatility is certainly a strong suit. The younger son of 15-year NBA veteran Ron Harper, Dylan can play either guard position and is comfortable playing both on and off the ball. He averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals during his lone season at Rutgers, and he shouldn't have to wait long after Flagg to hear his name called.
Ace Bailey, Rutgers, SF
Standing at 6'7½" with a 7'0½" wingspan, Bailey has the kind of size and length that teams covet on the wing. His shooting potential makes him even more tantalizing as a prospect, although he needs to improve his inside finishing and playmaking to reach his ceiling in the NBA.
VJ Edgecombe, Baylor, SG
Edgecombe is at his best when he's being aggressive and driving to the rim. He's a capable defender, showed flashes of playmaking during his lone season at Baylor and generally takes care of the ball, which are all pluses that should help an NBA team envision a major role for him. However, he isn't yet polished as a shooter.
Khaman Maluach, Duke, C
Likely to be the first true center off the board, Maluach is nearly 7'1" with a 7'7" wingspan and high-level athleticism and mobility. His shot-making has been a positive revelation during the predraft process, which should bolster his draft stock and convince a center-needy team to invest in him.
Possible Sleepers
5 of 6
Johni Broome, Auburn, C
A consensus first-team All-American, Broome is a bit of a tweener as a 6'9" center. His low-post scoring, rebounding, shot-blocking and passing stand out as positives, though his unreliable three-point shooting and lack of burst could hold him back.
Chaz Lanier, Tennessee, SG
One of the top shooters at the NBA draft combine, Lanier made 229 of his 552 three-point attempts (41.5 percent) over his junior and senior seasons. Every team could use more shooting, so Lanier could be in demand late in the first round or early in the second.
Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga, PG
The younger brother of Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, Ryan led the nation in assists last season with 9.8 per game. Reliable point guards who can come off the bench to run the second unit are valuable, and Nembhard's NBA pedigree surely can't hurt.
Drake Powell, North Carolina, SF
Powell was flirting with being a lottery pick early in the 2024-25 college basketball season because of his athleticism, measurables and defense. However, after a quiet year at UNC, he's likely to be selected later in the first round. He still boasts a ton of talent and athleticism, which means there could be plenty of untapped upside for whatever team drafts him.
Hansen Yang, Qingdao, C
A 7'1", 253-pound center from China, Yang acquitted himself at the combine by filling up the stat sheet with buckets, rebounds, assists and even a three-pointer. The teenager could be a second-round steal.
Possible Trades to Watch For
6 of 6
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are going to do something. When a team has four first-round picks as well as a second-rounder, it's unlikely to actually use and sign all of them. The Nets also have the most spending power in the league this offseason, so they could try to package their picks for a star or be an outlet for teams looking to shed salary.
Be ready for the Nets to do just about anything.
San Antonio Spurs
When do the Spurs go all-in on building a contender around Victor Wembanyama? They added De'Aaron Fox ahead of last year's trade deadline and have some solid pieces on the roster, but they could always use another star, likely on the wing. With pick Nos. 2 and 14, do they try to make a big swing to bring in a superstar to accelerate their contention window?
Boston Celtics
The Celtics won the 2024 championship and paid handsomely to bring back their whole team to try to defend the title this year. Now their tax bill is coming due, and it's going to be hefty if they don't make any changes. With Jayson Tatum set to miss most or all of next season due to a torn Achilles, will the Celtics try to shed some salary with a draft-night trade? They've already traded Jrue Holiday, but there could be more movement on the horizon.
Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid isn't getting any younger. If the 76ers are going to reopen their contention window after a miserable 2024-25 season, they may need to use the No. 3 overall pick to bring in someone who can help right now. If that means sending Paul George out in return to make the salaries work, 76ers fans are probably OK with that—depending on who comes back.
