2025 NBA Draft Grades for Every Round 1 Pick
The first round of the 2025 NBA draft wrapped Wednesday night.
A lot of things happened.
Many were expected, like the Dallas Mavericks adding Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick and the San Antonio Spurs selecting Dylan Harper right after.
Some were not, like the New Orleans Pelicans letting go of an unprotected future first-round pick to climb into the back end of the lottery(!). Or the Portland Trail Blazers spending the 16th pick on a prospect most had pegged for the middle of the second round.
And how about the Brooklyn Nets actually keeping all five of their first-round picks (and mostly using them on potentially redundant distributors)?
Time will ultimately tell how each front office fared with these 30 picks, but who wants to wait around to find out? We certainly didn’t, so we reacted to all of the selections in real time with a batch of live draft grades.
1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, PF, Duke
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The Mavericks have officially cashed in their lottery luck for the jackpot prize that is Flagg. He might not quite be on the Victor Wembanyama tier of a can't-miss superstar–honestly, who is?– but Flagg arguably has the highest floor and ceiling in this class.
If he maxes out his potential, he'll be one of the league's top two-way talents. If he doesn't, he'll be a high-end support star who offers a little (or a lot) of everything on both ends and sets an organizational tone as an all-caps ELITE competitor.
Dallas is a fascinating landing spot for the all-purpose forward, since he'll have All-Star support from Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis but also the opportunity to tap further into his shot creation while the former recovers from an early-March ACL tear. Flagg will further the Mavs' win-now efforts and give them a long-term centerpiece to build around after the Irving-Davis duo has left the building.
This was an obvious pick, sure, but that doesn't make it any less of a home run.
Grade: A+
*Check out Cooper Flagg's full scouting report here.
2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, PG/SG, Rutgers
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There were years (like 2024) in which Harper would've been the best prospect on the board. But since he's in the same class as Cooper Flagg, he had to "settle" for second.
Harper has good size for a lead guard (6'5", 213 lbs) and the finishing ability to add value off the ball. He's best with it in his hands, where he'll flash phenomenal footwork, strong scoring instincts and floor-general pacing. He's never rushed, and his opponents are never comfortable.
Harper's outside shot is a bit of a question (33.3 percent from three and 75 percent at the line in college), which could lead to some logistical issues with the makeup of San Antonio's roster. Harper, reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and one-time All-Star De'Aaron Fox immediately form one of the Association's most talented guard trios, but is there enough shooting between them for all three to coexist?
That's a question the Spurs will have to tackle—eventually. They were right not to let it sway them away from this selection. Stockpiling talent around a generational star like Wembanyama is almost always the right move, especially when said centerpiece is all of 21 years old.
Grade: A+
*Check out Dylan Harper's full scouting report here.
3. Philadelphia 76ers: VJ Edgecombe, SG, Baylor
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The draft’s first pivot point was right here, and the 76ers handled it well. Ace Bailey’s upside is admittedly tantalizing, but it wasn’t what Philadelphia needed.
VJ Edgecombe is a much cleaner fit with the Sixers as a defense-first athlete who should slot in cleanly alongside Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain on the perimeter. Edgecombe looks like a plug-and-play option for a Philadelphia team that could have plenty to play for next season if it ever catches a break on the health front.
If Edgecombe had a more reliable jumper and a better ball-handling package, he might have challenged the notion that Dylan Harper had the second tier of this draft all to himself. Since he does have a few of those deficiencies, he's left profiling as an elite defender and spectacular athlete who maximizes his explosion by playing with relentless energy. He also has undetermined upside as a shot-maker and creator.
Save for ideal size (6'4", 193 lbs), Edgecombe has everything you'd want in a defensive stopper: playmaking instincts, the desire to defend and his aforementioned athletic gifts and motor. His matchups are almost always in for a long night, and he's constantly looking for chances to turn defense into offense.
His offensive package is intriguing as well, although it's an unfinished product. He must improve his movement shooting and handles, particularly his left hand. But he's already a highlight finisher, a capable spot-up shooter, a must-see in transition and a willing, creative passer.
Grade: A-
*Check out VJ Edgecombe's full scouting report here.
4. Charlotte Hornets: Kon Knueppel, SF, Duke
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Enough momentum had been moving this direction in recent mock drafts that this selection isn’t quite a shock. However, Kon Knueppel seems much more like a support piece than a building block, which isn’t the case for some of the other blue-chippers left on the board. A Hornets team coming off consecutive 60-plus-loss campaigns should probably be chasing upside over everything else.
But if the Hornets have the requisite star power with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, then Knueppel could be a fantastic fit as a high-energy, uber-competitive connector.
Evaluating Knueppel starts with drooling over his deadeye shooting. He cashed 40.6 percent of his perimeter looks and 91.4 percent of his foul shots as a teenager on one of college basketball's marquee clubs. His mechanics are pure, his release is quick, and he's always ready and willing to launch.
The evaluation goes beyond that, though—for better and worse.
The good portion is that Knueppel checks a ton of other boxes. He can handle, feed open teammates, create advantages off pick-and-rolls, zip around closeouts and consistently be in the right place at the right time defensively. But the less flattering side of the scouting report features rather serious athletic concerns, which could cause him problems on both ends of the floor.
Grade: C+
*Check out Kon Knueppel's full scouting report here.
5. Utah Jazz: Ace Bailey, SF, Rutgers
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File this as the draft’s first truly fascinating development. Ace Bailey turned down workout invites from the Jazz and other teams drafting in the top five seemingly in hopes of falling farther than that, but Utah bet big on his talent and sky-high upside anyway.
It’s a smart move for a team that has made plenty of picks in recent drafts and still hasn't found an obvious building block. Bailey isn’t guaranteed to get there, but his potential is far more obvious than you’d see with, say, Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier or Taylor Hendricks. Given the raw state of Bailey’s game, though, it’s fair to wonder whether this selection starts the trade clock on 28-year-old Lauri Markkanen.
Bailey’s ceiling is arguably as high as that of any prospect in this class not named Cooper Flagg. For the Bailey believers, he's a star-big-wing-in-the-making. He'll drop some wow dribble moves (particularly for a 6'8", 18-year-old) and finish with some head-shaking tough-shot makes. If you're in the glass-overflowing camp of optimists, you might even envision a scoring title in his future.
As for the doubters, though, there's a little of everything here. His handle is loose, his shot selection is overly ambitious, his decision-making is questionable (at best) and his defensive effort seems to come and go.
The tools and talent are obvious, but their whole may never reach the sum of their parts.
Grade: A-
*Check out Ace Bailey's full scouting report here.
6. Washington Wizards: Tre Johnson, SG, Texas
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The Wizards needed to find offense with this pick, and they just got it with Tre Johnson.
Once Ace Bailey was off the board, this decision may have come down to Johnson or Jeremiah Fears, and Washington might trust Johnson’s shotmaking more than any skill in Fears’ arsenal. That’s probably a smart wager to make, especially when there are real questions over how much shooting Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulabily will ever provide.
Johnson is, first and foremost, a true net-shredder—a real walking bucket, as the kids used to (and maybe still do?) say. He has irrational confidence that allows him to think he can score from anywhere and in any situation, probably because he often can.
He'll free himself off the dribble or motor around screens into open space and typically find his mark. He'll also dish enough basic or creative deliveries to wonder whether he could handle primary playmaking duties one day.
That confidence can get the better of Johnson, though. He tends to settle for a lot of tough shots, in part because he might not have the explosion, wiggle and strength to find his way to easier looks. On defense, his lack of strength presents problems on the ball, and his inattentiveness poses issues away from it.
Grade: B+
*Check out Tre Johnson's full scouting report here.
7. New Orleans Pelicans: Jeremiah Fears, PG, Oklahoma
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A dream night for New Orleans probably featured Ace Bailey falling into its lap at No. 7, but that was never happening. In terms of realistic outcomes, getting Jeremiah Fears in this spot feels close to a best-case scenario.
The Pelicans needed a lead guard, both to cover up for the absence of Dejounte Murray while he recovers from a torn Achilles and then to either share the backcourt or maybe replace Murray long-term. New Orleans also needed more backcourt shot creation since the Pels don’t get much from their wings or non-Zion Williamson bigs.
The finished version of Fears could be a star. He's already a clever changer of pace, and as soon as he has defenders off-balance, he is comfortable pulling up into jumpers, stepping into floaters or layups, or finding open teammates.
However, the current version might require several coats of polish to clear up his issues with shot selection, decision-making and outside shot consistency. Luckily, he won't turn 19 until October, so there's plenty of time to get everything buffed.
Grade: B+
*Check out Jeremiah Fears' full scouting report here.
8. Brooklyn Nets: Egor Demin, PG/SF, BYU
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Kon Knueppel going fourth overall was a mild surprise. Egor Demin going eighth overall is the night’s first stunner.
Granted, before the college campaign tipped off, Demin looked like a top-10 talent in this class. Given all of the questions raised during his actual season, though, he no longer looked like a lottery lock.
The blueprint is here for a jumbo playmaker, and those players can be hugely valuable in the modern NBA. But there are serious developmental obstacles that could keep him from ever approaching his full potential. That upside was worth a reach at some point, but this feels like a handful of picks before that point.
Demin is probably the best passer in this draft—and he's a 6'8" teenager who might be able to defend wings if he can strengthen his 199-pound frame. Few players have this blend of height, feel and instincts. If he can clean up some of his shortcomings, there's a non-zero chance stardom awaits him.
It'll just take a lot of skill improvements to get there. His jumper needs work, his handles are basic, and he doesn't have an obvious home on defense.
Grade: D+
*Check out Egor Demin's full scouting report here.
9. Toronto Raptors: Collin Murray-Boyles, PF, South Carolina
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Collin Murray-Boyles looks like a Raptor. And that’s not necessarily a compliment, at least when it pertains to his fit.
He is a long, lanky forward with good feel, tons of defense and not a lot of shooting. Is that an archetype Toronto can fit alongside long, lanky, inside-the-arc forwards Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram? That group feels congested, and that’s without even factoring in Jakob Poeltl, the Raptors’ non-shooting center. That fit makes this evaluation harsher than I might otherwise be with Murray-Boyles.
His film shows an advanced feel for the game and legitimate two-way playmaking. His measurements, on the other hand, paint him as a 6'7", 239-pound tweener without a reliable jumper, explosive athleticism or enough size to protect the paint.
In the right ecosystem, he could be special. There's a do-everything (except maybe shooting) path toward him becoming something of a Draymond Green clone, but there's also a reason Green is basically a one-of-one success story. It's a tough model to master, and it takes the right kind of scheme, support system and coaching to make it work.
Consider me skeptical that Toronto is that situation.
Grade: C-
*Check out Collin Murray-Boyles' full scouting report here.
10. Phoenix Suns: Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
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The Suns needed to nail this pick after making it one of the primary pieces in their return package from the Houston Rockets for Kevin Durant. The draft board allowed the Suns to do exactly that.
Khaman Maluach could’ve gone three or four picks earlier, and no one would’ve batted an eye. He has tremendous long-term potential, particularly if you think he can add a long-range shot to his arsenal at some point. Fortunately for Phoenix, which needs to win sooner than later to maximize Devin Booker’s prime, Maluach has the physical tools and motor to step into a potentially high-minutes role right now.
This feels like one of those moments where the best player available and the biggest need-filler were the same name. That’s what you hope happens with any pick.
Maluach is enormous (7'1" with a near 7'7" wingspan) and still both agile and explosive for his size. The potential for him to become an enhanced rim-runner is obvious. If he can't crush a lob, he has a soft enough touch to guide it in. His consistent foul shooting (76.6 percent at Duke) offers hope for range expansion down the line. Plus, he has shown the willingness (if not always the ability) to defend in space.
The Suns selecting Maluach and trading for Mark Williams on the same night is interesting, since they’re unlikely to share the floor any time soon (if ever). Center was an obvious need, though, and having Williams around will make it easier to avoid throwing too much too quickly at Maluach.
That’s important, because Maluach could require patience and plenty of seasoning. He picked up the sport in his teens, and that will surface in everything that requires more than just being big and playing hard. He also needs to get stronger and better with his hands to be more of a presence on the glass.
Grade: A
*Check out Khaman Maluach's full scouting report here.
11. Memphis Grizzlies (via POR): Cedric Coward, SF/PF, Washington State
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Just last year, the Grizzlies nabbed a shotmaking wing out of Washington State who took a circuitous route to the NBA in Jaylen Wells and watched him emerge as a full-time starter and All-Rookie first-teamer. It looks like Memphis is trying to recreate things with Cedric Coward, who offers a fascinating blend of physical gifts and basketball suits, plus a Wells-like wild ride to this level.
You get why the Grizzlies felt comfortable giving up the 16th pick, a 2028 first-round pick from the Orlando Magic and a pair of second-round picks to trade up for Coward, per ESPN’s Shams Charnia. He checks off a lot of important boxes. Given his age and lack of high-level experience, though, this feels a little risky.
Coward's path to the NBA was a wild one, as he opened his collegiate career at D-III Willamette University before transferring to Eastern Washington for two seasons and then Washington State for his final go-round. A shoulder injury limited his Cougars tenure to six games, but that didn't stop him from soaring during the predraft process. Evaluators kept coming back to his combination of size (6'5", 213 lbs), length, shot-making, defensive versatility and distribution.
Coward is largely unproven against high-end competition, and he may never offer much on-ball creation, but he looks like a capable-at-worst three-and-D forward with a few more tools in his bag than the label typically implies.
Grade: C+
*Check out Cedric Coward's full scouting report here.
12. Chicago Bulls: Noa Essengue, PF, Ratiopharm Ulm
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The Bulls’ rebuilding project, which they’d probably never refer to as such, feels behind schedule given the front office’s resistance toward bottoming out in search of blue-chip prospects. But for the second year in a row, Chicago managed to find an intriguing, young talent near the back end of the lottery: Matas Buzelis then, Noa Essengue now.
Buzelis has already dropped hints about becoming a building block, and Essengue has all of the tools to do the same. Chicago just might have stumbled into a young nucleus without really trying to do so.
The long-term view of Essengue is intriguing. The 6'10" forward offers an interesting blend of length, athleticism and fluidity, especially when you see all three in action on fast-break chances or defensive switches. He keeps active on the glass, and he has a knack for finding open spaces for corner threes and baseline cuts.
His skills almost all need refinement—he's not really a standout in anything—but few, if any, seem hopeless. Plus, time is very much on his side, since he won't turn 19 until the middle of December. The imagination runs wild with thoughts of what he could become, but that obviously guarantees nothing about the actual developmental path he'll take.
Grade: B+
*Check out Noa Essengue's full scouting report here.
13. New Orleans Pelicans (via Hawks): Derik Queen, C, Maryland
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Derik Queen going No. 13 normally wouldn’t have been a source of any surprise. Frankly, someone could’ve gambled on his upside four or five picks earlier, and that wouldn’t have been the biggest story of the top 10.
Queen has tons of talent, even if it’s not all a perfect fit in the modern NBA (more on that in a minute). What makes this a real shocker is the reported price that the Pelicans paid to move up for him: the No. 23 pick and an unprotected 2026 first-round pick (the highest of their own or the Milwaukee Bucks), per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Queen better become a no-doubt building block, because giving up an unprotected future first is a massive amount to pay to climb up 10 spots.
Queen is perhaps the biggest dice roll in this draft—if not figuratively, then literally. The 6'9", 248-pounder offers towering upside on offense and gives rise to all kinds of questions on defense.
Offensively, there's jumbo-hub potential here. He's probably the best passing big man in this class, as he pairs expert vision with tremendous touch. When he calls his own number, he has a deep bag of low-post scoring tricks along with handles and shooting touch that stretches out to the mid-range (and hopefully to the perimeter over time).
Defensively, there are serious questions about who he'll defend. Bouncy centers can expose his lack of size, and speedy perimeter players can exploit him in open spaces.
Grade: D+
*Check out Derik Queen's full scouting report here.
14. San Antonio Spurs: Carter Bryant, SF, Arizona
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Whenever the Spurs decide to trade for an established star, there’s a good chance it could cost them Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes or maybe both. In Carter Bryant, the Spurs just picked up a ready-made three-and-D replacement.
Bryant may not ever become more than a supporting role player, but that’s all San Antonio should need with Victor Wembanyama and some combination of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and No. 2 pick Dylan Harper handling all of the featured-star stuff.
Bryant appears ready to walk into a three-and-D role, and since he's only 19 years old, there's plenty of hope he'll one day develop into more. He checks all of the physical boxes to be a Swiss-army-knife stopper, and he can consistently feast on catch-and-launch long-range shots.
He is kind of only a play-finisher on offense, though. If teammates aren't feeding him for open threes or dunks, he probably won't impact the scoreboard much early in his career.
Grade: A-
*Check out Carter Bryant's full scouting report here.
15. Oklahoma City Thunder: Thomas Sorber, C, Georgetown
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Oklahoma City’s roster is the deepest in the NBA. Almost any direction the reigning champions went here was going to feel like a luxury pick. Thomas Sorber is no exception.
That isn't to say he’ll be unable to fill a rotation role next season. He has some real skills, and he isn’t afraid to mix it up in the middle. It’ll just be tough to crack a center rotation that already features Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams.
Sorber is a unique prospect, and not only because the 6'9", 263-pound big man has a 7'6" wingspan. There's some throwback, brute-force power in his game, along with some contemporary handles, short-roll passing and shooting confidence (if not shooting capability at this stage).
He also could be a tricky fit depending on how his development plays out. He isn't vertically explosive or especially nimble in space, so he could be challenged more than those dimensions would make you think. It would also really help if his jumper materializes, because there aren't many modern bigs who don't fit either the rim-running or stretch-center roles.
Grade: C+
*Check out Thomas Sorber's full scouting report here.
16. Portland Trail Blazers: Hansen Yang, C, Qingdao
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Wow. The analysis will get better in a second here, but, wow.
Yang wasn’t given a green room invitation because he wasn’t at all a lock to land in the first round. Most mock drafts and big boards had him somewhere near the middle of the second. This is a massive reach. The go-get-your-guy mentality has some merit, but this isn’t a great use of draft capital. And that’s only when we’re talking about the prospect picked.
Factor in team fit, and this gets even more confusing. Remember when Portland spent No. 7 pick on Donovan Clingan last year and then struggled to find him minutes in its crowded center rotation? Well, things are even more congested now.
Yang is a skilled 7-footer, and that archetype will always interest this league. His post scoring feels automatic. He makes quick, smart reads as a ball-mover, and he impacts the game with his interior defense.
But he isn't an explosive leaper or a nimble mover, so finding his defensive fit will be tricky. He's also not a shooting threat, so defenses won't pay him much mind away from the basket. And he's about to encounter a different class of athlete than he faced in the CBA, so there's at least some concern he won't be up for the physical challenges of the Association.
Grade: D-
*Check out Hansen Yang's full scouting report here.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Joan Beringer, C, Cedevita
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This is good value for the Timberwolves, even if they don’t have an obvious opening at center unless Naz Reid bolts in free agency. This draft turned center-heavy at the No. 10 pick, yet Joan Beringer somehow fell to No. 17.
That feels like mistakes were made by at least a few teams selecting other centers. Between Beringer’s physical tools and the potential tied to them, he shouldn’t have been on the board anymore. As an added bonus, the Wolves need to give him exactly zero minutes until he’s ready to handle them since they have that aforementioned frontcourt depth.
The sales pitch with Beringer is pretty easy and essentially all told in numbers and measurements: 6'11" with a 7'4" wingspan and 18 years old until mid-November. He has room to grow his game—and noticeably lacks polish—but there's already a simple rim-running projection here with the added utility of being comfortable and capable of defending in space.
He still needs to fill out his narrow frame, and his lack of awareness might be more easily exploited in the Association, at least early in his NBA career. But he'll be a plug-and-play lob threat and might have All-Defensive potential if everything breaks right with his development.
Grade: B+
*Check out Joan Beringer's full scouting report here.
18. Utah Jazz (via WAS): Walter Clayton Jr., PG/SG, Florida
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The Jazz reportedly traded the No. 21 pick and multiple second-round picks to move up to take Walter Clayton Jr., per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. While that isn’t super aggressive or expensive, it might prove plenty revealing about Utah’s new president of basketball operations, Austin Ainge.
If nothing else, Clayton’s arrival can’t make things too comfortable for Keyonte George or Isaiah Collier, recent first-round picks notably not made by Ainge. This trade-up doesn’t guarantee their departure, to be clear, but it does suggest Utah thinks Clayton has a bright future in front of him.
I’m not sure I would have taken him with Kasparas Jakucionis and Jase Richardson both still on the board, but this isn’t some massive reach. Clayton can really play, and the fact he’s coming from a winning program surely holds some appeal for a Utah franchise that could still try to up its competitiveness to capitalize on Lauri Markkanen’s prime.
Clayton was the biggest catalyst behind Florida's national championship run, which highlighted his shot-making and unwavering self-belief. He has one of the richest shooting menus in this class. He's almost equally adept shooting off the catch or on the move, and he's a skilled finisher despite not having great size or explosion.
With all of that said, he's still essentially a 6'3" scoring guard, and NBA seemingly keeps moving away from that archetype. Maybe his moxie will allow him to be an exception, but with serious deficiencies as both a defender and a distributor, all of the pressure is on his shot-making to translate.
Grade: C+
*Check out Walter Clayton Jr.'s full scouting report here.
19. Brooklyn Nets: Nolan Traore, PG, Saint-Quentin
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The Nets have now made two of what could be five first-round picks tonight. They spent both on playmaking point guards with questionable jumpers.
Whenever this group decides to cash in its trade chips to get an established star or two, it will likely need a lead guard to tie everything together. But is this just doubling down on that role? Egor Demin and Nolan Traoré are interesting for their own reasons, but there are enough questions about their shooting and defense to potentially prevent them from sharing meaningful minutes together, at least until they iron out their respective weaknesses.
When Traoré hits the burners, even NBA defenders might struggle to keep up. He is a quick enough processor to see things a step ahead, and then he has the ball-handling and vision to exploit whatever openings he creates.
He doesn't always utilize that vision, though, which is a worry because playmaking is clearly his calling card. There are flashes of shot-making, but it's not a consistent part of his arsenal yet. And there is very little to like about his defense, which must be coached up in all facets.
Grade: C+
*Check out Nolan Traoe's full scouting report here.
20. Miami Heat: Kasparas Jakucionis, PG/SG, Illinois
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The Heat might have had visions of using this pick to acquire an established star, but they have to be happy with how things turned out.
They needed a skilled playmaker on the perimeter, and Kasparas Jakučionis is one of the best ball-movers in this class. His skills and decision-making could use some buffering, but Miami’s developmental staff has a real chance to help him bring out his best.
There won’t be much defensive resistance between him and Tyler Herro, but a frontcourt trio featuring Andrew Wiggins, Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware looks like a group capable of cleaning up a lot of defensive mistakes. Plus, there will be nights in which Jakučionis and Herro just make enough happen offensively to offset whatever they give back at the other end.
Sizable playmakers are all the rage, and Jakučionis fits the bill as a 6'5" lead guard with good vision and gobs of creativity. He's also a tone-setting hustler and crafty below-the-rim finisher with perimeter shooting potential.
He hasn't mastered offensive consistency yet, but the pressure is on him to do so since he'll likely consistently be at a disadvantage defensively. Speedy guards can run circles around him, and bigger wings will power right through him.
Grade: A-
*Check out Kasparas Jakučionis' full scouting report here.
21. Washington Wizards (via UTA): Will Riley, SF, Illinois
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The Wizards clearly entered tonight with a plan to perk up their offense. Selecting Will Riley will move them a step closer to doing that.
Save for standing 6’8”, he doesn't check all of the physical boxes you'd want from a wing. His wingspan only runs as long as his height, and there are only 186 pounds packed onto his lanky frame.
His skill stands out when conditions are ideal, as he'll show off smooth finishes, creative passes and some pull-up proficiency. With that said, his lack of strength means he can get bumped off his spot rather easily on both ends, which increases the importance of him evolving from a streaky shooter to a consistent artist from distance.
Grade: C
*Check out Will Riley's full scouting report here.
22. Brooklyn Nets (via ATL): Drake Powell, SG/SF, North Carolina
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Whenever Brooklyn is able to address its lack of top-shelf talent, Drake Powell is the kind of player who should help support a star. His athletic gifts are elite, and he plays hard enough to squeeze everything he can out of them.
On a team largely devoid of offensive talent, though, the worry is that some of Powell’s weaknesses will be more noticeable than his strengths.
He looks the part of a three-and-D wing. His physical tools are top-notch, and he makes full use of them on the defensive end. His perimeter looks also found their mark 37.9 percent of the time during his one-and-done run in Chapel Hill.
His offensive game is almost wholly undeveloped beyond that outside shot, though, and even the perimeter-shooting portion of his profile demands questioning. His shooting motion is slow and choppy, and his free-throw numbers were less than flattering (35-of-54, 64.8 percent).
Grade: C-
*Check out Drake Powell's full scouting report here.
23. Atlanta Hawks (via Pelicans): Asa Newell, PF/C, Georgia
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When the Pelicans came calling earlier with a 2026 unprotected first-round pick on the table if the Hawks would move back 10 spots, it was already a no-brainer for Atlanta. Having Asa Newell still on the board 10 picks might make this an absurd heist.
The Hawks probably talked about taking Newell had they stayed at No. 13, which was right around his typical mock-draft range. As an added bonus, he was born in Atlanta, grew up in Georgia and spent his only season of college ball with the Bulldogs.
If Newell can stick at center–he's a bit undersized at 6'9" and 224 pounds–he could thrive as a rim-runner with several modern enhancements. He routinely hammers home everything around the basket and leans on those same hops to make an impact as a rebounder and shot-blocker. He's also a nimble enough mover to defend in space, and he'll show flashes of jump-shooting and straight-line ball-handling.
Newell needs to get stronger to handle major minutes in the middle, though, and he'll have to clean up his perimeter skills if he winds up playing more at the 4. His jump shot isn't reliable, he isn't a quick-read passer, and his handle is loose.
Grade: A-
*Check out Asa Newell's full scouting report here.
24. Sacramento Kings (via Thunder): Nique Clifford, SF/PF, Colorado State
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The Kings were mentioned as trade-up candidates in recent days, as they lacked a first-round pick and desperately needed some young talent. They found a willing trade partner in the Oklahoma City Thunder, who don’t have enough roster spots to spend all of the draft picks they own.
Clifford has glue-guy appeal, so hopefully there’s something of substance for him to help connect in Sacramento. The Kings could’ve taken a bigger upside swing here—Clifford is already 23 years old—but maybe they haven’t abandoned hope on the Domantas Sabonis-Zach LaVine-DeMar DeRozan trio.
There is plenty of connectivity potential in Clifford's profile. He makes plays at both ends, keeps active on the boards, takes and makes both standstill and pull-up jumpers, and makes quick, clever reads as a passer.
But where will he make his mark in the NBA? Versatility is a good selling point, but less so when it might be the only selling point. Can he still make an impact with far fewer on-ball opportunities? Could he get overwhelmed by the steep hike in competition level? As someone who will turn 24 during his rookie season, he may not get many chances to answer those questions.
Grade: B-
*Check out Nique Clifford's full scouting report here.
25. Orlando Magic: Jase Richardson, SG, Michigan State
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The Magic waited way longer than necessary to address their obvious deep-range deficiencies, but maybe their patience will be rewarded. While they paid a premium to acquire Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies, he looks like a perfect fit for this roster.
Jase Richardson looks like another need-filler and a legitimate bargain at this point of the draft. There are some questions about his physical tools, but those were accounted for and then some by getting him this far removed from the lottery.
Richardson may not have the height (6'1") or anti-gravity bounce of his father, two-time Dunk Contest champion Jason Richardson, but he shows the on-court awareness of the son of a former pro. He almost always plays hard and smart, and he showcases soft touch from everywhere. And the way he deftly handled a late-season expansion in his role suggests he has more creation and playmaking than he was able to show under Michigan State's notoriously youth-averse head coach, Tom Izzo.
Richardson's lack of size could be an issue, though. He'll be targeted on the defensive end, and his ceiling will drop a bit if he can't harness the handles needed to operate as a primary playmaker at some point.
Grade: A-
*Check out Jase Richardson's full scouting report here.
26. Brooklyn Nets: Ben Saraf, PG/SG, Ratiopharm Ulm
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Make that three guards in four picks for the Nets now. After taking Egor Demin eighth overall and Nolan Traore at No. 19, they snagged Ben Saraf at No. 26.
More specifically, Brooklyn has managed to pick up three perimeter players with questionable perimeter shots. Make that four if Drake Powell’s jumper doesn’t play up to his three-point percentage.
The Nets need all of the talent they can get, so they don’t necessarily need to factor team fit into the equation just yet. Still, things will get crowded quickly if these young players can’t find three-point range soon.
As for Saraf, he is one of the smoothest operators in this class, often using deceleration to put defenders off-balance. And once he has an advantage, he'll seize upon it with mid-range pull-ups, creative kick-outs or dump-downs, or soft-touch finishes at the basket.
Will he separate from NBA defenses, though? That's among the questions he'll face, as he's extremely left-hand dominant, isn't explosive and doesn't have range on his jumper (not now, at least).
Finding reliability from range would open up a lot in his game, but who knows when or if that breakthrough finally comes?
Grade: C+
*Check out Ben Saraf's full scouting report here.
27. Brooklyn Nets: Danny Wolf, PF/C, Michigan
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So, the Nets not only made all five of their first-round picks, but they’ve now invested four of them in playmakers. At least Danny Wolf is an obvious break from the mold, since he’s a legitimate big man who just so happens to have some off-the-dribble shake and court vision in his bag. Oh, he might even have a jumper, too, although that’s sort of still being figured out.
A late growth spurt pushed Wolf from the backcourt to the frontcourt, and he brought most of his guard skills along for the ride. He has impressive handles and vision, particularly for a 6'11", 252-pounder. The Wolverines essentially used him as a jumbo-sized guard, and he averaged their second-most assists (3.6) and fourth-most three-pointers (1.0) per game.
Fit will be paramount to his success, though, because there are questions about whether he's a good enough creator to operate as a playmaking 4 or a good enough paint protector to man the middle. Athletically, he's a fluid mover, but he's not explosive, so he'll get tested early and often until he proves he can hang. His shooting potential is unknown, too, as his mechanics look good, but his percentages don't (33.6 percent from three, 64.6 percent at the line over three collegiate seasons).
Grade: B
*Check out Danny Wolf's full scouting report here.
28. Boston Celtics: Hugo González, SF, Real Madrid
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The Celtics now have some runway in front of them. Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear cast a cloud of uncertainty over their 2025-26 campaign and subsequently led to the cost-cutting subtractions of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis.
Without so much win-now pressure on their shoulders, they just took one of draft’s more intriguing developmental projects in Hugo González.
Since floor time proved hard to come by for him in Spain, there are mystery-box elements at play here. His motor and physical tools should both translate to the NBA, but there are questions about what kind of shooter and shot-creator he'll become.
He plays hard enough that it's tempting to wager on him figuring everything out, but if he's a space-killing non-shooter, that will make it far more difficult for him to navigate the NBA.
Grade: C+
*Check out Hugo González's full scouting report here.
29. Charlotte Hornets (via Suns): Liam McNeeley, SF/PF, Connecticut
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With the first of two first-round picks they brought back from tonight’s Mark Williams trade–the other is a future first-rounde–the Hornets stopped the slide of Liam McNeeley.
He checks a lot of the boxes that help make winning teams better, especially if his outside shot starts falling the way his form makes you think it should. Charlotte obviously isn’t a winner now, but perhaps a productive first round tonight means better days aren’t too far ahead.
About that shooting: McNeeley has better shooting mechanics than his connection rates at UConn suggest (38.1 percent overall, 31.7 percent from three). As long as defenses respect those mechanics, he can help get the offensive gears going. He keeps in constant motion off the ball and keeps the chain moving with connective passes when he's on it.
But those shooting rates were what they were in part because he's a limited creator off the dribble. McNeeley can struggle to gain separation and hasn't mastered the art of the pull-up. He's also likely to get targeted early and often on defense due to his limited lateral quickness.
Grade: B
*Check out Liam McNeeley's full scouting report here.
30. Los Angeles Clippers: Yanic Konan Niederhauser, C, Penn State
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The Clippers find themselves in a bit of a tricky spot. They're in the midst of a win-now window with James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, but they also must consider the future beyond them.
The hope is that they did a little of both by spending the night’s final pick on Yanic Konan Niederhauser, who might offer frontcourt depth now and maybe a lot more down the line.
Granted, there aren’t a ton of 22-year-old projects floating around the NBA, but you get why L.A. made an exception. Niederhauser is an athletic 7-footer who looks like he could settle into a rim-running role rather quickly and perhaps enhance it with flashes of ball-handling and soft touch.
The worry is that his lack of fundamentals might get in the way of his holding down even a support role. If he's a foul machine who's continually missing rotations and failing to box out, patience with his development might deplete in a hurry.
Grade: C
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