With some teams—hi, Trail Blazers!—clearly headed for the lottery next summer, it’s not too early for their fans to take a look at the prize prospects who will be available next June. It’s an impressive draft class heavy on collegiate talent—unlike recent years.
1. Cooper Flagg
SF, Duke Blue Devils
NBA teams have long been excited about Flagg, but his showing playing against pros during USA Basketball minicamp over the summer has only added to the anticipation. The do-it-all wing may never become an elite NBA scorer, but his impact on the game is immense. Imagine a Draymond Green-esque defensive player capable of blocking shots and guarding multiple positions combined with an offensive package that continues to expand, and you start to get a sense of what Flagg’s impact might be at the next level.
2. Ace Bailey
G-F, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Bailey is a tantalizing prospect, boasting impressive athleticism and shot-making ability at 6' 10" with a seven-foot wingspan. He may not have the polish Flagg has, but his upside might be higher, and a big year at Rutgers could make him a serious contender to go No. 1 next summer. His ability to shoot over people will conjure images of Kevin Durant, Paul George, Brandon Miller and other star big wings in the modern NBA.
3. VJ Edgecombe
SG, Baylor Bears
Edgecombe is on a fast-rising upward trajectory, turning heads over the summer while playing with the Bahamas national team during Olympic qualifying. While still developing as a true shot creator, Edgecombe’s an explosive athlete and slasher who should be elite in transition. He’s also going into a Baylor program that has done a great job developing pros, and he should be put in positions to succeed during what will likely be his only year of college.
4. Dylan Harper
G, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Harper comes with deep basketball bloodlines, with his father, Ron, and brother, Ron Jr., both former NBA players. Dylan is the most talented of the Harpers, though. He is a jumbo point guard capable of bullying his way to the rim against almost any competition. Pairing him with Bailey should make Rutgers one of the most-watched college teams by NBA scouting departments this season. There’s a real chance he’s the first guard off the board in this draft.
5. Khaman Maluach
C, Duke Blue Devils
Maluach will still be 18 years old on draft day and may take some polishing to reach his ceiling, but there’s plenty of logic in betting on a mobile 7' 2" big man with elite shot-blocking ability and shooting flashes. He’s still relatively new to the game and has enormous potential if he puts it all together. That said, Maluach will have to compete for minutes in a loaded Duke frontcourt, which could diminish his standing some.
6. Hugo Gonzalez
G, Real Madrid (Spain)
The 2025 draft features another strong crop of international prospects. Gonzalez might be the headliner, a hard-playing, versatile wing whose motor and toughness has helped him be consistently productive against high-level competition. He’s a potential top-five pick with a strong shooting season in 2024–25.
7. Nolan Traore
PG, Saint-Quentin (France)
At his best, Traore looks like the type of prospect who could push for the top spot in this draft thanks to his size, playmaking and ability to generate paint touches. His decision-making could use work though, and sometimes his motor runs hot and cold. The battle between Harper and Traore to be the first point guard taken will be fascinating to watch play out.
8. Tre Johnson
SG, Texas Longhorns
Keeping Johnson in-state was a huge win for Rodney Terry at Texas. While shaky at times as a decision-maker, Johnson is unquestionably talented as a bigger combo guard who is wired to get buckets. He should be one of the top freshman scorers in college basketball this season, and being flanked by plenty of other scoring talent at Texas should give him every opportunity to showcase his playmaking ability.
9. Egor Demin
G/F, BYU Cougars
Demin electing to leave Real Madrid for college basketball at BYU sent shockwaves through international basketball circles. The Russian wing profiles as a high-level connector on the wing, an effective shooter and playmaker at 6' 9" who should be the centerpiece of new coach Kevin Young’s first team at BYU. A successful year for Demin could be the start of a new era of top international prospects choosing the college route.
10. Liam McNeeley
SF, UConn Huskies
An elite three-and-D prospect, McNeeley profiles as the next UConn lottery pick after producing four in the last four drafts. McNeeley, who played with Flagg at Montverde Academy in Florida, is the type of cerebral mover without the basketball that NBA teams love, combined with being an elite three-point threat and sound defender. Plus, his competitive edge fits perfectly with Dan Hurley’s.
10 more names to know
- Kon Knueppel, Duke
- Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois
- Will Riley, Illinois
- Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina
- Drake Powell, North Carolina
- Ben Saraf, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
- Noa Essengue, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
- Jalil Bethea, Miami
- Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
- Alex Karaban, UConn
This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2025 NBA Draft: Ranking the Top 10 Prospects Ahead of 2024–25 Season.
