2025 NBA Draft predictions: Last-minute expert projections from around the internet
The NBA Finals might have just ended, but the NBA draft is close. So close we can almost smell that unforgettable stench of improperly fitting snapbacks and Adam's Silver's ever-round glasses.
While this year's No. 1 pick is all but assured in Duke's Cooper Flagg, there are still a ton of question marks surrounding the draft, particularly at the end of the top-ten. Will the Rutgers duo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey each go in the top five? Will any international players go in the top 10? Are Flagg's teammates top-10 bound as well?
These questions will be answered shortly, but here are the latest predictions from experts around the internet:
2025 NBA Draft predictions
Paste BN: Kon Knueppel and Kharman Maluach each go in top 10
Flagg is obviously the top prospect in the draft, but he had a lot of help around him, particularly his teammates Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach, who Paste BN Sports has going in the top 10. Regarding Knueppel, Paste BN Sports writes, "He can ignite an offense with his 3-point shot, thanks to an efficient motion, seemingly always ready to receive the ball in his shooting pocket. He can also lace shots from midrange, take care of the ball and is money on free throws." Knueppel is predicted to go seventh overall to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Maluach is expected to go right after to the Brooklyn Nets. Paste BN Sports writes: "Maluach is a mobile big who excels in pick-and-rolls and has the hands to catch lobs for easy dunks; soft touch at the rim; shot-blocker/rim protector; active on the offensive glass; will get stronger and has a great aptitude for the game, learning concepts quickly."
Jeremy Woo, ESPN: Kasparas Jakucionis falls out of the top 10
Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis is expected to go somewhere late in the top 10 but ESPN's Jeremy Woo predicts he will fall out entirely and land at No. 12 to the Chicago Bulls. Woo writes, "Jakucionis' unselfishness, playmaking, and size enabling him to play on and off the ball make him a relatively seamless fit in most places, with upside long-term considering he recently turned 19 years old."
Kevin O'Connor, Yahoo Sports: Ace Bailey falls to 7
O'Connor writes, "On one hand, it seems outrageous that a player with Bailey’s scoring talent could drop this far. Bailey is a ridiculous shot-making machine, capable of splashing contested jumpers from every spot on the floor and with the swagger of a throwback bucket-getter. And he wants to be a star, too, so the vision is there. But on the other hand, it’s hard to have watched these playoffs and believe Bailey is anywhere close to seeing his style translate."
Zach Brazilier, New York Post: Joan Beringer leaps up to No. 13
Joan Beringer is widely regarded as the second-best international prospect this year, behind Noa Essengue. Regarding Beringer, Brazilier believes he'll leap up the draft boards and fall at No. 13 to the Atlanta Hawks. Brazilier writes, "The rim-running, shot-blocking 18-year-old is a late-riser and considered one of the top interior defenders in this draft. He only started playing basketball three years ago. Soccer was his sport of choice growing up. His 7-foot-4 1/2 wingspan would make for a heckuva goalie."